Does this sound familiar? It could describe what we are facing right now. But back then, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein approached IBM to see how the company might be able to assist. IBM was interested but made clear that it would not hire  large numbers of young people with only a high school diploma 鈥� and neither would any other Fortune 500 company.

Across nine entry-level job categories, in areas involving hardware, software and consulting, IBM needed people with degrees in subjects like computer science and electromechanical engineering, along with solid workplace skills. Bloomberg and Klein asked the company to outline what a partnership could look like, and IBM responded with a blueprint for what would ultimately become P-TECH schools.

It would involve breaking down the barrier between high school and college, creating a dual-enrollment model where students would complete both a high school diploma and an associate degree in computer science or electromechanical engineering within four to six years. The company would provide volunteer mentors and paid internships, and ensure successful graduates were first in line for available positions.

The initial P-TECH school, located in a distressed Brooklyn neighborhood, opened in fall 2011. Today, some 15 years later, there are more than 600 P-TECH schools in 16 cities and 28 countries, having graduated tens of thousands of low-income students.

The original P-TECH school was recently named the in New York City based on its reading and math scores, even with a population that is 99% low-income students of color. This verified the findings of an that concluded Black male students who attended P-TECH were more likely to obtain a than similar students attending other NYC high schools. 

But even before these results, other cities and even countries became interested in replicating the P-TECH model, with additional industry partners such as Thomson Reuters, American Airlines, Cisco, Northwell Health, Micron and the New York Power Authority. When Rahm Emanuel was elected mayor of Chicago in 2011, he moved quickly to open five schools modeled after the P-TECH Brooklyn success. Then, governors in both red and blue states like New York, Connecticut, Colorado, Rhode Island, Maryland and Texas opened P-TECH schools after then-President Barack Obama highlighted the model in his in 2013 and later that year.

In addition, heads of states in countries like Australia and Ireland similarly launched P-TECH schools, expanding the model from dozens of schools to over 100 in just five years. 

At the end of the initial school’s sixth year, 74% of graduates had achieved both a high school diploma and an associate degree 鈥� and that success in Brooklyn is mirrored across the U.S. In Colorado, a recent report commissioned by the state legislature concluded that “data confirm significant improvement in attendance, persistent and postsecondary persistence and outstanding student outcomes.” In Colorado’s St. Vrain Valley School District, P-TECH students had “higher GPA’s, PSAT scores, and reading, math and writing achievement, plus stronger college completion and career success.”  In Dallas, a P-TECH school within a school is located in every high school in the city, and 2 of every 5 students districtwide graduate with both an associate degree and a high school diploma concurrently in only four years. Last year, Dallas had over 1,000 dual graduates.

P-TECH’s success is grounded in a laser-like focus not just on college readiness, but college completion, coupled with an emphasis on workplace skills and career opportunity 鈥� whether through stand-alone classes or enriched lesson plans in existing courses. These are reinforced during structured workplace visits where students and employees work collaboratively.

Nationwide, only 11% of graduates from high schools with large numbers of low-income students and students of color complete a college degree in science, technology, engineering or math, and the rate drops to only 8% among graduates of schools in . If the P-TECH model were brought to scale serving this low-income minority population, college completion rates would dramatically increase, and far more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds could move into high-paying careers. 

The P-TECH model offers benefits to students and families, employers across all sectors and the nation’s economy. Having more students completing college in high-demand fields will produce significant returns across the board. P-TECH is an innovation that needs to be replicated, and not slowly. The nation needs to move forward with a sense of true urgency toward the future, and P-TECH is a key part of the solution.

Dual-enrollment programs are open to students at all levels of academic proficiency, not just the certified high achievers. In fact, that low-income teens and others historically underrepresented in higher education experience the biggest positive impacts from being given early access to college work.

So, if so many of the teens who need early access to college-level work the most are earning credits before graduation, it begs the question: Is high school necessary?

Wouldn鈥檛 it make more sense to send students directly to community college after middle school, so they might begin accruing credits toward a college degree while covering the same material they would learn in high school anyway? 

I have written before about how my son dropped out of his highly ranked high school due to boredom but wasn’t allowed to enroll at CUNY without a diploma. Being able to head straight to college after eighth grade would have been a game changer for him, and for our family.

Cost, of course, is a factor. But New York state already has a that subsidizes a community college education for students ages 25 to 55 entering in-demand fields. Why not extend it to 14- to 24-year-olds? It should make no difference, from a financial perspective, if the state is paying for a student to attend a public high school or a community college. 

