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Recent policy efforts have attempted to increase the number of dual enrollment courses offered within Career and Technical Education pathways and there is evidence to suggest that this practice is widespread. However, there is very little research on student participation in CTE dual enrollment and on its impacts. This study examines participation in the CTE dual enrollment pathway in North Carolina, finding that about 9% of North Carolina students participated in CTE dual enrollment courses in 11th or 12th grade and disparities in participation among subgroups were less than for college transfer dual enrollment courses. Using a quasi-experimental approach to examine the effect of the program, the study found that participation is CTE was positively associated with college credits earned in high school, graduation from high school, and overall enrollment in college within one year after high school. The study also examined results by subgroup.

The Success Boston initiative was launched in 2008 to improve Boston public high school graduates' access to and success in college, particularly for members of underrepresented groups. This report summarizes results from the second of three reports examining the classes of 2013 and 2014 and examines whether and how coaching affects students' short-term college outcomes. The study employs the strongest design possible to support causal claims about the effects of Success Boston Coaching (SBC) on students. Key findings include: (1) SBC-coached students are 11% more likely than non-coached students to persist into the second year of college, and are 21% more likely to persist into the third year of college than non-coached students; (2) the college grade point averages of SBC-coached students is 8% higher than that for non-coached students, and SBC-coached students spend 10% more time in good academic standing; and (3) coached students are 9% more likely to renew their FAFSA than non-coached students. [For the first report, see ED582088.]

This paper presents results from the longitudinal experimental study conducted on North Carolina's early college model described in an earlier paper. The primary purpose of this paper is to present the impact of the early college model on outcomes related to postsecondary enrollment. The specific research questions driving this study include: (1) What is the impact of the early college model on students' enrollment in postsecondary education? (2) What is the impact on students' attainment of postsecondary credentials? One of the main ways the early college model accomplished its goal was by enrolling high school students into college classes as early as ninth grade. By the time students were in their junior or senior years of high school, they were taking mostly college classes with other college students. The early college also provided explicit instruction in college readiness skills and provided extensive supports to students. The study results showed early college is increasing students' access to postsecondary education, driven primarily by their experience in high school. The increase in enrollment is primarily in the area of two-year colleges because most of the early colleges are located on community college campuses. This increase in two-year enrollment is not happening at the expense of four-year enrollment, given that there is a slight increase in that arena as well. Tables and figures are appended. [For the related article: "The Small, Stand-Alone Early College: Impact on High School Outcomes," see ED567039.]

North Carolina's Early College model is the subject of an IES-funded eleven-year longitudinal experimental study that utilized a lottery process to assign early college applicants to either treatment or control groups. This paper presents findings related to high school outcomes. The primary goal of the early college model is to increase the number of students who graduate from high school and who continue on to and succeed in college. The specific research questions addressed in this paper include the following: (1) What is the impact of the early college model on the percentage of students successfully completing a college preparatory course of study in high school? (2) What is the impact of the early college model on the number of college credits earned while in high school? (3) What is the impact of the early college model on students' graduation from high school? (4) How does the impact vary for specific sub-groups including those who are low-income, first in their family to go to college, members of underrepresented minority groups, and those who entered high school below grade level? Results from this study show that the Early College High School model is having positive impacts on students' college preparatory course-taking, their attainment of college credits, and their graduation from high school. Tables and figures are appended. [For the related article: "The Small, Stand-Alone Early College: Impact on Postsecondary Outcomes," see ED567041.]

The changing nature of the U.S. economy has fostered concerns that too few students are successfully completing postsecondary education (Achieve, 2004). Three quarters of those who enter high school graduate within four years, with approximately 70 percent of those graduates enrolling immediately in some form of postsecondary education (Ross et al., 2012). Of those who do attend, insufficient numbers complete a degree with only a little less than half (49 %) of beginning postsecondary students attaining some sort of a postsecondary credential within six years of enrolling (Ross, et al., 2012). As a result, there have been numerous initiatives to increase the number of students who graduate from high school prepared to enroll and progress in postsecondary education. One approach is the Early College High School (ECHS or early college) model, small schools that blur the line between high school and college. The primary goal of the early college model is to increase the number of students who graduate from high school and who continue on to and succeed in college. This paper presents results from a longitudinal experimental study that is examining the impact of early colleges on students' outcomes in high school and in postsecondary (PS) education, specifically on postsecondary enrollment and college credit accrual during and after high school. Early results from this study show that the Early College High School model is increasing students' enrollment in postsecondary education, primarily by the required exposure in high school. The results show that, as is inherent in its design, the program is successful in providing early access to college. This paper also reports results from a detailed cost and benefit analysis of the early college model. The following are appended: (1) References; and (2) Tables and Figures.

To address concerns about low graduation rates and a lack of workforce readiness, states and districts have been experimenting with different models of high school reform. One of the most popular models has been the Early College High School (ECHS) model, small schools that blur the line between high school and college. Since 2002, over 200 ECHSs have been created under the auspices of the Early College High School Initiative, which is primarily funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. North Carolina has the largest concentration, with over 70 ECHSs across the state. The purpose of this study is to rigorously examine the implementation and impact of the Early College High School model in North Carolina. This study is the first to utilize a longitudinal experimental design to assess the impact of the ECHS model on student outcomes. The study has three main goals: (1) Determine the impact of the model on selected student outcomes; (2) Determine the extent to which impacts differ by student characteristics; and (3) Examine the implementation of the model by site and the extent to which variation in specific model components is associated with impacts. Nineteen ECHS in North Carolina are participating in the study. Early results from this study show that the Early College High School model is having a positive impact on many outcomes associated with remaining in school and becoming ready for college. These results suggest that the ECHS is making substantial progress towards its goal of graduating more students who are ready for college and work. Although these findings are very positive, they are restricted to the model as implemented in North Carolina. Other early colleges around the country may not follow the same design principles and may not receive the same level of assistance in implementation as the schools in North Carolina; as a result, their results may differ. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.)