Dual enrollment opportunities can help increase college access, completion, and transfer rates for groups of students that are historically underrepresented in college by letting them get a leg up on college work. Dual enrollment partnerships between colleges and high schools or school districts can focus on a variety of academic subjects to form well-sequenced pathways that meet certificate, degree and/or transfer requirements. Mathematics is a key area of academic preparation for partnerships to address, given the centrality of math to many programs of study as well as the barriers that math requirements can present to college access and readiness. Because reforms including corequisite approaches, new placement practices, and broadened math pathways have implications for program design, math courses are also a critical area for high school and college partners to
consider together.
This information sheet highlights some of the key issues in mathematics that partnerships should consider when designing dual enrollment opportunities, with a special focus on dual enrollment partnerships in California. The ultimate goal is to support partnerships in understanding the implications of math courses that help students meet early gateway requirements and explore future majors and careers.