It could even end up saving money in the long run, as the student would substitute two years in community college for a traditional four-year 9-12 education. Students who transferred to community college after ninth, 10th or 11th grade 鈥� whenever they felt ready 鈥� would still spend fewer years in the public education system, while the academic result would stay the same.

But the benefits of allowing willing students to bypass high school entirely and enroll directly in community college wouldn鈥檛 be limited to bureaucratic economizing. For instance:

• It would help families save money on college expenses, if the student could transfer community college credits to a four-year college.
  
• 聽It would lower dropout rates for bored students like my son, and for the kid who is constantly asking, 鈥淲hy do I need to learn this?鈥� College courses are much better at demonstrating why students need to learn the material, especially if it鈥檚 part of a major they have chosen. And the earlier students commence their college career, the .听

• In the case of New York, it would help prevent brain drain. All three of my children attended college out of state. The situation likely would have been different if they鈥檇 been able to do two free years of community college as soon as they were ready for it, and then seamlessly transfer to a four-year State University of New York school.听

• It would bolster community college enrollment and help those schools remain sustainable. Currently, students attending CUNY’s Kingsborough Community College are high-schoolers. Under-18 students also make up the majority at five other community colleges statewide.
  
• It would make community college an equally valued and desired education destination, not something to be mocked. One of my son’s high school teachers would taunt his class that if they didn’t study hard, they’d end up “stuck” at the nearby community college. As a parent, I was furious with the demeaning description.

• If even a fraction of New York City high schoolers opted to go straight to community college, it would help with the looming mandate for smaller class sizes. With fewer students entering ninth grade, the district wouldn鈥檛 need to scramble as much for extra teachers and physical space to meet the 2027 requirement, and it would open up seats at some of the most coveted high schools to students who might have been shut out otherwise. Fewer families would leave for private schools, which would bolster the city鈥檚 public school enrollment numbers.

• Finally, over a lifetime, college graduates than adults with only a high school diploma. The earlier students can finish college and enter the job market, the earlier 鈥� and more 鈥� they can start earning.听

This doesn鈥檛 mean that students who wish to follow the traditional high school-to-college route should be blocked from doing so. Those who decide the community college route is not a good fit for them should have the option of returning to traditional high school, too.

But allowing teenagers who believe they are ready to skip high school for college to do so would be a win-win for students, for families and for the public school system at every level.

This year鈥檚 edition devotes particular attention to career education, workforce readiness and the critical transition from grades 10-12 鈥� what the report calls 鈥� into employment or further study. The findings are stark: While some countries provide clear pathways from classroom to career, many 鈥� including the United States 鈥� leave too many teenagers unready for the next stage of life.

Released each autumn since 2010, the report compares data from 38 member nations and about a dozen partner economies. The current version covers more than a billion students worldwide. It is filled with tables and charts on topics from preschool enrollment to the wage premium for education and training beyond high school, including diplomas, academic degrees and vocational certificates 鈥� all of which it groups under what it calls tertiary education.

The report confirms that more schooling typically means stronger earnings and more stable employment, and that adults with postsecondary degrees usually enjoy the highest wages and lowest unemployment. Yet it warns that credentials alone are not enough. In every country, a significant share of young people, including some university graduates, lack the literacy, numeracy and digital skills that employers demand.

Depending upon the country, the decisive years for young people are ages 15 to 19, when students finish compulsory schooling and face choices about university, vocational programs or work. The report highlights that upper-secondary programs, whether academic or vocational, are pivotal to workplace success. In systems with strong vocational education and training, young people typically move smoothly into paid apprenticeships that confer recognized credentials.

Programs such as career-focused community college certificates or industry-recognized credentials can serve as effective bridges between high school and either employment or further study. 

Yet many nations, including the United States, lack a systematic and robust tier of such programs that have a direct link with employers, leaving some high school graduates thinking their only option is a university degree.

Finally, the report underscores how background still influences destiny. Students from low-income families or with less-educated parents are markedly less likely to complete degrees or other credentials, or to find stable work after high school. Without intentional policies, career education may widen, not close, opportunity gaps.

The U.S. illustrates both the strengths and the shortcomings that the report highlights. Here are five examples.

1. General versus vocational pathways. Unlike countries such as Switzerland, Germany or Austria, the U.S. typically does not have a distinct, mainstream vocational track in high school. What does exist is usually tucked into career and technical education or electives rather than embedded in a structured vocational education system. This gives U.S. students flexibility but deprives them of an employer-linked route into skilled trades.

