Studies have shown positive outcomes for students who participated in a high-quality Dual Enrollment while in high school, compared with their peers who didn’t. They are more likely to graduate high school, enroll in college, and then either earn a certificate or degree or transfer from a two-year to a four-year institution.
Amendments to state law that took effect in 2020 aimed to increase access to dual enrollment in California, where it was less widely available than average among U.S. states.
Most notably, partnerships created under the College and Career Access Pathways law (CCAP, also known as AB288) will be available to students five years longer because CCAP now sunsets in 2027 instead of 2022.
Other important changes that took effect in January 2020:
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- Simplified enrollment and application processes — Students now submit a parental consent form, principal recommendation, and application only once for the duration of their CCAP participation, instead of completing a new set of documents each semester. (Partnerships should revisit their processes to reflect this.)
- Priority registration — Units earned in a CCAP program now count toward eligibility for priority registration and enrollment at community colleges.
- Simplified CCAP agreement adoption — Districts may now adopt a CCAP agreement at the first public meeting when it is discussed.
- Broadened access to community college — Continuation high school students are now named specifically among students able to participate in CCAP programs.
- Alignment with labor market — CCAP partnerships must now consult local Workforce Investment Boards and align career technical education courses with regional and statewide labor markets.
- Reporting — The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office must report on Dual Enrollment on Jan. 1, 2020 (moved up from 2021), and then every five years.
AB30, which amended CCAP, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October 2019.
Another new law, known as SB554, that also took effect in January 2020, allows students in a GED or other high school diploma equivalency program to participate in dual enrollment.