Dual Enrollment Strategies

In 2022, the California Legislature passed the Dual Enrollment Opportunities Competitive Grant Program (California Education Code (EC) 41585 and Section 119 of AB 181, 2022. The Dual Enrollment Opportunities Competitive Grant Program offers two opportunities for funding for local education agencies (LEAs) to expand dual enrollment offerings.

Middle College and Early College (MCEC) Grant Program

The MCEC Grant Program is for all LEAs interested in starting a new, autonomous middle college high school or new early college high school, or all LEAs interested in starting a new middle college or early college high school within an existing school or all LEAs interested in expanding their existing middle college high school or early college high school to include robust pupil advising, student success support services, and outreach campaigns to promote dual enrollment. Outreach shall be focused toward families and pupils who may not be college bound or who are underrepresented in higher education. LEAs must show evidence of an existing or planned partnership with an institution of higher education for the creation of a dual enrollment program. The grant award is $250,000 and can be used over four years. Visit the MCEC funding profile web page for more information.

Career and College Access Pathways (CCAP) Grant Program

The CCAP Grant Program is for all LEAs interested in establishing a new CCAP agreement with a community college that enables high school students to access dual enrollment opportunities pursuant to the CCAP partnership agreement or for LEAs with existing CCAP partnerships pursuant to Section 76004 of California EC, to expand existing CCAP partnership agreements with the community college district by increasing the number of students served at high schools who are a part of the existing agreement and by adding high schools within the district not currently covered by the existing agreement, and/or to include robust pupil advising, student success support services, and outreach campaigns to promote dual enrollment. Outreach shall be focused toward families and pupils who may not be college bound or who are underrepresented in higher education. LEAs must show evidence of an existing or planned partnership with a community college for the creation of a dual enrollment program. The grant award is $100,000 and can be used over four years. Visit the CCAP funding profile web page for more information.

Join the Dual Enrollment mailing list to be notified, via e-mail, when new or updated information is available. To subscribe to the Dual Enrollment listserv, send a "blank" message to join-dualenrollment@mlist.cde.ca.gov.

Educational Enrichment Opportunities

California EC Section 48800 provides that the governing board of a school district may determine which students may benefit from advanced scholastic or vocational work. The governing board may authorize those students, upon recommendation from their principal and with parental consent, to attend a community college as a special part-time or full-time student and to enroll in one or more courses offered at the community college level. The purpose of the code is to provide educational enrichment for a limited number of eligible pupils. The educational enrichment opportunity will typically result in a request for dual enrollment in courses not currently offered by the approving school.

Early and Middle College High Schools

Students enrolled in Early College High Schools (ECHS) and Middle College High Schools (MCHS) can earn college credit through dual enrollment strategies. An ECHS is innovative partnerships between public or charter secondary schools and local community colleges that allow high school students to earn both their high school diplomas and Associates Degree with typically minor cost to the student. Additionally, pursuant to EC Section 11302, they are small, autonomous schools that blend high and college into a coherent educational program. An MCHS is a secondary school located on a community college campus offering challenging academic programs and designed to serve high-potential, high-risk students. A MCHS offers effective support services, small class size and the opportunity for students to concurrently take some college classes at typically minor cost to the student. The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office web page provides pertinent reference information regarding dual enrollment.

Middle College or Early College agencies that plan to apply for a County-District-School (CDS) code should review the Definition of a School web page to ensure that the agency meets the definition of a school. If the agency does meet the definition of a school, the agency may apply for a CDS code on the County District School Administration web page. Applicants must indicate that their school is a MCHS or an ECHS in the school name on the application. This notation is the only way the California Department of Education will know that the school is an ECHS or a MCHS. For assistance in applying for a CDS code, please contact the CDS Administrator by e-mail at cdsadmin@cde.ca.gov or by phone at 916-327-4014.

Charter schools must also indicate that their school is an ECHS or a MCHS in the school name. Additionally, a letter from the petitioner may be included in the Charter School Numbering Submission Package indicating the school’s designation as an ECHS or a MCHS. Again, this notation is the only way the California Department of Education will know that the school is an ECHS or a MCHS. For assistance with the process for numbering a charter school, please visit Charter Submission Package for a Charter Number or contact the Charter Schools Division by e-mail at Charters@cde.ca.gov or by phone at 916-322-6029.

For information on the non-charter school instructional time and attendance accounting requirements for dual enrollment, please refer to FAQ #4 on the Frequently Asked Questions: Dual Enrollment web page.

For information on charter school instructional time and attendance accounting, please refer to FAQ #5 on the Frequently Asked Questions: Dual Enrollment web page.

College and Career Access Pathways Partnerships

EC Section 76004 expands dual enrollment opportunities by reducing fiscal penalties and policy barriers that might discourage dual enrollment opportunities. The statute provides that the governing board of a community college district may enter into a College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) partnership with the governing board of a school district or charter school, community school, juvenile court school, or adult education program offering courses for high school diplomas or high school equivalency certificates for the purpose of offering or expanding dual enrollment opportunities for students who may not already be college bound or who are underrepresented in higher education. The goal of CCAP partnerships is the development of seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer, improving high school graduation rates, or helping high school pupils achieve college and career readiness.

For information on instructional time and attendance accounting, please visit the CDE’s Frequently Asked Questions: Dual Enrollment web page.

For more information about the instructional time and attendance accounting requirements, please contact attendanceaccounting@cde.ca.gov