Dual Enrollment, Workforce Pell, and the Future of Career Pathways

All4Ed recently released three new policy publications examining how policy can strengthen pathways to college and careers and expand opportunities for students nationwide.

First, The Case for Federal Investment in Dual Enrollment.
In this new brief, Rebeca Shackleford, All4Ed’s Director of Federal Government Relations, makes the case for a stronger federal role in expanding access to dual enrollment. Research consistently shows that dual enrollment helps students enroll in and complete college, with especially strong benefits for historically underserved students. Yet access remains uneven across the country.

The brief proposes a targeted federal investment in dual enrollment through formula grants to states, tied to key policy reforms.
Those reforms include guaranteeing the transfer of dual enrollment credits, eliminating costs for students, expanding pathways for teachers to earn the credentials needed to teach dual enrollment courses, and ensuring students have access to the counseling and advising support they need to take advantage of these opportunities.

Next, Too Good to Be True? The Implications of Workforce Pell for High School Students.
In this brief, Phillip Lovell, All4Ed’s Associate Executive Director, explores the potential impact of Workforce Pell on K-12 education. As policymakers consider expanding Pell Grant eligibility to short-term workforce training programs, the paper examines how those changes could affect high school students and the systems that support them.
The brief looks at possible implications for high school course-taking and credential attainment, student counseling and advising, state accountability systems, and the alignment between high school career pathways and workforce training opportunities.

The report also builds on All4Ed’s previous recommendations to the U.S. Department of Education and raises important questions about implementation and student outcomes.

And finally, Testing the Promise: Building State Data Systems That Connect College and Career Readiness to Results.
In this report, Charlotte Cahill, Senior Advisor at All4Ed, examines how states are using college and career readiness indicators in their accountability systems and whether those measures are actually delivering on their intended goals.
The report highlights the importance of connecting readiness indicators to meaningful postsecondary outcomes and offers practical recommendations for states looking to strengthen their data systems.

By improving how success is measured and tracked over time, states can better understand which strategies are helping students prepare for college, careers, and long-term success.

As state and federal policy continues to shape the pathways available to young people, we have to keep asking the hard questions:

• What do students actually need to succeed?
• How do we make sure opportunity isn’t determined by ZIP code, income, or which school a student happens to attend?

At All4Ed, we will continue to ask these questions to ensure that every young person thrives in learning, work, and life.
These three briefs are meant to be the start of a conversation, not the end of one.

Thank you for subscribing to the All4Ed Flash. Be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast service and social media. You can find us on linktree at All4Ed.