In dual enrollment, a student is enrolled in two educational systems at once—most commonly, the student is enrolled in high school and working toward high school graduation requirements while also enrolled as a college student taking postsecondary courses. After successfully completing the postsecondary course, the student will receive college credit. But how will that credit be applied to the student’s high school graduation requirements?
In California, the answer may vary depending on how the student’s school district recognizes college credit. Unlike most other states, California doesn’t mandate that students who take college courses offered through dual enrollment earn credit that also applies to high school graduation requirements (Education Commission of the States, 2022). Instead, in the absence of explicit state policy, the decision about dual credit is left to local school boards, potentially resulting in a patchwork of policy and practice across the state.