New Report Outlines Best Practices to Help State Policymakers Boost Equity in Dual Enrollment
HCM Strategists Releases New Paper as Part of Promising Policy Awareness Month
Month-long Initiative Designed to Highlighting Promising Policies to Drive Better Outcomes and Equity In Education
Washington, D.C. – HCM Strategists, one of the nation’s leading advocacy and public policy firms, today released a new paper titled, “The Equity Imperative,” outlining actions state education policymakers should take to remove barriers for underserved students and improve access to dual enrollment opportunities.
“High-quality design and implementation of dual enrollment programs can increase opportunity and access to postsecondary attainment, and mitigate against gaps in achievement among traditionally underserved populations,” writes author Cristen Moore, Senior Associate at HCM Strategists. “Even with program offerings expanding, without explicit attention to crafting policies with equity in mind, states and stakeholders run the risk of increasing gaps in opportunity for the students who need it most—students of color. States and higher education providers need not only to support the increased matriculation of priority populations but also to provide the necessary financial, structural and programmatic elements required for student success.”
This report is the first to be released as part of HCM’s new initiative to explore the development, adoption and refinement of policies that drive better outcomes and equity in education. Throughout this month — deemed by HCM “Promising Policy Awareness Month” — and continuing for the rest of the year, HCM will publish a series of reports, host convenings and share resources on the most promising policies to drive equity, with a particular focus on three core areas: student-centered pathways, strategic funding and data-driven leadership.
“We founded our firm on the belief that everyone deserves access to high-quality education, and policy is a tool to break down barriers for students of color and low-income communities,” said Terrell Halaska Dunn, managing partner at HCM Strategists. “Equity is at the center of this series because our mission is to help drive policies that improve lives by giving everyone a fair chance to thrive. This initiative will offer a variety of materials that highlight promising policies and help identify systemic barriers that impede quality education for all.”
You can read the report released today, as well as additional content related to HCM’s new initiative on the website, Promising Policy: Driving Better Outcomes and Equity in Education. The website is a one-stop shop featuring policy papers, infographics, presentations, blogs and interactive maps highlighting some of the most impactful state higher education policies.