2. Apprenticeship numbers are growing but still small. The number of apprenticeship programs in the U.S. has expanded sharply, with over 667,000 active apprentices in 2024. This includes growth beyond the construction trades in fields like health care, information technology and education. Women now make up roughly 14% of participants. Yet relative to the general workforce population, the U.S. is far behind Germany or Switzerland, where the majority of teenagers enter paid apprenticeships that blend classroom and workplace learning.

3. Work-study and youth employment rates. Roughly 1 in 5 U.S. 18- to 24-year-olds report that they combine work and study in some way, which is similar to the OECD average. But that鈥檚 far below leaders like the Netherlands, where just over half do both. And around 14% of U.S. youth are unemployed, or what the report describes as being in the 鈥淣EET鈥� category 鈥� not in education, employment or training 鈥� also around the OECD average.

4. Community colleges and dual enrollment. Many OECD countries have formal and systematic education and training programs that bridge the gap between school and work. In the U.S., community colleges and dual-enrollment programs play this bridging role. Nearly 2.5 million high school students take college courses for credit, and early college high schools show significant in degree attainment. These efforts partially substitute for the formal vocational bridges that are common elsewhere

5. Access and support services. The U.S. also shares OECD鈥檚 concern about young people who are not looking for work. Barriers such as transportation, mental health and caregiving responsibilities often stand in their way. Federal youth programs and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act offer patchwork assistance, but personal supports remain fragmented compared with the integrated guidance available in many European systems.

But examining the findings on high-performing countries illuminates what the U.S. might learn from them. For example, well-structured vocational options need not limit the pursuit of further education that leads to a college degree. This is typically accomplished by creating clear occupational pathways that provide opportunities for students to follow a course sequence that leads to a collection of credentials that eventually lead to a degree. Many graduates of Swiss or German apprenticeships later complete what we would call associate or bachelor鈥檚 degrees.

One illustration of how this earn-and-learn approach is being duplicated in the U.S. is found in the effort to create that integrate on-the-job training with an accredited academic degree. and are two examples.

is Switzerland鈥檚 approach to apprenticeships, where almost 60% of students who would be in the equivalent of U.S. grades 10 to 12 enter vocational programs that combine three to four days a week of paid company training with classroom instruction. Industry groups co-design curricula and pay apprentice wages. The Swiss model also features early career exploration and allows movement between vocational and academic tracks at multiple points. Indiana and Colorado are at the forefront of adapting this model to their states鈥� needs.

The OECD analysis suggests four priorities for American educators and policymakers going forward.

• Make work-based learning a common experience. Opportunities like internships and apprenticeships should be routine for young people in high school, so earning and learning overlap rather than conflict.

• Double down on bridge programs. Continue to expand dual-enrollment and early college high school initiatives, especially for students least likely to complete a four-year degree.

• Implement wraparound supports for vulnerable youth. Integrate career guidance and navigation, transportation and mental-health services with work-based programs to reduce the share of young people who are not working, training or in school.

• Strengthen credential transparency. Ensure that certificates and associate degrees are based on the skills that employers value, reducing mismatches and boosting confidence in non-bachelor鈥檚 routes.

Education at a Glance 2025 makes clear that America鈥檚 young people need more explicit and direct pathways into work 鈥� pathways that blend a strong academic foundation with work-based opportunities. Achieving that will require schools, employers and policymakers to treat the school-to-work transition as a shared responsibility, not an afterthought. Without such deliberate action, too many young people will continue to leave classrooms with diplomas in hand but no clear route to a fulfilling career.

This is the brilliance of the early college program, allowing all students access to the kind of free education everyone should have. My school, , provides a place to think, rise to the occasion of college, and become a better human being. 

My mother homeschooled me and my elder brothers through elementary and middle school. We couldn鈥檛 afford private school, but our parents did the best with the little they had. My mother would drive us around the greater Maryland area to take a variety of classes, exposing us to tons of different fields and building our interests in both STEM and the arts. I would not have had as strong an educational foundation if I had started out in the deeply flawed public school system.

When we reached high school, all three of us transferred into Bard, a four-year public school that offers two years of college coursework starting in junior year. In June, I will graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate鈥檚 degree. 

At many schools, students have to pay for International Baccalaureate (IB) or for Advanced Placement (AP) exams to earn college credit. My program, one of 10 Bard Early College runs  around the country, offers both challenging material and college credits all for no cost, so students are spending their time learning about new ideas and skills. 

