K-12 Dual Enrollment Market Research: Enhancing Pathways to College Access

With an estimated 2.5 million learners participating annually, and more than one-third of participants reenrolling at their dual enrollment institution within the first year after graduating high school, dual enrollment has become a significant source of student pipeline for both 2-year and 4-year institutions.

But navigating dual enrollment programs can be challenging, especially given that registration, approval, and enrollment often rely on manual processes and vary across both higher ed institutions and their high school partners. This can create barriers for learners, counselors, and administrators alike.

To shed more light on these challenges, Parchment surveyed 500 high school counselors and administrators — uncovering trends, pain points, and opportunities to streamline dual enrollment workflows and remove barriers to participation and growth. Here’s a closer look at the results, and an infographic to share with your colleagues.

Double-Digit Growth Expected To Continue

Dual enrollment programs are growing, with 41% of survey respondents expecting over 10% growth in participation this academic year — and 34% of those anticipating a surge of 20% or more. This double-digit growth highlights the need to create efficiencies between higher ed institutions and their high school partners in order to continue to support continued growth in the year, and years, ahead.

Collaboration Creates Added Complexity

Parchment found that 68% of respondents reported that their school partners with two or more colleges and universities for dual enrollment. Of those, an astonishing 18% partner with five or more — compounding administrative tasks and requirements. Streamlining operational processes can alleviate some of the complexity and improve collaboration between partners.

Manual Processes Drain Valuable Time

Manual processes don’t just create headaches for administrators, they waste valuable time and resources. Our survey reveals that 39% of respondents spend three or more hours each week on enrollment-related administrative tasks. Parchment’s research highlights how automation can eliminate inefficiencies and free up time to focus on what matters most: learner success.

Enrollment Challenges Are Common

Manual, time-consuming processes are a common obstacle for managing dual enrollment, often creating barriers for institutions and learners alike. When asked to identify their greatest challenges, high school counselors and administrators most frequently cited registration and enrollment (51%), providing learner data (44%), and tracking approvals (42%). These issues highlight the pressing need for more efficient processes between K-12 schools and their higher education partners.

Schools Want Solutions That Streamline Enrollment

Counselors and administrators are eager to streamline processes and overcome common administrative challenges. In fact, 76% expressed interest in adopting a secure, digital solution that includes roster upload capabilities to simplify workflows. By reducing manual tasks and creating more efficient workflows, these solutions can save time and resources while improving the dual enrollment experience for both institutions and learners.

Support Continued Dual Enrollment Growth With Parchment 

Participation in dual enrollment continues to grow at a rapid pace, and has become a significant source of enrollment pipeline for higher ed institutions. Our survey reveals key dynamics and challenges that higher ed institutions and their K-12 partners face by relying on time-consuming manual processes to manage dual enrollment.

Fortunately, Parchment provides a secure, digital solution to help you streamline manual workflows, enhance collaboration with your K-12 partners, and remove barriers to participation for learners.

Want to learn more? Explore Parchment Dual Enrollment, or schedule a brief introductory call to see if this solution might be right for you.

There’s always more to learn.