Context Is Key: School Leaders’ Approaches in Creating and Maintaining Dual Enrollment Opportunities in South Texas

Dual enrollment courses provide high school students an opportunity to graduate having been exposed to the academic rigor necessary to be successful in college-level coursework, while potentially getting a head start on earning college credit. In Texas, school districts are required by law to offer students opportunities to earn at least 12 college credit hours either through dual enrollment courses, advanced placement, or International Baccalaureate programs. This study utilized a borderlands framework to examine how school leaders in South Texas, a region historically underserved and underfunded in education, approached the task of seeking and establishing dual enrollment opportunities for students.