I have taken courses such as screenwriting, game development, and college physics to fulfill my AA credit requirements. However, 鈥渟eminar鈥� is the only class universal to early college scholars. I first encountered 鈥淔谤补苍办别苍蝉迟别颈苍鈥� as a junior, considering the theme of justice in companion with Aristotle’s 鈥淣icomachean Ethics.鈥� This year, my professor introduced Jeffery Jerome Cohen鈥檚 鈥淢onster Theory: Reading Culture,鈥� a collection of essays, as a lens for analyzing 鈥淔rankenstein.鈥� Differing insights bloomed from the separate readings: What is Victor鈥檚 responsibility to the Creature? How was Victor himself 鈥渕onsterized?鈥� 

Furthermore, the early college program offers better preparation for the workforce. The National Center for Education Statistics鈥檚 report shows that adults with a higher degree of education also have better paying jobs.

For seniors who choose the college route immediately after high school, the early college program is a head start. They are already acclimated to the culture and jargon of college: registering for classes, using professors鈥� office hours, and advocating for themselves. 

For all early college students, transferable credits accelerate their post-secondary studies, saving money and allowing them to jump straight into more advanced courses of study. Because they have done two years鈥� worth of college-level work, these graduates will be more than ready to meet the demanding standards that colleges and universities are looking for. 

The found that 84% of its graduates returned for a second year of college, either at the same or at a different post-secondary institution. In 2022, the retention rate for Baltimore City Public Schools graduates averaged 49%, according to the .

Although monetary benefits have their place, my favorite aspect of the early college program is the emphasis on civic and intellectual engagement. Cultivating individuals with an innate sense of responsibility to their local and global community is far more critical than material success. 

In my first year at Bard, I resolved to focus solely on academics. The diversity in perspectives within the curriculum partnered with the method of relating the 鈥渃lassics鈥� to the contemporary time was refreshing. However, silently sitting in the same classes everyday was Sisyphean. 

I only felt a sense of belonging when I started opening up to my teachers, who then helped me form relationships with my peers. For the duration of my time at Bard, I grew into a natural role as a teacher鈥檚 assistant and student mentor, realizing education was not just about satisfying curiosity, but about building relationships. 

It only became meaningful when I shared and engaged with others鈥� ideas, leading me to want to pursue teaching as a way of repaying my local community. In a nutshell, the early college program is truly about understanding humans and improving the world. 

A good education should be a right just by virtue of being human, not a privilege only afforded to some. The early college program makes this possible through its commitment to bringing college to high schoolers, preparing them for future success in their professional and personal lives. This is the path to creating a better, more illuminated, and empathetic society. 

In some versions of dual enrollment, students take college classes on top of their required high school course load. Requiring extra courses in order to reap the benefits of early college creates a disadvantage for those who work, help with siblings at home or have long commutes to and from school. It can also be a challenge for students already struggling to keep up with advanced courses.

In addition, while some states pay for or subsidize college courses for high schoolers, others make parents shoulder the financial burden. Postsecondary institutions may offer financial aid for economically disadvantaged high schoolers, as they do for their own students, but this adds just another hurdle to what should be a seamless early college experience.

Taken together, this lack of equal access to the time and financial resources needed to pay for, and do well in, college courses can skew participation and successful completion.

By contrast, concurrent enrollment 鈥� swapping a college course for a high school class instead of adding it on top of the regular course load 鈥� increases students’ opportunity to pay little to nothing for the advanced coursework while enhancing their readiness for college and a future of work.  

The terms dual and concurrent enrollment are often used interchangeably. But in their purest form, they are quite different. Policies that prioritize concurrent enrollment can have a substantial impact on student outcomes and postsecondary access. 

 In Arizona, for example, state law defines concurrent enrollment to mean a student enrolls in a state university or local community college course instead of the high school course he or she would otherwise take. It also requires that the student cost be as close to free as possible. 

In the context of public policy and program design, the seemingly semantic distinction between dual and concurrent enrollment can help improve lifetime outcomes and deliver a future-ready workforce.

Swapping college for high school courses also makes it easier to integrate workplace and college campus experiences into students鈥� normal school day. Instead of taking extra classes, students can spend their time in career-aligned projects and clubs or even commute to a nearby college to take courses on campus. 

In addition, concurrent credit can limit financial burdens on schools and districts by relieving them of the burdens of having to pay for doubled-up coursework, educators and space, as well as the costs of procuring college-equivalent programs in lieu of actual college courses.

A related policy change 鈥� simple, yet critical 鈥� would allow for the smooth transfer of earned concurrent credit. When students move from one high school to another, they must often retake courses or submit to a test to transfer college credits they have already earned. It鈥檚 a hiccup that adds cost across the system while slowing high school graduation or postsecondary attainment. States can ensure that these concurrent credits transfer when students move or otherwise change schools, and require that the new schools accept credits earned in these rigorous classes without onerous testing. Inefficient transfer policies not only threaten early college, but on-time high school graduation.

