Strengthening CCAP: Equity for Black and Brown Students

By Tahlia White

In 2015, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 288, intended to expand access to higher education to students who have been underserved in higher education. Specifically, the bill sought to increase the number of Black, Brown, lower-income, and first-generation students pursuing a post-secondary degree [1]. The bill’s passage resulted in the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP). Established in 2016, the CCAP is a dual enrollment program allowing high school students to take college classes to obtain both high school and college credit. While the state offers many dual enrollment programs, the CCAP differs as the only program offering college classes on high school campuses during the school day [1]. The goals of the program are to expand educational opportunities to improve the social mobility of disadvantaged groups, in addition to meeting the state’s workforce needs [2]. The CCAP Program has been successful in expanding minority, lower-income, and first-generation students’ access to higher education and has allowed these students to pursue their goals of obtaining post-secondary degrees, compared to their non-dual enrollment student counterparts [2]. However, Black and Brown students still trail behind in terms of obtaining associate degrees or certificates at the three-year college mark compared to White and Asian students enrolled in the program, demonstrating room for improvement in the program [1].

The CCAP has been successful in its goal of expanding access to higher education to Black, Brown, low-income, and first-generation students. In 2016, only 11.3% of high school students participated in a dual enrollment program; in 2019, the number had increased to 18.2% [3]. In 2016, the program had 4,500 students who participated, and by 2020, the program had over 25,000 participants [2]. This program has led to an increase in the number of Black and Brown students participating in dual enrollment programs [2]. This is essential because research has shown participation in dual enrollment programs is associated with several positive academic outcomes, including higher levels of high school completion, increased preparation for college, and better attendance [4]. Additionally, by 2025, it is estimated 60% of American adults will need a credential beyond high school to ensure they have the required skills for the growing demands of the workforce [5]. This further demonstrates how important the CCAP and other dual enrollment programs are for students in general, and particularly, marginalized groups. Because the CCAP program offers classes on high school campuses, rather than requiring students to go to a college campus, the program has made access to college courses more accessible to students of various backgrounds who might otherwise not be able to participate and take advantage of these opportunities.

Despite its successes, the disparities between the educational achievements of Black and Brown students enrolled in the program compared to their White and Asian counterparts demonstrates there is room for improvement within the program. Research shows that participation in dual enrollment is unequally distributed across racial and socioeconomic lines [3]. The CCAP is no exception. White and Asian students participate in the program at a far higher rate than their Latino and Black counterparts [2]. Additionally, Black and Latino students generally have lower dual enrollment GPAs and earn fewer credits compared to their White and Asian peers [2]. The purpose of the CCAP is to help bridge the equity gap regarding marginalized groups’ access to higher education, yet, these students still trail behind White and Asian students in the program. Therefore, although the program has expanded opportunities for higher education to Black, Brown, and low-income students, there are still strides that need to be made in order to bridge this inequity.

To make the program more effective, students who are trailing behind in the program, particularly low-income Black and Brown students, should be provided with supplemental support to bridge the success gap between them and their White and Asian counterparts. Many of these students come from lower-income backgrounds and do not have the financial means for the same support systems and opportunities as their higher-income peers. Although they may be enrolled in the CCAP, circumstances outside of the program may contribute to underperformance in the program. To resolve this, the program may be expanded so that these students could be provided with resources like supplemental tutoring, mentors, counseling, and SAT/ACT prep at no cost to improve their outcomes in the program. Expanding the program to include additional support systems for students could prove to be extremely beneficial and effective at further bridging the inequity gap regarding marginalized young people’s access to higher education.

The CCAP has undoubtedly provided benefits for high school students who belong to marginalized groups by improving their access to higher education. However, there is still room for improvement within the program. Additional steps must be taken by program leaders to ensure that students not only have the opportunity to participate in the program, but also have the ability to succeed within CCAP.

Works Cited 

1. Rodriguez, Olga, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Iwunze Ugo, Niu Gao, and Stephanie Barton. “Policy Brief: Improving College Access and Success through Dual Enrollment.” Public Policy Institute of California, December 5, 2023. https://www.ppic.org/publication/policy-brief-improving-college-access-and-success-through-dual-enrollment/.
2. Rodriguez, Olga, and Niu Gao. “Dual Enrollment in California.” Public Policy Institute of California, November 6, 2023. https://www.ppic.org/publication/dual-enrollment-in-california/.
3. Friedmann, Elizabeth, Sherrie Bennett, Michal Kurlaender, and Kramer Dykeman. “A Strong Start for College and Career.” Policy Analysis for California Education, February 2024. https://edpolicyinca.org/publications/strong-start-college-and-career.
4. Oakley, Eloy. “College and Career Access Pathways Legislative Report – Eric. ”California Community College, 2021. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED613826.pdf.
5. Cañete, Julian. “Creating Pathways to Postsecondary Education Will Help Ensure Success.” CalMatters, February 10, 2021.
   https://calmatters.org/education/2021/02/creating-pathways-to-postsecondary-education will-help-ensure-success/.
   

Photo Credit: Press Photography Network/College of DuPage, Early College Initiative Students Welcomed to College of DuPage 2015 4, September 18, 2015, https://flic.kr/p/yMwone.