Creating Powerful Early College and Dual Enrollment Programs

This chapter discusses the history of early college and dual enrollment programs, as well as the overall impact that these programs have on student outcomes. The chapter begins with a discussion of early efforts in early college during the 1940s and the ways in which these were implemented in the 1960s by Simon’s Rock early college to allow students to attend a college-level experience at an earlier age than was customary at the time. The intervention of the Bill and Melinda Gates’ foundation changed the field in the 2000s, bringing this model nationwide, and the impact of this decision has been researched for the past two decades, finding many positive effects.