Higher Education Administrators
Getting Started
As traditional college enrollment declines nationwide, dual enrollment offers a powerful solution to expand access, boost student pipelines, and create more affordable and engaging college pathways. Data from the Community College Research Center shows that high school students accounted for over 20% of all community college enrollment nationally in fall 2022, with some states reporting that more than 50% of their community college students are dual enrollees. DE-WBCs can also help high school students become familiar with college environments, expectations, and resources, making their transition to higher education smoother and reducing the likelihood of remedial college coursework.
Dual enrollment work-based courses can also provide an opportunity to initiate or deepen engagement with high schools and local industry partners. Strengthening ties with high schools helps create a clearer pathway to college and expands educational opportunities for students within their own communities. Stronger relationships with industry partners can enhance their role in regional workforce development and open the door to expanded work-based learning, internships, and apprenticeship opportunities on campus.
This cross-sector collaboration can help faculty refine their curriculum, ensure greater alignment with labor market needs, and foster a more dynamic, career-connected learning experience for students.
Key Milestones: Higher Education
Identify the dual enrollment course and instructor
Work with the district and high school partner to select a dual enrollment course that aligns with both academic standards and workforce needs. The course should have the flexibility to incorporate work-based learning (WBL) experiences as an alternative instructional method to cover roughly 20% of the course competencies or learning objectives. Once the course is selected, identify a college faculty member to deliver the classroom instruction portion. If the high school already has a qualified adjunct instructor, they may teach the course instead.
The chosen instructor should be enthusiastic about WBL, capable of engaging high school students, and committed to collaborating with industry partners. They will be responsible for coordinating with employers and school staff to design a structured, engaging curriculum that integrates classroom learning with hands-on experiences. This includes mapping workplace tasks to academic competencies, attending regular planning meetings, and ensuring a seamless connection between coursework and real-world applications.
Manage syllabus changes
Incorporating work-based learning into a dual enrollment course will likely require modifications or amendments to the syllabus to ensure alignment with college requirements, industry standards, and learning outcomes. Faculty and administrators should work to update course descriptions, assignments, and assessment criteria to reflect hands-on, career-aligned components. Any changes should comply with college policies and accreditation standards, ensuring that the course remains academically rigorous while incorporating experiential learning.
Award college credit
All students who successfully complete the dual enrollment work-based course must receive college credit to ensure their participation has tangible benefits for their postsecondary education and career advancement. The college partners should confirm that the course is fully recognized within the college’s credit system, ensuring students can apply these credits toward a degree, certification, or transfer pathway.
Provide student supports
To ensure students thrive in dual enrollment work-based courses, institutions must offer comprehensive academic and career navigation support. This includes academic and career advising, tutoring, and mentoring to help students excel with their college coursework. Reinforcing access to college resources, such as writing centers, career counseling, and study workshops, helps ensure students develop strong academic and professional skills.
Additional Resources
Through the Tennessee SySTEM grant, Tennessee high schools planned and executed STEM/Computer Science based dual enrollment work-based courses, courses that combine dual enrollment credit and work-based learning through an employer partner. These tools were used during the planning process and can be used to turn any dual enrollment course into a dual enrollment work-based course at your own school, not just STEM/Computer Science courses. The toolkit includes:
Dual enrollment work-based course overview PowerPoint- MOU template
- Syllabus template
- Employer grading rubric template
- Employer survey template
- Student survey template
- Franklin and Nissan Co-Grading Rubric Example
- University High School Syllabus Example