• The percentage of Michigan students who take college classes while attending high school is one of the lowest in the nation
  • Change is hoped for with new $40 million in state funding for dual enrollment, prioritizing districts with disadvantaged students
  • Experts emphasize that scaling up participation should include aligning course offerings with a career, counseling and more

One in five community college students across the country are high school students because of the rapid growth of young people taking college classes before graduating high school — but not in Michigan.

Michigan has ranked among the lowest nationally for dual enrollment, with participation especially low for students of color and those from low-income families. K-12 districts have had to pay for dual enrollment with their state per-pupil funding allowance — money districts tap for other expenses — which some school officials have said discourages them from promoting dual enrollment more widely to students.

But that is expected to change this year thanks to new state funding of $40 million for dual enrollment that prioritizes reimbursement to districts where more than half of students are economically disadvantaged. 

Some hope Michigan will catch up with other states in dual enrollment and especiallyincrease participation of students from marginalized groups so they have more access to an opportunity experts say helps high schoolers earn higher grades, graduate and have higher enrollment and degree completion in college.

The Michigan Department of Education is currently working on developing criteria specifying how the funding will be distributed during the state’s fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, said spokesperson Bob Wheaton. 

“I don’t know that we can put a number on it, but we hope to greatly expand the number of students taking advantage of the dual enrollment opportunity,” said Wheaton.

Many are applauding the change.

“It is one of the best evidence-based strategies we have to help students succeed in high school and beyond,” said Venessa Keesler, president and CEO of Launch Michigan, a nonprofit working toreform the state’s public education system. “It really helps kids on their futures, helps families, reduces costs and shows kids that they can do it.”

Coupling it with other state initiatives, Michigan’s new dual enrollment investment creates “a new pipeline where more students can have a credential of value that helps them connect to middle class life and a career with dignity … The kind of careers we want for our kids is where they feel valued and honored and also have things like benefits and a liveable wage.”

It’s also an economic development tool for the state, said Stephanie Weiss, director of the Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative at the Detroit Regional Chamber. 

“The data is very clear on this,” said Weiss. “Over 92% of students that took dual enrollment courses since 2016 have passed, so they’ve had a successful experience. Those students are more likely to enroll in college, more likely to graduate and then be part of the workforce.”

Neil Wetherbee, superintendent of Northport Public School in Leelanau County, said that only a few students are dually enrolled in the closest community college because it is located about 30 miles away in Traverse City. While his district promotes it, he expects an increase in dual enrollment from his district along with nearby school districts as a result of the new funding.

“It will certainly relieve a financial pressure,” said Wetherbee. “We are always trying to juggle our budgets. But we are all trying to do what’s best for kids, always.”

The funding is less than what advocates had hoped for — $60 million. But it’s a start, they say, especially as it adds more fuel to the state’s numerous efforts to increase the percentage of residents with college degrees or skills certificates to 60% by 2030. That figurewas 51.6% in 2024, ranking the state 39th nationally.

“Too often, and understandably so, school districts see the dollar signs of dual enrollment and not the really positive educational outcomes for students and families,” said Brandy Johnson, president of the Michigan Community College Association. 

The new state funding eliminates who is going to pay for it, creating a new conversation, Johnson said.

Historically, dual enrollment opportunities have been utilized by high school students who already were college-bound, said John Fink, senior research associate at the Community College Research Center at Columbia University in New York. 

“It helps them get into college with more credits, complete sooner and save more (on tuition costs),” said Fink. “It also serves a college access purpose of giving students exposure early on in high school to a college course so they are already feeling successful as college students when they complete high school and are more likely to continue in college after high school.”

Michigan should design its future dual enrollment opportunities “purposefully” to maximize returns for all students, including those who may not be on a college track,  added Davis Jenkins, senior research scholar at the Community College Research Center.

The offerings should be aligned with an apprenticeship, applied associate or bachelor’s degree with strong labor market value so dual enrollment is not “random,” with students taking only general education courses, Jenkins said. The courses should be high quality, mapped to a career and students should be advised by the college, not just high school counselors, to create a plan.

This is especially true for students of color, low income students, first generation students and students who speak English as their second language, Jenkins said. 

Research has shown that students who participate in dual enrollment are more likely to graduate high school, attend and complete college.

“I don’t know of any intervention that has that kind of power,” Jenkins said. “Increasingly in this society, unless you get substantive education after high school … by the time you’re 24, you’re cooked. The vast majority of jobs that pay living wages are held by people who have substantive postsecondary education.”