Concurrent enrollment can also respond to the increased demand from families and students for a transformed high school experience that is more relevant in today’s world. As the leader of a college prep network, I know firsthand how concurrent enrollment is meeting the demands of a new generation of parents and students.

Millennial parents are seeking ways to save on college costs, and their children want high school to be more engaging and relevant to their futures. Offering them postsecondary opportunities aligned to a career does just that.

Policymakers around the country should adopt equitable policies and funding for concurrent enrollment while helping educators implement these models. This will accelerate the efficiencies, economic mobility and work readiness that postsecondary learning provides. 

Large investments in dual enrollment have boosted interest in and access to postsecondary education. But after decades of implementation around the country, clarity is developing on how best to accelerate these gains, eliminate redundancies and deliver a future-ready workforce. Concurrent enrollment is that promising path forward.

Equally concerning is the recent steep rise in kids missing too much school. of students missed 10% or more of the school year鈥攖he threshold for chronic absenteeism鈥攊n 2022-2023, the latest year for which we have nationwide data. 

As hard as teachers are working, school feels irrelevant for many kids. But it doesn鈥檛 have to be that way. When kids can see the connection between what they鈥檙e being taught and what the future holds, they learn.

It鈥檚 clear that our assignment as adults is this: Make sure our schools engage all kids, no matter their background or where they live. Every school can be a place for connection, rigorous learning, even joy. And when kids are prepared for the future, our country is, too.

It鈥檚 a good first step that schools are facing chronic absenteeism head on. A bipartisan coalition has declared curbing chronic absenteeism 鈥渟chool鈥檚 top priority鈥� this year. In that spirit, rural, urban, and suburban districts are applying to boost attendance.

These are important short-term efforts and can be a down payment toward a better education system. At the same time, we need a wider lens that holistically improves students鈥� experiences at school and how prepared they feel for future success.

In my 26 years working alongside many others to drive change for K鈥�12 education, I鈥檝e seen reform efforts tinker with discrete parts of the system. It鈥檚 not that we don鈥檛 know what kids need to succeed; we鈥檝e got to get better at expanding these efforts and putting them in place across the board, so all kids have access. And we must take a collective approach, with students, educators, families, and other stakeholders working together. 

We can do three things we can to accomplish that.

First, we must renew our focus, at every level of government and in every school system, on improving measurable student achievement in reading and math. We have plenty of evidence that ensuring students and by fourth and eighth sets them up for success. For example, research shows that taking Algebra I by eighth grade is the strongest indicator of college readiness and graduating college within four years. Yet too many students .

By leaning into the science of , we can make these subjects relevant and accessible for every student. As of this month, have passed legislation or put policies in place that promote evidence-based reading instruction. We can also fund and support promising new models, policies, and practices that ensure all students, regardless of their backgrounds, have an equal chance to excel.

And schools must be able to more easily find new ways to boost student engagement and learning. To that end, states could give districts more flexibility on requirements like seat-time, length of the school day, and grade-level grouping, all while ensuring a high level of academic rigor.

Second, let鈥檚 reimagine the role of the teacher鈥攊n every school district. One teacher in front of one classroom is how I learned, how my kids have learned, and how most students learn today. But it鈥檚 not the best recipe in our dynamic 21st century world for quality teaching or student learning.

The 鈥攚hich includes the organization I lead, Teach For America鈥攂elieves that modernizing teaching is key to ensuring all students realize their unique potential. Let鈥檚 give educators more flexibility to meet the high bar we set for them, change how we staff schools so teachers and students are more supported, boost teacher pay, and give educators the tools to help every child grow and achieve.

Already, districts from Arizona to Kansas City to Washington, D.C., are using team-based teaching, and helping kids succeed with tutoring, such as Teach For America鈥檚 virtual tutoring program. But we need to do more of these things, in more school districts.

Finally, we must truly prepare kids for life after their K鈥�12 schooling鈥攚hich would make classwork feel more relevant for many students. High-quality programs that ensure students have options after high school鈥攚hether they choose college or career鈥攃an be a part of every child鈥檚 education.

