State leaders should eliminate dual credit fees for all students and strengthen automatic enrollment policy implementation¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The brief recommends that Washington build on its 2023 fee eliminations by extending universal access: "The state should build on the universal access model they created in SB 5048 and work to eliminate fees for all students in other DC programs," since fees for AP, IB tests, Running Start, and CTE certifications remain and current waivers require self-identification and miss students just above the FRL threshold. It also recommends supporting districts that have not adopted automatic enrollment policies and strengthening implementation where they exist, including publishing disaggregated data, teacher professional development, and family notification.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• State-level authority over dual credit program funding and district acceleration policy requirements

Constraints¶

• The brief notes merely establishing a policy does not equate with success if teachers lack buy-in or students and families are unaware of it

Target Learners¶

• High school students, particularly Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds

Target Learning Goals¶

• Equitable access to and success in advanced coursework earning transferable college credit

Related Strategies¶

• Adopt automatic-enrollment policies that default students into higher-level math based on prior achievement or demonstrated proficiency
• Automatically enroll high-performing sixth graders in advanced math, with parent opt-out, to circumvent educator bias in referral
• State policy package to expand equitable access to advanced coursework: credit transparency, automatic enrollment with opt-out, fee removal, disaggregated data reporting, and belonging supports
• Adopt automatic (opt-out) enrollment policies placing qualifying students in advanced coursework

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Kristen Hengtgen, Hector Biaggi. (2023). Increasing Access to Advanced Coursework. EdTrust. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED641932