A Comparison of Dual Credit Stratification by Provider Type in a US School District: Does Higher Education Provider Type Influence Dual Credit Program Access and Opportunity for Students?

Preliminary analyses reported here investigate the degree to which different dual credit provider types (four-year university or community college) influence individual student access and opportunity in dual credit programs in one US school district. Survey and district data for one US school district’s dual credit programs in 2021-2022 were analyzed. Little statistically significant difference was found in dual credit students’ access and opportunity in dual credit programs between four-year university and community college dual credit providers. Yet, some small, statistically significant differences were found. These small differences suggest that in this sample the four-year university provided better student choice and direct communication, but that the local community college provided better information and communication on transfer policy and through one-to-one advising. Although research with more generalizable data is needed, these preliminary analyses suggest that institutional differences in higher education dual credit providers do make some small, but significant, impact on students’ dual credit access and opportunity.