Programs that allow students to earn high school and college credit at the same time are seen as an effective way to boost college success rates. However, numerous legislative efforts over the past decade to expand opportunities for students to take the courses have withered.

Advocates argue that California should make it easier for students to access the courses, which are growing in popularity across the nation as educational reforms increasingly focus on better preparing students to succeed after high school.

“There’s a broad consensus of evidence showing (dual enrollment’s) effectiveness not just in providing a student a head start on college, but also in preparing them to be successful in college and career later on as well,” said Christopher Cabaldon, executive director of the Linked Learning Alliance, a Sacramento-based nonprofit that advocates for career pathway programs that link academics with work experience.

“There’s been pretty broad consensus that it’s valuable, but the (California educational) code is still riddled with barrier after barrier,” Cabaldon said.

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