Oregon has invested resources to expand access to accelerated learning programs (i.e., educational experiences that allow students to earn college credit in high school), and education leaders are committed to ensuring they are sustainable, equitable, and effective. Conducted in partnership with practitioners from secondary and postsecondary systems and institutions, this REL Northwest study is intended to guide policy and practice focused on improving accelerated learning programs in Oregon. The study found that one in three Oregon public high school students participated in accelerated learning (dual credit, direct enrollment, Advanced Placement, and/or International Baccalaureate) in 2015/16. However, equity gaps remain, particularly for students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and schools with a higher percentage of students who were economically disadvantaged had lower accelerated learning participation rates. The study also found a link between accelerated learning and student outcomes: In the class of 2015, accelerated learning participants were 30 percentage points more likely to graduate from high school, 25 percentage points more likely to enroll in college, and 22 percentage points more likely to persist in college than their peers who did not take accelerated learning in high school--and findings were consistent for students of color. However, the study also found that some students experienced challenges with transferring college credits earned in high school. Specifically, 15 percent of students in the class of 2015 transferred less than half the credits they earned in high school to the Oregon public university they attended after high school. In addition, nearly 25 percent of students who earned credit from dual-credit math in high school took the same or a lower-level course at the community college or university they attended after high school. The report concludes with considerations for Oregon education leaders that will support the state's continued policy focus on using accelerated learning as a strategy to help students graduate from high school and successfully navigate the transition from high school to college.
