The Impact of Dual Enrollment Course Participation upon

Post-Secondary Achievement and Degree Attainment

Dr. Joni L. SwansonAssistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction

Geneseo CUSD #228Geneseo, IL

jswanson@dist228.org

Transitions

Estimated 80% (2.56 million) of eligible high school students entering higher education in fall 2008

28% = US adults ages 29 and older with a degree in 2005

“The effects of grades and tests diminish in time, but the stuff of

learning does not go away.”

Clifford Adelman, “Answers in the Toolbox”, 1999

Research Connecting K-12 andPost-Secondary Education

Adelman, C., 1999. Answers in the toolbox, US Dept. of Education.

National Commission on the High School Senior Year, 2001. The lost opportunity of senior year: Finding a better way.

Venezia, A., Kirst, M., and Antionio, A., 2003. Betraying the college dream: How disconnected K-12 and post-secondary education systems undermine student aspirations, The Stanford Bridge Project.

Adelman, C., 2006. The toolbox revisited, US Dept. of Education.

Acceleration – Credit Based Transition Programs

CLEP (College Level Examination Program)

IB (International Baccalaureate)

AP (Advanced Placement®)

Early University Entrance Programs

Early College High Schools

DE (Dual Enrollment, Dual Credit, Concurrent Enrollment)

Dual Enrollment classes…

• High school and/or college credits

• On or off campus• College hired instructor• College transcripts and

transferable credit• Accelerate students’

post-secondary entry

Growth of Dual Enrollment

NACEP –1999, accreditation and credit recognition

NCES –2005, census studies from 2002-03

WICHE –2006, policy report on acceleration programs

High school students are the fastest growing population of students at community colleges

Research on Dual Enrollment

Prior Studies Current Research Convenience samples: local

or state-wide data Inconsistent statistical

controls Case studies, limited

generalizability

☝ National data set☝ Applied inferential statistics

and control variables☝ Use of variables from

transcript studies

RESEARCH MODEL

• Four Research Questions– Persistence via Credits and Continual Enrollment– Time to a Bachelor’s Degree– Highest Degree Attainment– Effects of Control Variables on Outcomes

• Original Causal Model based on theory– V. Tinto and R. Merton– Total Effects and Direct Effects

NELS: 88/2000 DATA

• NELS Original Sample• Independent Variable-

TCREDD• Control Variables

– Demographics– High School Descriptors– College Descriptors

• Dependent Variables– Persistence – Time to BA Degree– Highest Degree Attainment

• Restricted Data– NELS-R– PETS (Post-secondary

Education Transcript Study)

– PETS Supplement– June 2004 Supplement

Causal Model

Statistical Methods

• Logistic Regression via SPSS • Unstandardized Parameter Estimates• Standard Errors and DEFT (AM Software)• Delta-p statistics• ExpB (log odds)• Model Probabilities• Statistical significance at p <.05, .01 & .001

Research Results

Persistence to Degree

• DE students 11% more likely to persist to the 2nd year than non-DE students (p <.01)

• DE students entering PSE directly after high school 17% more likely to persist to the 2nd year (p < .001)

• DE students earning 20 + credits in the 1st year PSE 28% more likely to persist to the 2nd year (p <.001)

• DE participation did not significantly impact students earning 50+ credits by the end of the 2nd year

Elapsed Time to a BA• Dual Enrollment participation

alone decreased likelihood of BA in 4.56 years by 16% (p < .05) when controlling for college variables

• Earning 20 credits improved likelihood of BA in 4.56 years by 38% (p < .001)

• Continual enrollment in PSE improved likelihood of BA in 4.56 years by 41% (p <.001)

Degree Attainment

• Certificate or Associates of Arts Degree

➔With demographic variables, DE increased likelihood of AA by 14% (p > .05).

Degree Attainment

• Bachelor’s Degree➔ DE reduced likelihood of BA by

10% (p > .05)➔ Students who entered PSE

immediately after HS increased 26% to 28% ( p. < .001)

➔ Students who earned 20 credits in the 1st year of PSE increased by 20% (p > .001)

➔ Students who continually enrolled through the 2nd year increased by 23% (p > .001)

Degree Attainment

Graduate Study or Degree DE, regressed alone, produced no statistically significant results

Higher percentage of DE participating students completed graduate hours/degrees than non-participants

DE students who continue in PSE increased likelihood of grad degree by 34.3% (p >.001)

Educational Aspirations

• Anticipatory Socialization (Merton, 1957)

• Social and Academic Integration (Tinto, 1975,1993, 1997)

• Anticipation of a BA Degree 12% greater likelihood for

students who did not anticipate a degree (p < .01)

Demographic Controls

• Statistically negative results for male and Hispanic students as compared to females and White students

• 1st generation students less likely to earn 50+ credits in 2 years of PSE (-23%, p <. 001)

• Limitation of study = age of data & changing demographics in US

Implications of Results

• Academic Momentum – immediate entry to PSE, acquiring 20 credits by end of 1st year, continuing in PSE to end of 2nd year

Implications of Results

• “Nest Egg” Effect – credits are hard to give up

Implications of the Research

• DE participation lays the groundwork for persistence

• DE students who continue in PSE to the 2nd year have greater likelihood of degree attainment and of graduating in less than 4.56 years

Implications of the Research

• Sociological Impact – participation in DE classes, especially for students without BA aspirations, improves likelihood of BA degree

• Integration both socially and academically to college and anticipation of college experience and habits

• Psychological boost to college success

Educational Implications of Dual Enrollment Programs

✎Counselors✎Teachers✎Students and Parents✎Course offerings – vocational & academic✎Low cost to districts and colleges✎Vertical articulation ✎Assessments – course and COMPASS

Outcomes of Dual Enrollment

✔P-16 Collaborations and partnerships

✔Ready for work; Ready to learn

Questions/CommentsEmail: jswanson@dist228.org

jswanson19@yahoo.comPhone: 309-945-0450

Website for Executive Summary:http://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/events/nagc08.asp

This research was supported in part by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation to Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration at the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education

at the University of Iowa