What is Dual Enrollment CTE?

Dual enrollment is an educational arrangement that allows high school students to enroll in and earn credit for postsecondary courses while still completing their secondary education. In the CTE context, dual enrollment programs enable students to begin accumulating college credits in their career pathway during high school, reducing the time and expense required to earn postsecondary certificates and degrees.

Dual enrollment CTE courses may be taught by qualified high school CTE teachers at the high school site, by college faculty at the college campus, or through online delivery. Regardless of delivery method, dual enrollment courses must meet the standards and expectations of the postsecondary institution granting the credit. This means students are held to college-level rigor while receiving the support of the high school environment.

Perkins V encourages dual enrollment as a strategy for creating seamless programs of study that connect secondary and postsecondary education. The law's emphasis on non-duplicative sequences and postsecondary credit opportunities has led many states to expand their dual enrollment CTE offerings. Some states have made dual enrollment a required component of approved CTE programs of study.

The financial structure of dual enrollment varies significantly. In some states, dual enrollment is tuition-free for students, with costs covered by state funding or interinstitutional agreements. In others, students pay reduced tuition. The funding model has a major impact on student access and equity, as cost can be a significant barrier for low-income students.

Dual enrollment CTE programs require close collaboration between secondary and postsecondary institutions. Both parties must agree on course content, instructor qualifications, assessment standards, and credit transfer processes. High school CTE teachers who deliver dual enrollment courses typically must meet postsecondary faculty qualification requirements, which may include a master's degree or specific graduate-level coursework in their content area.

Why Dual Enrollment CTE Matters for CTE Programs

Dual enrollment is a powerful strategy for demonstrating CTE program value. When students can earn college credits during high school at no or reduced cost, it creates a compelling incentive for enrollment and completion. CTE directors who build robust dual enrollment options often see increased student interest in CTE pathways and stronger support from families and community members.

Dual enrollment directly supports Perkins V performance indicators, particularly postsecondary credit attainment and placement in further education. Programs with strong dual enrollment components tend to produce higher rates of postsecondary continuation because students have already experienced college-level work and accumulated credits toward a credential.

For CTE directors, expanding dual enrollment requires navigating institutional relationships, instructor qualification requirements, and funding structures. These challenges are worth addressing because dual enrollment strengthens the secondary-postsecondary connections that are essential for effective programs of study and improves the value proposition of CTE for students and families.

Key Components

State Variations

Dual enrollment policies vary dramatically across states. Some states have robust statewide frameworks that provide tuition waivers, standardized agreements, and clear instructor qualification pathways. Others leave dual enrollment arrangements entirely to local institutions, resulting in uneven access across districts.

Instructor qualification requirements create particular challenges. In states where postsecondary institutions require a master's degree for dual enrollment instructors, many CTE teachers are excluded from teaching dual enrollment courses despite having extensive industry experience. Some states have developed workarounds such as graduate credit equivalency for industry certifications, but this remains a significant barrier.

Common Misconceptions

Related Terms