The Rooted School, founded by Teach For America alumnus Jonathan Johnson, provides for how this can be done. The school鈥檚 four locations鈥擭ew Orleans, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, and Vancouver, Wash.鈥攊ntegrate early college experience with a strong school culture and give students 鈥渁 voice and choice鈥� in what they鈥檙e learning. Work-based learning starts freshman year with Friday internships. The school day includes counseling, career planning and jobs skills education. All students leave with 鈥渁 job offer in one hand and a college acceptance letter in the other.鈥漈hese three key steps to transforming American education go hand in hand with other goals, such as ensuring students have safe and welcoming schools and that they鈥檙e building important life skills such as empathy, self-regulation, and critical thinking. Working together, we can build a better kind of education鈥攐ne that meets every child鈥檚 needs and aspirations and prepares them to go out into the world and realize their dreams.

That鈥檚 not the weighty middle-aged regret of lost dreams. It鈥檚 the lament of an Indianapolis high school senior who waited until late into his sophomore year – Gasp! – to take advantage of the college classes Indiana offers high schoolers for free or little cost.

Indiana is one of the few states where starting college as a high school sophomore makes you a late bloomer. The state ranks just behind Idaho in leading an early college credit movement, as states increasingly encourage high school students to take college classes, most often at community colleges.

In Idaho and Indiana, high school students make up more than half the students in community college classes, according to a. Iowa and Montana follow, with high schoolers representing more than 40% of community college enrollment, and eight other states comprising more than 30% of enrollment. 

On the other end, states such as Rhode Island and Connecticut haven鈥檛 joined the push, with high schoolers making up just 6% and 10% of community college students, respectively.

High school students have long been able to get a head start on college credits, traditionally by taking accelerated Advanced Placement classes and accompanying national Advanced Placement tests that started in the 1950s. Colleges then decide which credits to award based on the test scores. The College Board still offers 39 AP course guidelines and tests each year.

But earning early college credit has become more urgent the last few decades, as college costs have exploded and employers increasingly require study beyond high school. So states have seen dramatic increases in 鈥渆arly college,鈥� 鈥渄ual enrollment鈥� or 鈥渄ual credit鈥� where high school students take classes on college campuses or high school teachers offer college classes.

Those approaches have allowed the number of high school students earning college credit to more than double since 2011 to 1.5 million a year, according to the Community College Research Center at Columbia University. About 75% are enrolled in community colleges and the rest in four-year schools. Columbia researchers also estimate that more than a third of high schoolers take at least one college class before graduating.

鈥淭he pitch to communities and families and students is鈥et your first year of college out of the way in high school, or get it done in high school,鈥� said researcher John Fink. 鈥淭hat’s a very compelling affordability pitch to students and families and obviously that’s an important issue on everybody’s mind.鈥�

In a state as aggressive as Indiana, it鈥檚 normal for students like Torres, a student at l Believe Circle City High School, to be taking quantitative reasoning at Ivy Tech Community College this fall after taking psychology and introduction to criminology as a junior.

鈥淚 was kind of just in trouble all the time,鈥� Torres said of himself as a freshman. 鈥淚 didn’t really care about school stuff. It wasn’t until last year where I started actually doing my work and decided to take dual enrollment seriously.鈥�

鈥淣ow I’m kind of trying to rush things,鈥� said Torres, who wants to earn a degree before starting a career as a police officer. 鈥淚 kind of wish I started early when they had given me the opportunity.鈥�

Fink and other Columbia researchers reported in October that students taking college classes early are in college right after high school and are more likely to earn technical certificates, associates and bachelors degrees.

Taking classes directly through a college allows students to receive credits automatically, which is often more attractive to students than AP classes that rely on test scores to turn into credits, said Julie Edmunds, director of the Early College Resource Center at the University of North Carolina -Greensboro. 

鈥淲hen all the college credit relies on passing a single exam on a single day, there are students who aren’t going to be successful in that kind of environment, and the proportion of AP takers that actually receive credit is much lower,鈥� Edmunds said.

Other factors make taking college classes attractive to some students, including letting students intimidated by college test it out or colleges offering classes like advanced physics or foreign languages that their high schools can鈥檛 provide.

Still, though almost all states allow high schoolers to take college classes, there鈥檚 no consensus on how much to encourage and how to pay for it. A found a wide variation in the training teachers need to teach college classes, which students can take them and who pays for them.

Twenty-six states required high school students to meet a college鈥檚 entrance requirements first, the study found, while others do not. Nineteen states required students to have a recommendation from a school official, while others require students to pass tests or just let students decide on their own.

States also differ on which community college classes automatically count toward four-year degrees.

And states are divided on who pays for early credits, the study found, with states like Alabama and South Carolina requiring high school students to pay full tuition rates and states like Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington, D.C. covering the entire cost of the classes.

