Credit-Based Transition Programs:
Strategies to Improve Postsecondary Access and Success for Middle- and Low-Achieving Students

A Forum — October 4, 2004

Introduction

The U.S. Department of Education (USED) initiated a research project focused on credit-based transition programs that allow high school students to take college-level courses and earn college credit while still in high school. Much of the interest in this topic stems from the impact that economic changes are having on the skills needed by the U.S. workforce. Many of today’s fastest growing occupations require some education beyond high school and are therefore changing the role of secondary education. The high school diploma can no longer be seen as a terminal degree, but as a degree that provides all students with the foundational skills to enter a postsecondary institution. According to Hans Meeder, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), USED, there is a “disconnect” between the skills needed for success in the labor market and the skills that high schools are actually providing. Meeder cited the following statistics on students in the United States:

• Enrollment in postsecondary education has only increased at the rate of 15% in the past ten years, compared to 258% in China and 92% in India, our major economic competitors.
• Almost half of students take some remedial courses while enrolled in postsecondary education.
• The proportions of Hispanics and African-Americans in the nation’s population are expected to increase to 24% and 15%, respectively; however, these young adults are less likely to immediately enroll in postsecondary education than their white counterparts.

To better prepare students for postsecondary education and careers, USED developed the High School Initiative to ensure that “every American youth will complete high school with the academic knowledge and skills needed to make a successful transition to postsecondary education or training without needing remediation.” The Initiative has three goals: 1) equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge on learning opportunities for high school students; 2) develop the expertise and structure within the Department of Education to provide technical assistance; and 3) facilitate a national dialogue on high school restructuring. These goals are supported by four key principles including: high expectations for all students; innovative learning structures that engage students; high-quality teachers and leaders; and opportunities for accelerated transitions to work or additional education.

The Accelerating Student Success Initiative, described by Ivonne Jaime, Project Officer, OVAE, supports the goals of the High School Initiative and seeks to enhance the research base on transition programs that serve mid- to low-achieving students. The first activity supported by the Initiative was a literature review to determine the various models and characteristics of credit-based transition programs. The review informed the development of two surveys being conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics and the Accelerating Student Success Project. The surveys examine the prevalence of programs, the level of participation by students, and programmatic characteristics such as program eligibility requirements. The final activity described by Jaime was the Accelerating Student Success Project, a collaborative effort involving USED, the Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Teachers College, Columbia University and DTI Associates.

Research Findings from the Accelerating Student Success Project

Thomas Bailey, Director of CCRC and the George and Abby O’Neill Professor of Economics and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, (www.tc.columbia.edu/ccrc) introduced their work on credit-based transition programs. Many programs fit this definition and CCRC has categorized them by their intensity and their purpose as follows: singleton program that offers one or two college courses; comprehensive programs that offer a fuller academic collegiate experience; or enhanced comprehensive programs that recreate both the academic and non-academic aspects of college life and provide a range of supports to students.

Bailey said credit-based transition programs, especially enhanced comprehensive programs, have the potential to convince middle-to-low achieving students of the importance of postsecondary education and prepare them for the challenges of more advanced work. In addition, credit-based transition programs can potentially alleviate some of the financial pressures of postsecondary education if students are able to simultaneously earn high school and college credit. CCRC is focused on exploring program effectiveness for students from a wide range of backgrounds, not just those who are traditionally “college-bound.”

Katherine Hughes, Assistant Director for Work and Education Reform Research, CCRC, summarized the research conducted through the Accelerating Student Success Project. The project uses case studies, focus groups, and policy analysis to explore which features of credit-based transition programs and policies best contribute to successful postsecondary transitions, particularly among middle-to-low achieving students. In the focus groups, practitioners were asked about the qualities of programs that facilitate successful postsecondary transitions in this group of students, and how data are collected to measure student outcomes. Participants defined successful programs as having motivated faculty who have many opportunities for professional development, a strong curriculum, opportunities for non-academic experiences on campus, and ample communication both between the college and high school and among the schools, parents, and students. In addition, characteristics of programs that helped low-achieving students succeed included a sequential curriculum with ample individual attention starting early in high school and dissemination of information about the college application process. Regarding data collection, most participants reported having no information on long-term college enrollment and persistence. Rather, programs are deemed “successful” if students show up at school, avoid taking remedial classes when in college, or receive college credit for one or two classes while in high school.

Melinda Mechur Karp, Research Associate, CCRC, discussed the implications of state policies on dual enrollment programs. CCRC collected information from all 50 states; 38 states have policies concerning dual enrollment. In analyzing the data, the two most common aspects of dual enrollment programs addressed by states were program funding and student admissions procedures. Funding policies are often complex, and vary from state to state. However, funding is especially important to consider for low-income dual enrollment students, who may not be able to afford tuition. Twenty-nine states have admissions policies to determine who can participate in dual enrollment which may involve students’ grade point averages, SAT scores, or other proficiency test scores. Karp noted that states must balance eligibility requirements between admissions requirements that only allow participation by advanced students with requirements that are so lenient that students who are unprepared to do the required coursework are allowed to enroll.

Hughes then concluded by addressing two issues emerging from this research: 1) students and parents need to be made aware of exactly how credit is earned and whether it can be transferred; and 2) more research needs to be done to determine which outcomes are of interest, and how to develop the resources for measuring the appropriate outcomes.

Discussion

A question was asked if the location of the program was a factor in student success, and if programs were more effective located on a community college campus. Speakers indicated that many successful credit-based transition programs are located within high schools. However, programs on community college campuses provide two advantages: they have more specialized equipment, especially for science and technical programs; and they provide students with greater exposure to the non-academic features of college life. Another question was asked about alternative funding for dual enrollment programs and whether students could use federal financial aid dollars for dual enrollment. Researchers indicated they had not learned about any such policies involving financial aid dollars. Meeder added that the taxing authority in one community gave a $1,000 credit to students enrolled in tech prep dual enrollment programs.