Thank you for your interest in #DualEnrollmentforAll!
Dual enrollment provides students with the unique opportunity to enroll in college classes while in high school, simultaneously earning college credits and meeting high school graduation requirements. Dual enrollment is a proven strategy to boost college readiness, reduce costs, and improve equitable outcomes for underserved communities. Schools and communities see higher graduation rates and more robust pathways connecting students to college and careers.
Several legislative efforts and statewide initiatives have laid the foundation for dual enrollment expansion in California including:
These efforts have made improvements to dual enrollment access but students’ opportunities to participate in dual enrollment still largely depend on the high school they attend, particularly for marginalized students. Significant gaps in access will remain unless we pursue bold, structural change to ensure that all students, particularly Black, Latinx, and Native American students living in poverty, have meaningful access to dual enrollment. California trails behind 22 other states that require all high schools to participate in dual enrollment programs.
Our brief, Jumpstarting California Towards Universal Dual Enrollment, outlines a policy roadmap to help California meet key statewide goals regarding dual enrollment access.
EdTrust-West has partnered with Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) and the California High School Coalition to pursue legislation that would expand equitable access to dual enrollment opportunities for California’s high school students and tear down systemic barriers that limit participation.
Here you can find resources to support our collective advocacy towards universal access to dual enrollment, starting with legislation:
AB 1122 (Bryan) – Statewide Policy to Guarantee Universal Access to Dual Enrollment
AB 731 (Fong) – Removing Barriers to College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP)
SB 438 (Cabaldon) – Removing school funding penalty for CCAP
a California that ensures that Black, Latinx, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native American students’ futures are as bright as their dreams are big. We believe that our state’s schools, colleges, and universities can form the bedrock of a more just California.
Committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in California’s education system.
California Offices: Oakland, Los Angeles, Sacramento
National Office: EdTrust
State Offices: EdTrust-New York, EdTrust-Tennessee, EdTrust-Midwest
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Communications Manager
Karla Fernandez (she/her/hers) joins Ed Trust–West as a Communications Manager with over 11 years of experience advancing social impact initiatives.
Karla started her career as a teacher at Chicago Public Schools and UIC College Prep. After teaching, Karla joined United Friends of the Children to support LA County’s youth in foster care as a college counselor. Through Leadership for Educational Equity, Karla also served as a Policy Advisor Fellow for the office of a Los Angeles Unified School Board Member. She solidified her interests in policy analysis and quantitative research during her time with the Price Center for Social Innovation, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, and the USC Presidential Working Group on Sustainability. Before joining The Education Trust–West, Karla was the Associate Director for the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Collaborative, a network of nonprofits advocating for communities in SELA.
Karla holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from the University of Chicago, a Master of Public Policy from the USC Price School of Public Policy, and a Graduate Certificate in Policy Advocacy from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Karla is based out of southern California and is passionate about using data analysis, communications, and digital strategies for policy advocacy and social justice efforts.