Dual Credit and Exam-Based Courses in U.S. Public High Schools:

During the 2010-11 school year, 82 percent of high schools reported that students were enrolled in dual credit courses. “Dual Credit and Exam-Based Courses in U.S. Public High Schools: 2010-11,” a First Look report from the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) provides national data about enrollment in dual credit courses, eligibility requirements for enrolling in dual credit courses, the types of instructors in dual credit courses, and expenses paid by students and their parents. This survey is an update to a 2002-03 dual credit survey.

Findings include:

• During the 2010–11 school year, 82 percent of high schools reported that students were enrolled in dual credit courses and 69 percent reported enrollments in Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. High schools reported approximately 2 million enrollments in dual credit courses and about 3.5 million enrollments in AP or IB courses.

• Of the high schools with students enrolled in dual credit courses with an academic focus taught at locations for secondary school students, 61 percent reported these courses were taught solely by high school instructors. For schools with students in dual credit courses with a career and technical/vocational focus taught at locations for secondary school students, 67 percent reported these courses were taught by high school instructors only.

• High schools with students enrolled in dual credit courses with an academic focus reported that most students (and their parents) generally paid out of pocket for the following expenses for these courses: full or partial tuition (45 percent), fees (46 percent), and books (47 percent). High schools with students taking dual credit courses with a career and technical/vocational focus reported that most students (and their parents) generally paid the following expenses for these courses: full or partial tuition (28 percent), fees (34 percent), and books (31 percent).