ERIC ED611816: Dual Credit and Academics: Assessing Outcomes for Low-Income and URM Students. Research Brief

0.17 MB·English

by  ERIC

Research Brief
Dual Credit and Academics:
Assessing Outcomes for Low-Income and URM Students
The sixth of six research briefs on dual credit in Kentucky
What are the eff ects of dual credit based on Greatest eff ect on persistence for low-income,
income and minority status? non-URM students
This research brief examines the impact of dual credit Low-income, non-URM students benefi ted the most
participation on second-year persistence and fi rst- from participating in dual credit courses, which
year GPA among low-income and underrepresented increased their likelihood of persisting to a second
minority (URM) students, and explores whether year by 9.3 percentage points. Low-income, URM
dual credit opportunities help close outcome gaps students benefi ted the second most with an increase
aff ecting these student groups. Low-income is of 8.2 percentage points. The likelihood of persisting
defi ned by a student’s federal Pell grant status, and to a second year rose 5.1 points for non-low-income,
underrepresented minority students include those who URM students and 4.8 points for non-low-income and
identify as American-Indian or Alaska Native, Black or non-URM students. All the increases were statistically
African-American, Hispanic or Latinx, Native Hawaiin signifi cant.
or other Pacifi c Islander, or two or more races. In this
data sample, only 6.8% of dual enrollment participants Reducing the persistence gap for low-income
were URM and low-income students, 4.7% were URM students
URM and non-low-income, 32% were non-URM and
low-income, and 56.5% were non-URM and non-low- Overall, non-low-income, non-URM students had
income. the highest probability of second-year persistence,
Figure 1. Eff ects of Dual Credit on Second-Year Persistence Across Income and URM Groups
95.0%
90.1%
90.0%
86.2%
85.3%
85.0% 84.0%
81.1%
80.0% 81.3%
74.7%
75.0%
73.1%
70.0%
Non-Participant Participant
Non-URM & Non-Low-Income URM & Non-Low-Income Non-URM & Low-Income URM & Low-Income
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education | 1
regardless of dual credit participation, while low- Narrowing the gap in grades for URM students
income, URM students had the lowest probability. with lower incomes
However, a dual credit experience signifi cantly
narrowed that gap from 12.2 to 8.8 percentage Regardless of dual credit enrollment, students who
points. Additionally, participation in dual enrollment were neither URM nor low-income had the greatest
considerably narrowed the gap between non-low- probability of obtaining a GPA equal to or greater
income URM students and low-income URM students, than 3.0, while students who were both URM and
from 8.0 to 4.9 percentage points. low-income had the lowest probability. Participation
in dual credit slightly narrowed the gap between
Largest GPA gains among low-income, non-URM non-low-income, non-URM students and low-income
students URM students from 26.0 to 25.5 percentage points.
Moreover, participation signifi cantly narrowed the gap
On grades, low-income, non-URM students benefi ted between non-low-income URM students and low-
the most from dual credit enrollment. Their probability income URM students, from 16.8 to 13.5 percentage
of obtaining a GPA equal to or greater than 3.0 rose points.
11.1 percentage points with a dual credit experience.
Low-income, URM students benefi ted the second Summary
most with an increase of 8.6 percentage points. The
probability climbed 8.1 points for non-low-income Low-income, non-URM students benefi ted the most
non-URM students and 5.3 points for non-low-income from dual credit enrollment, followed by low-income
URM students. However, the increase for non-low- URM students. Additionally, dual credit experiences
income URM students was not statistically signifi cant. show particular promise in helping reduce outcome
gaps for low-income and URM students. Expanding
dual credit opportunities statewide could help
Kentucky improve student performance overall and
close aggregate outcome gaps across the system.
Figure 2. Eff ects of Dual Credit on First-Year GPA Across Income and URM Groups
70.0%
66.9%
65.0%
58.8%
60.0%
54.9%
55.0%
49.6% 54.1%
50.0%
45.0% 43.0%
41.4%
40.0%
35.0% 32.8%
30.0%
Non-Participant Participant
Non-URM & Non-Low-Income URM & Non-Low-Income
Non-URM & Low-Income URM & Low-Income
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
One Airport Drive, 2nd Floor
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
502.573.1555
cpe.ky.gov
JJaannuary 2021
KYCPE CPENews cpe.ky.gov