Expanding dual enrollment in rural California

Editor’s note: This article kicks off a series that will examine some of the topics and sessions that will be featured at the American Association of Community Colleges’ annual convention, which will be held April 12-16 in Nashville, Tennessee. Register today.

Community colleges have long been pioneers in dual enrollment, with these programs now comprising 21% of two-year college enrollment nationally. In fall 2022, more than 1.4 million students participated in dual enrollment, accounting for nearly one in five community college students, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Yuba College and Coalinga College, both in California, have experienced significant growth in post-pandemic dual enrollment. At Yuba College, dual enrollment has more than doubled since 2018, from 1,000 students, to 2,100 students in 2024. To meet the diverse needs of high school students, the college offers four distinct dual-enrollment pathways:

1. Traditional (or concurrent) dual enrollment: High school students independently enroll in college courses, either on campus or online, with approval from their counselor and parent/guardian.
2. Middle college high school: A collaboration between Yuba College and a local K-12 district, this program operates as a public high school on Yuba’s Marysville campus. Students follow a cohort model, taking dedicated courses with structured academic support, including tutoring and counseling. Students earn a high school diploma and up to two years’ worth of college credit in four years.
3. Early college high school: This structured pathway allows students to take college courses at Yuba’s Marysville campus, the Sutter County Center or online while completing high school courses.
4. College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) – high school-based dual enrollment: Students take Yuba College courses at their high school during the school day. The courses, taught by college faculty or qualified high school instructors, include career and technical education (CTE) pathways and general education requirements.

Supporting students

Yuba College has developed structured pathways that align with students’ postsecondary goals while addressing socio-economic barriers to participation, including limited broadband access and transportation challenges that often impact rural students. In addition, the college recently began working with very small districts and charter schools in the area to allow students to access core general education and CTE courses online.

“It’s difficult to make the case because they have such a small number of students, so they worked with us to create a consortium,” says Jeremy Brown, vice president at Yuba College.

This session, “Rural Revival: Post-Pandemic Enrollment Solutions,” is scheduled for Sunday, April 13, at 2:45 pm.

To further enhance accessibility, Yuba aligns its efforts with California’s Vision 2030, which aims for every high school graduate to earn at least 12 college credits. By convening regional K-12 superintendents, the college is developing a local plan to achieve this milestone for all students, regardless of district size.

Despite concerns about the rigor of college courses for high school students, data consistently show that dual-enrollment participants outperform their traditional college counterparts. At Yuba, high school dual-enrollment students achieve course completion rates between 81% and 83%, with CCAP students reaching 90%, compared with the general college success rate of 77%.

Furthermore, dual enrollment plays a pivotal role in addressing equity and access challenges. By analyzing student demographic data, Yuba ensures that success rates in dual-enrollment programs align with the broader community’s diversity.

Tips for success

Implementing dual-enrollment programs requires careful planning. The college has developed strategies to support students:

• Ensure access to college counselors, tutoring and academic support services.
• Provide paraprofessional support at high schools to assist with student engagement.
• Hire a dedicated director for dual-enrollment programs and plan to add a counselor focused on dual-enrollment students.
• Seek open educational resources to reduce textbook costs on high schools.

To maintain strong partnerships, Yuba recommends establishing advisory groups that meet regularly to address challenges and streamline processes.

“Advisory groups foster shared goals and collaborative problem-solving among school districts and college administrators,” says Tawny Dotson, president of Yuba College. “That capacity building is so important.”

As Yuba continues to expand its dual-enrollment initiatives, it remains committed to fostering educational opportunities that transform communities. The impact of these programs is evident in student success stories — such as those who graduate with an associate degree before earning their high school diploma and go on to prestigious California universities like Berkeley, Stanford and UCLA.

Additionally, Yuba is pioneering efforts to extend dual-enrollment opportunities to justice-impacted youth, further demonstrating its commitment to equity and social mobility. With these forward-thinking initiatives, the college is shaping the future of rural education and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive in higher education and beyond.

Overcoming rural barriers

Carla Tweed, president of Coalinga College, is leading efforts to expand educational access in one of California’s most underserved rural regions. With a service area that spans miles of remote farmland, the college faces unique challenges: 90% of residents are Hispanic, 24% live in poverty (56% higher than the state average) and broadband access is limited for 54% of residents.

“We are very rural,” she says. “If you need mental health services, attorneys or other critical resources, you may have to travel at least 60 miles. Even if we give students computers with hotspots, they need to drive to get wifi.”

Because of these challenges, Coalinga has built a hands-on dual-enrollment program, partnering with five local high schools: Avenal, Coalinga, Firebaugh, Mendota and Tranquility. The program’s reach extends to middle school students through the Jr. Falcons initiative at Firebaugh and a summer bridge program for incoming 9th graders at Tranquility High School.

Tweed believes the key to the program’s success is proactive engagement.

“We don’t wait for students to come to us — we go to them,” she says. “We visit the high schools three times each summer, have a dedicated counselor at each school once a week, and make sure students with a 70% grade receive twice-monthly academic check-ins.”

The results speak for themselves:

• Since 2020, Coalinga has served more than 15,000 unduplicated students.
• A 47% increase in special admits (CCAP agreements) between spring 2022 and spring 2025.
• 33% of dual-enrollment students in the class of 2024 attended a four-year university after high school and 29% attended a two-year college.

“Our dual-enrollment students are succeeding,” says Tweed. “They’re seeing what’s possible, and we’re providing the support to get them there.”

Next steps

Coalinga’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. The institution received the California Department of Education’s Exemplary Dual Enrollment Award for Avenal High School in 2022–23 and Firebaugh High School in 2023–24.

Looking ahead, Tweed plans to expand the program further.

“I want students to take two classes at our campus in the morning and return to their high schools in the afternoon. We’re exploring transportation solutions to make this a reality,” she said.

Despite funding and resource constraints, Coalinga College remains committed to its mission. Perhaps no one understands this as much as Tweed.

“I was a first-generation college student and a single mother when I went back to school,” she says. “I know what it’s like to face barriers and I know we can break them. Education changes lives.”