The Idaho State Board of Education attributes its high rate of community college enrollment on the state鈥檚 Advanced Opportunities program, which gives students up to $4,625 to pay for college classes.

And there are big differences too between students who just enroll in some college classes and those in so-called 鈥渆arly college high schools,鈥� where college credit is prioritized and schools offer more specialized counseling and specific courses to help students succeed.

鈥淚f you’re expanding access to college,you can’t just throw everybody in college courses without giving them some level of support,鈥� Edmunds said. 

In Indiana, where officials boast of being a national leader in early credits, having one single community college, Ivy Tech, with 45 campuses around the state under one umbrella, makes coordinating between schools easier.

The state also made course credits more valuable starting in 2013 by creating the , a collection of 30 college credits – some math, some English, some science, some social studies – guaranteed to transfer to any public institution in the state. That lets students know classes they take in high school will count at any public, and some private, school they choose.

The state also encourages high schools to offer classes in that core to students, so that some will complete it by graduation. 

Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Chris Lowery said high schools slowly started making these classes available, with 84 of about 500 offering it three years ago. He said he and state education superintendent Katie Jenner, have pressed other schools to add it, growing that number to 275. 

That often means having teachers like Brooklyn Raines, an English teacher at Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis, teach Ivy Tech classes at the school. Though an employee of Indianapolis Public Schools, Raines had to apply to Ivy Tech as an instructor, attend early college training over the summer and have her curriculum for Introduction to Creative Writing approved by the community college鈥檚 English department.

She now teaches that class at Crispus Attucks three days a week on behalf of Ivy Tech. Though there can be worries that college level work is too much for high school students who are younger and haven鈥檛 learned as much as older students, Raines said her students are capable.

鈥淒espite the stigma that they aren’t traditional college students, so they can’t retain the information, or they can’t keep up with the information, they prove time and time and again that they can,鈥� Raines said.

Other times, students take Ivy Tech classes online. That鈥檚 how Layla Kpotufe, a fellow senior at the same high school as Torres, took a world politics class last year that has her debating whether to continue on a political science path or follow a previous interest in neuroscience.

Kpotufe, who has already earned an associates degree in general studies, said the Ivy Tech classes could cut her costs for her bachelors degree nearly in half.

鈥淚t would definitely take a lot of money off,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat’s why I think Ivy Tech is a really good opportunity for people, especially if you want to stay in state.鈥�

She was guided to enroll in early college classes. 

Early college or dual enrollment courses are growing in popularity. According to , the number of students taking early college classes nearly doubled between 2011 and 2021. And for students in my home state, enrolling in these courses that they will start college immediately after graduating from high school and then persist for a second year.  

However, this opportunity is not unfolding equally. A recent showed that in Massachusetts, 64% of students taking dual enrollment classes are white, while just 10% are Black and 14% are Hispanic. Eighty percent are from high- or middle-income neighborhoods, while just 20% are from high-poverty areas.

How can schools close those gaps and allow more students to benefit? By embracing the idea that with the right support, everyone can succeed in them.

There are many essential elements to setting up a successful early college program.

First, make all students sign up. When these programs are limited to just some students, it creates a deficit mindset that others aren鈥檛 college material. In the early college program started in 2022 at my high school, all students are required to try at least one college class, some as early as ninth grade. This sends the message that all students can reach their full potential in a college environment. 

Second, have committed higher education partners whose professors are open to teaching high school students. At my school, all early college classes are headed by professors. Some come to Veritas to teach their courses, while for other classes, students travel to local colleges.

Third, make sure the classes will earn students college credit. These courses must have the necessary rigor so students will earn credits that will travel with them no matter when or where they choose to use them. Right now, 41% of juniors at my school are on track to graduate in 2026 with both a high school diploma and an associate degree, which will give them an invaluable head start academically. And 80% of them have earned credits that will be accepted at any community college, state college or state university in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This will save them both time and money. 

Fourth, provide extra support. Besides the professor, there should be an additional teacher in the class who understands the material and can show the students how to manage their time and ask for help when they need it. This extra guidance should happen both during the class and in companion classes held on off days, when the professor isn鈥檛 present. Such help students learn essential study skills and raise their awareness of the support that will be available to them when they reach college. Since are often reluctant to take the initiative to engage with faculty members, working with these extra teachers can increase their comfort level, setting them up for success. 

Beyond awarding credits, early college classes change the way students view themselves. Most of our early college courses have a 100% pass rate, and the students say their confidence has increased because they know they can handle challenging material. They also report having increased awareness of the value of a college degree, opening up the possibilities to pursue new fields of study and careers.

