Sign up for our free monthly newsletter Beyond High School to get the latest news about college and career paths for Colorado’s high school grads. About 40% of Colorado’s community college enrollment is made up of high school students earning college credits, part of a nationwide rise in younger students enrolled in college-level courses. But a recent report finds that Colorado and other states still face significant challenges in making sure those students get the most out of the experience.The report from the Community College Research Center at the Teachers College, Columbia University says growth doesn’t equate to program quality, and states should rethink policies to support high school students who are dual enrolled.The report’s observations match some of the challenges Colorado has faced with these programs, including the need for more funding and coming up with ways to ensure that the credits students earn put them on a clear college or career path.Colorado lawmakers created the state’s concurrent enrollment program in 2009 so that high school students can get exposure to college courses and earn credits that transfer to a two- or four-year university, saving them money on tuition. Colorado also offers online options. The number of Colorado students participating has steadily increased in recent years. About 40,000 Colorado high school students were considered dual-enrolled in fall 2025, meaning they take one or more classes while in high school, according to Colorado Community College System numbers. That number increased by more than 3,000 students compared to the previous fall.Some students even finish college while in high school, with a recent report showing about 3.4% of the class of 2022 earning a degree.But Bobby Pace, Colorado Community College System provost and vice president of academic success, said there is room for improvement.“It’s interesting to know that Colorado, we’re not alone in this, and that no state has quite gotten it quite right,” Pace said.The report offers five areas where states can strengthen dual enrollment for students and includes recommendations related to each.The five areas include a call for states to improve academic, financial, and career advising support; track student data more comprehensively; and ensure these programs enable students to earn credits that align to their interests.For example, the authors say many of the programs focus on general college courses instead of career or college pathways, a pattern they describe as “random acts of dual enrollment.”Pace believes many states, including Colorado, are thinking about how to tailor programs so students aren’t just accumulating credits but graduating with what they need to get ahead in college. This would improve eventual degree attainment that leads to jobs, he said.“I think that’s that fundamental shift that states are now going to be looking at,” he said.The Colorado Department of Education has already enacted some of the other recommendations in the report and is working toward getting every high school student enrolled in at least one college class, earning 12 college credits, or enrolling in a work-based learning opportunity before graduation.The department didn’t respond to a request for comment about the report.The programs are also mostly low cost for students, but the research center shows that Colorado ranks among states with low funding for dual or concurrent enrollment programs. That means some students must still pay for books and fees.Pace said that in recent years, racial and socioeconomic disparities have popped up in who is earning credits through dual enrollment. He sees room for the state to improve student support resources within districts and when students matriculate to college.“No model that we have in the state currently has the wraparound student support that may be necessary,” he said.Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.
