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When Macomb Community College began to notice a sizable increase in high school students enrolling in its classes in 2022, it decided to create its first Office of K-12 Relations.

The small office helped the southeast Michigan community college establish better relationships with 21 neighboring school districts and grow its dual enrollment population by 37% over the next three years.

Like Macomb, many of the community colleges and four-year universities in Michigan have put more of their resources toward a fast-growing demographic: high schoolers. As a result, Michigan鈥檚 dual enrollment population grew by 16% in 2023-24, with high school juniors and seniors accounting for .

鈥淲e knew that we had a lot of potential to grow that population, but really needed to put more intentional focus on it and additional resources,鈥� said Aimee Adamski, director of Enrollment Services at Macomb Community College.

Across the country, via dual enrollment in 2023-24, with an additional 300,000 students receiving both high school and college academic credits for taking courses. Studies show dual enrollment has been found to have on college access, degree attainment, credit accumulation and completion of high school. But, as has found, these benefits could go even further by expanding outreach to underserved high schools and communities.

Although Michigan is keenly focused on for students to earn college credits during high school, it still lags behind its Midwest neighbors, including states like Indiana, where high school students account for more than a quarter of undergraduate enrollment, .

Community college advocates believe one way Michigan could grow dual enrollment even further is by removing the requirement that school districts pay for the courses. Michigan public schools are funded by a yearly foundation allowance provided by the state of $10,050 per student. Currently, the district is obligated to pay for whatever portion of classes a student takes via dual enrollment, creating a heavy financial burden. So if 20% of a student’s classes for the year are through dual enrollment, the school district will pay around $2,000 of that student’s $10,050 foundation allowance toward those dual enrollment courses.

The Michigan Community College Association, Detroit Regional Chamber have recommended the state for dual enrollment programs, such as a designated categorical grant or the state鈥檚 postsecondary scholarship fund.

鈥淲e have the right ingredients for a really robust dual enrollment participation in Michigan,鈥� Michigan Community College Association President Brandy Johnson said. 鈥淭he problem is really aligning the fiscal incentives to make sure that K-12 school districts are truly shouting the benefits of dual enrollment from the rooftops without being nervous about how it’s going to impact their bottom line.鈥�

Michigan Department of Education spokesman Ken Coleman said the state wants to expand secondary learning opportunities for all students, including dual enrollment, Advanced Placement, Early Middle College, career and technical education programs and International Baccalaureate. Coleman said the state鈥檚 education department is reviewing the MCCA鈥檚 report. In the meantime, the state鈥檚 Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential will focused on improving Michigan鈥檚 dual enrollment policies and increasing its participation rates. 

Meetings students鈥� evolving needs

Dearborn Public Schools has built one of the most robust dual enrollment and early middle college programs in Michigan, with approximately 56% of eligible seniors enrolled in at least one college course. Its unique K-14 model allows students to blend high school and college classes and to graduate in five years with both a high school diploma and associate degree or trade certificate. 

Dearborn鈥檚 partnership with neighboring Henry Ford College, for example, opened the door for more than 3,800 students to take nearly 9,000 college classes in 2024-25, Dearborn Executive Director of Student Achievement Diana Shahin said. The district estimated it provided $5.8 million in 2024-25 to pay for dual enrollment and early middle college tuition and books. 

The district works with students as early as middle school to identify possible career paths and provides four different early middle colleges to accommodate specific careers in education and engineering. Shahin said it is important Dearborn Public Schools offer a variety of postsecondary education options because it is competing with neighboring schools for the same pool of students.

鈥淚 think the way we understand traditional education as we once knew it feels somewhat antiquated,鈥� Shahin said. 鈥淚 think students want to be able to accomplish more in a shorter period of time, and they have lots of options at their fingertips in the world. So, school districts are having to compete with the various options and really have to listen to their audience. If we’re not serving our students and changing and being innovative and growing and learning with the technology and with the access to information, then we’re behind.鈥�

Providing incentives

Beyond increased outreach from community colleges and universities, Johnson said high school students have plenty of their own motivation to pursue dual enrollment.

Michigan allows high school students to enroll in up to 10 college classes through dual enrollment. While many students choose to take courses toward an associate鈥檚 degree or certificate, Johnson said most of them use the courses to make early progress toward a degree at a four-year university. 

鈥淭here is a ton of motivation to take as many courses as they can,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭he truth is, our dual enrollment students are our most successful students. They have higher course completion rates than the general population, and I think that has everything to do with how much incredible support they get from their K-12 settings. They have other teachers, school counselors, principals, coaches and their parents, who typically they still live with, that are cheering them on.鈥�

While listening to families and building partnerships with surrounding districts helps boost interest in dual enrollment, Macomb Community College鈥檚 Adamski said it is undeniable that the motivation for high school students to take college classes is financially-driven.

鈥淚t can be a really financially supportive way to help a student access and move through those barriers that they might have to higher education — get them that early start and really help launch them toward their career objectives,鈥� she said.

With this in mind, Johnson said she would like to see the cost barriers district schools face removed so students can take full advantage of Michigan鈥檚 dual enrollment opportunities.

鈥淎t the end of the day, the system we have now is that (public) school districts bear the full cost of dual enrollment out of their per pupil foundation allowance and it’s exactly the disincentive that we think is a reason for why school districts haven’t expanded more,鈥� Johnson said.

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