Students have said early college classes have made them less scared about the prospect of going to college. They are comfortable calling their teacher 鈥減rofessor鈥� and they know what a syllabus is. The classes have helped them build habits of success like time management and self-advocacy. Upperclassmen taking courses at the community college now know how to navigate a campus and are better able to picture themselves attending college full time. They have access to college-level labs and equipment that are more sophisticated than a typical high school can afford; have experienced the benefits of visiting a professor during office hours; and are versed in how to leverage administrative resources if they need extra accommodations.

They also learn from their mistakes. For example, a few students were surprised by how much a final paper impacted their grade in their Principles of Marketing course. They revised their work and won鈥檛 make that error again.

The students鈥� success validated the high expectations set for them and proved that the support offered paid off, giving each one a strong educational pathway, wherever it may lead.   The five most powerful words any student can utter are, 鈥淚 am a college student.鈥� That ninth grader is now in 11^th grade. Since starting her first Early College class 18 months ago, she has not started one fight, has near-perfect attendance and has passed all her high school and early college classes. Helping her and other students 鈥嬧�媟each her potential will set them up for a brighter future.

鈥淲e need a seat at the table to get into the room where decisions are being made,鈥� Amanda Fernandez, president and CEO of Latinos for Education, said at the organization鈥檚 first national summit, held Wednesday and Thursday. 

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Including Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Angelica Infante-Green, the event was a chance to feature leaders 鈥渨ho showed up for Latinos during the COVID-19 pandemic,鈥� said Feliza Ortiz-Licon, the group鈥檚 chief policy and advocacy officer. 鈥�We want people to see that we are not alone in our fight for educational equity.鈥�

The virtual conversations, including regional events in Massachusetts and Texas, focused on the barriers that families face in accessing quality education opportunities for their children as well as the contributions Latino educators make in their school communities. 

鈥淭eachers want to work in a place where their voice is valued,鈥� said Infante-Green, noting her state鈥檚 efforts to pay signing bonuses to bilingual teachers and to place them in schools together so they don鈥檛 feel isolated. 

The State of Latino Education event comes after a period in which Latinos 鈥渄idn鈥檛 have a voice or representation at the federal level,鈥� Fernandez said, referring to the Trump administration. In addition, the pandemic has disproportionately impacted the Latino community and pulled back 鈥渢his rug where we used to sweep all the inequities,鈥� Infante-Green added. Along with the national and state-level summits, the organization released outlining multiple obstacles facing Latino students from early childhood through the post-secondary years. The findings, based on results from focus groups, point to poor access to quality early learning for young children, limited college advising and support services for high school students and what Ortiz-Licon called the 鈥渃hronic underrepresentation of Latino educators.鈥�

More than a quarter of the nation鈥檚 public school students are Latino, but Latino teachers make up less than 10 percent of the educator workforce, according to data cited in the report. The same is true for administrators. Roughly half of the focus group participants were Latino teachers, who said they face racism and are often placed in high-needs schools without adequate support. Many are also called upon to provide translation services.

鈥淭hey are not compensated, not even acknowledged for all the roles they play,鈥� Ortiz-Licon said.

Hinojosa spoke of his district鈥檚 efforts to recruit excellent teachers and principals and pay them well 鈥� an initiative the community through tax increases. In a district where 48 percent of students are English learners, Latino students are not really a 鈥渟ubgroup,鈥� he said.

鈥淚f we don鈥檛 do well with this population we鈥檙e not doing well at all,鈥� he said, highlighting initiatives such as business-industry partnerships allowing students to earn associate degrees along with their high school diplomas. 鈥淲e just need the community to believe in us.鈥�

Others emphasized the value of programs that make students feel connected to school, such as clubs and cultural events, as well as nonacademic services to address hunger, housing and mental health. The Houston Independent School District is using federal relief funds to staff schools with resource specialists.

鈥淚t’s not just about the student; it’s about being able to support our families as well,鈥� said Superintendent Millard House.

Latino families with young children, the organization鈥檚 report said, often don鈥檛 understand the difference between child care and early education or the benefits for children. While pre-K and kindergarten overall during the pandemic, the authors note that it has declined particularly among Black and Latino children and by more than half among those from low-income families. 

But Miriam Calderon, who leads early childhood work at the U.S. Department of Education, pointed to President Joe Biden鈥檚 child care and universal pre-K proposals, which include pay increases for teachers, as a move toward treating education for young children as a 鈥減ublic good.鈥�

鈥淭he failure to see early-childhood education as essential is shifting,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat makes me hopeful.鈥