Two Journeys, One Goal: How Dual Enrollment Shaped Our Paths to College

Dual Enrollment in California 

California’s dual enrollment landscape has expanded significantly in recent years, offering high school students the opportunity to take college-level courses, often for free, through partnerships between TK-12 districts and community colleges. These programs aim to improve college readiness, increase access to postsecondary education, and reduce time to degree completion. Key initiatives, like the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) established under Assembly Bill 288, have expanded dual enrollment in California by offering college courses on high school campuses during the school day, increasing access for students facing academic or structural barriers. 

As former dual enrollment students, Valerie Johnson and Alexis Takagi witnessed firsthand how these programs can open doors, foster a sense of belonging in higher education, and shape educational trajectories early on. Valerie, a traditional student who began her full-time community college education directly after high school, and Alexis Takagi, a first-generation student who began community college at age 15, each navigated unique paths through dual enrollment. Their stories speak to the potential of dual enrollment to transform higher education, ensuring that more students, especially those historically underrepresented in higher education, are able to achieve a college degree. 

Valerie’s Story: Dual Enrollment as a Tool for Illuminating Students’ Potential

I took my first college course as a senior in high school through a dual enrollment program, and it was the experience that convinced me that I could be successful in college. Many of my peers at the time had their sights set on universities that I was sure I wouldn’t be able to get into, let alone afford. But when I took an anthropology course, offered at my high school by a community college professor from the campus up the street, I became confident that continuing my education at community college after my high school graduation was the perfect next step for me in achieving my college dreams.  

I took two dual-enrollment courses while in high school. Classes were small and met after the full school day had ended. Navigating this schedule with my part-time job and sports was difficult, but moving that much closer to my college dreams made the effort well worth it.  

My dual enrollment experience gave me an early boost of confidence in my academic abilities and showed me I could succeed in college courses. I was proud to be earning college credit while still in high school, and motivated to keep achieving when I enrolled in community college. I even ended up taking another class with one of my dual enrollment professors when I enrolled in community college, and she welcomed me so warmly with congratulations and well wishes, making me feel comfortable and connected to the campus community.  

While I had an incredible experience in my dual enrollment program, there were some bumps in the road. I was presented with only 1-2 options of which course I wanted to take, limiting how many areas I could explore and restricting my course choice to what was available and not necessarily what was aligned with my plan for college (which I had not yet had the opportunity to make). I was not able to sit down with an academic advisor ahead of enrolling in these courses to assess where the credits I earned may fit into my plan and a future degree. But at the time, these were not questions I knew how to ask or considerations I thought to make. I was just happy to have the opportunity to take these classes for free and get started on my college journey. 

Alexis’ Story: Dual Enrollment as Higher Education’s Entry Point to Success

Enrolling in the Middle College Program was a turning point in my academic journey. Beginning in 11th grade, I transitioned to full-time coursework at a local community college while fulfilling high school graduation requirements through a cohort model. Taking English and history classes with my cohort of high school peers from various school districts, while concurrently enrolling in 2–3 college courses each quarter, I was fully immersed in the community college environment. Before enrolling in the program, I didn’t see myself as college material and thought college was out of reach for a first-generation student like me. 

The college environment felt intimidating and unfamiliar, which consequently affected my motivation and willingness to engage with my high school environment. Community college was my first exposure to higher education and the transition sparked a profound transformation not only in my academic performance, motivation, and sense of belonging, but also in my aspirations. I gained critical skills and experiences that empowered me to succeed academically and want more for my future. Without dual enrollment, I wouldn’t be earning my doctorate at 23. In fact, I’m not sure I would have gone to college at all.  

The program was life-changing, and I credit much of my success navigating higher education to my dual enrollment experience. Reflecting on my experiences, coupled with my research and advocacy work, there are areas where dual enrollment programs can improve student outcomes and fulfill their objective as an entry point to higher education. Dual enrollment programs should capitalize on early college exposure to better prepare students for different educational pathways, such as earning a certificate, associate’s degree, or transferring to a 4-year university. This preparation should include comprehensive academic advising to help students align their course selection with long-term goals, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to make an informed decision about their educational pathway and effectively position dual enrollment as a powerful bridge into higher education.  

Addressing the Gaps that Remain Within Dual Enrollment 

Despite dual enrollment’s evidently powerful and positive effect on our college journeys, our stories still reflect broader systemic gaps and stress the need for more intentional guidance, integrated advising, and clear messaging about how early college experiences align with long-term academic and career goals. There is ample opportunity for TK-12 and community college systems to work more closely together to ensure students receive consistent strategic advising. 

Expanding investment in dual enrollment programs is critical to creating equitable and transformative educational opportunities for high school students. Community colleges have historically played a pivotal role in advancing socio-economic mobility, not only by exposing students to postsecondary education, but also by equipping them with the tools, language, and navigational skills needed to succeed. By strengthening dual enrollment through enhanced advising and wraparound support, students from all backgrounds can view community college as a viable pathway to achieve their educational goals.  

Next Steps in Developing Dual Enrollment

Increasing access to dual enrollment is a major focus of state policymakers in 2025, with 13 bills introduced on the topic. The Campaign is proud to support the below legislation focused on ensuring every student has access to dual enrollment and removing barriers to entry:  

AB 1122 (Bryan) – Would require, starting in the 2029–30 academic year, that all local educational agencies serving high school students establish a dual enrollment program. 

AB 731 (Fong) – Would expand dual enrollment opportunities by simplifying the application process, removing unnecessary administrative hurdles, and increasing flexibility in course offerings to ensure more students can benefit.  

Dual Enrollment’s Pathway to a Brighter Future

Our 2024 research brief confirms that succeeding in a college course in high school can boost students’ confidence as college learners, increase exposure to new topics and areas of study, and build momentum as they transition to college after high school. But, to unlock the potential of dual enrollment for greater equity, exclusionary policies, practices, and individual mindsets about which students it serves must be removed, revamped, and rethought. We look forward to continuing to advocate for increasing equity as a goal of dual enrollment, eliminating cost-related and other barriers to participation and increasing the supply of qualified dual enrollment instructors. 

Every student should be given the opportunities we had to access dual enrollment, and we will continue to work to remove the barriers that they faced in their journeys and make it easier for students of all backgrounds to succeed in these programs.  

Valerie Johnson was raised in California’s Inland Empire as the daughter of two public school educators. She is a community college and UC Berkeley graduate and serves as the Legislative Affairs Manager with the Campaign for College Opportunity.

Alexis Takagi, Ph.D., is a first-generation college graduate, getting her start as a dually enrolled student at Foothill Community College while in high school, later earning her bachelor’s and doctorate at Santa Clara University. Alexis is currently a Research Fellow at the Campaign for College Opportunity