Michigan’s drop to 40th in the nation for per capita income — its lowest ranking ever —should concern every corporate, government and educational leader in the state. The decline underscores a pressing need to improve educational achievement to drive economic prosperity and reach 60% post-high school educational attainment by 2030.
Achieving the “Sixty by ‘30” goal will ensure the Detroit region and state have the talent needed to innovate and compete economically. But it requires a long-term approach to education policy and investment in student success strategies to improve college graduation rates. It also requires concrete steps to reduce the cost of post-high school education.
Greg Handel is the chief education and talent officer for the Detroit Regional Chamber. Peter Provenzano is the chancellor of Oakland Community College. (Courtesy photos)
One of the more effective steps Michigan can take to increase the number of college graduates is to expand dual enrollment programs, which provide high school students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. Dual enrollment also helps defer the cost of college, as Michigan students, by law, are allowed to take up to 10 college courses — roughly a full year of college — while in high school.
According to the recently released “State of Education and Talent” report, students who participate in dual enrollment programs enroll and graduate from college at a far higher rate than their peers:
80% of dual enrollment students enrolled in college, compared to 54% of other high school graduates, for the class of 2023.
28% of dual enrollment students completed college within four years, compared to 15% of other graduates, for the class of 2020.
Dual enrollment also boosts college rates for low-income and first-generation students after high school, by lowering both financial and psychological barriers to higher education for students and families.
This is why the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative (D3C3) is working with community college partners to expand dual enrollment opportunities. With support from D3C3, Oakland Community College (OCC) and other colleges are taking key steps to expand dual enrollment outreach, partnership, and support. Through this, OCC has increased fall semester dual enrollment participation by 89% over the past four years, and several peer colleges and D3C3 partners have achieved similar results.
While work continues at the community college level to expand dual enrollment, the next step is to ensure more Michigan students can take college credits while still in high school and remove cost barriers that students and K-12 schools face. Michigan should incentivize school districts to expand dual enrollment options by changing the funding model, which currently requires districts to pay for dual enrollment out of their per-pupil allotment.
Because dual enrollment currently comes out of a school district’s state school aid funding, increasing dual enrollment participation negatively hits a district’s bottom line. Creating a dedicated revenue source solely for dual enrollment — separate from the school’s foundation allowance or scholarship fund credits — would empower schools to make dual enrollment more accessible to students, without harming school budgets.
Additionally, state law only requires school districts to cover dual enrollment tuition. Students and their families must still pay for transportation, parking, technology, and other direct costs. Providing funding to cover these expenses would increase access and the potential pool of students who could dually enroll.
These relatively simple changes would go a long way to expand dual enrollment across Michigan, which will increase educational attainment, strengthen the workforce, and ultimately help the state increase its per capita income and long-term prosperity.
Related
Bridge welcomes guest columns from a diverse range of people on issues relating to Michigan and its future. The views and assertions of these writers do not necessarily reflect those of Bridge or The Center for Michigan. Bridge does not endorse any individual guest commentary submission. If you are interested in submitting a guest commentary, email your submission or idea to guestcommentary@bridgemi.com. Click here for details and submission guidelines.
Opinion | Want to increase college graduates in Michigan? Expand dual enrollment
by Greg Handel and Peter Provenzano, Bridge Michigan January 6, 2026
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Opinion | Want to increase college graduates in Michigan? Expand dual enrollment
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Michigan’s drop to 40th in the nation for per capita income — its lowest ranking ever —should concern every corporate, government and educational leader in the state. The decline underscores a pressing need to improve educational achievement to drive economic prosperity and reach 60% post-high school educational attainment by 2030.
Achieving the “Sixty by ‘30” goal will ensure the Detroit region and state have the talent needed to innovate and compete economically. But it requires a long-term approach to education policy and investment in student success strategies to improve college graduation rates. It also requires concrete steps to reduce the cost of post-high school education.
One of the more effective steps Michigan can take to increase the number of college graduates is to expand dual enrollment programs, which provide high school students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. Dual enrollment also helps defer the cost of college, as Michigan students, by law, are allowed to take up to 10 college courses — roughly a full year of college — while in high school.
According to the recently released “State of Education and Talent” report, students who participate in dual enrollment programs enroll and graduate from college at a far higher rate than their peers:
Dual enrollment also boosts college rates for low-income and first-generation students after high school, by lowering both financial and psychological barriers to higher education for students and families.
This is why the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative (D3C3) is working with community college partners to expand dual enrollment opportunities. With support from D3C3, Oakland Community College (OCC) and other colleges are taking key steps to expand dual enrollment outreach, partnership, and support. Through this, OCC has increased fall semester dual enrollment participation by 89% over the past four years, and several peer colleges and D3C3 partners have achieved similar results.
While work continues at the community college level to expand dual enrollment, the next step is to ensure more Michigan students can take college credits while still in high school and remove cost barriers that students and K-12 schools face. Michigan should incentivize school districts to expand dual enrollment options by changing the funding model, which currently requires districts to pay for dual enrollment out of their per-pupil allotment.
Because dual enrollment currently comes out of a school district’s state school aid funding, increasing dual enrollment participation negatively hits a district’s bottom line. Creating a dedicated revenue source solely for dual enrollment — separate from the school’s foundation allowance or scholarship fund credits — would empower schools to make dual enrollment more accessible to students, without harming school budgets.
Additionally, state law only requires school districts to cover dual enrollment tuition. Students and their families must still pay for transportation, parking, technology, and other direct costs. Providing funding to cover these expenses would increase access and the potential pool of students who could dually enroll.
These relatively simple changes would go a long way to expand dual enrollment across Michigan, which will increase educational attainment, strengthen the workforce, and ultimately help the state increase its per capita income and long-term prosperity.
Related
Bridge welcomes guest columns from a diverse range of people on issues relating to Michigan and its future. The views and assertions of these writers do not necessarily reflect those of Bridge or The Center for Michigan. Bridge does not endorse any individual guest commentary submission. If you are interested in submitting a guest commentary, email your submission or idea to guestcommentary@bridgemi.com. Click here for details and submission guidelines.