Chicago Public Schools Spotlight Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Programming

CHICAGO — Chicago Public Schools (CPS) today celebrated record participation and success in its nationally recognized dual credit and dual enrollment programs, which continue to expand rigorous college-level opportunities for students across the city. These programs are driving stronger outcomes for Black and Latinx students, and providing families with meaningful cost-effective savings as students earn college credit at no cost.

“The fact that so many District students are taking advantage of college courses while finishing their high school academic journeys is proof of what happens when robust educational options provide successful postsecondary outcomes,” said Dr. Macquline King, Interim CEO/Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools. “Students see their peers earning college credit, and they want to participate. That momentum matters.”

Advancing Success: Together We Rise 2029
Central to the District's Success 2029: Together We Rise strategic plan, Dual credit and dual enrollment are part of a broader suite of early college and career opportunities designed to prepare students for life after graduation. These programs – alongside Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate Programmes, the State Seal of Biliteracy, Career and Technical Education, internships, and Junior ROTC – support the District’s goal of increasing the percentage of graduates who earn advanced course credits from 49 percent in 2024 to 70 percent by 2029. In 2025, 56.3 percent of CPS graduates reached that milestone, underscoring the growing number of students who are taking advantage of rigorous pathways that build confidence and momentum. The District also monitors college enrollment and persistence, as well as scholarships earned, to ensure that students are not only ready for college and career, but successfully navigating those next steps.

The Class of 2025 achieved several historic milestones:
- 211 graduating seniors earned both a high school diploma and an associate degree.
- More than 1,000 graduates successfully completed 15 or more transferable college credits, the equivalent of a full semester of college coursework.
- A 21.4 percent increase in students earning 15 or more college credits compared to 2024.
- 80 District high schools earned milestone recognition for early college achievement – a 21.3 percent increase from last year. In total, more than 6,600 students earned more than 66,000 early college credits, representing an estimated $10 million in tuition savings for CPS families – the highest in District history.

Together, these outcomes tell a compelling story that CPS has been lifting up throughout November and December: students have more opportunities than ever to challenge themselves academically, explore their interests, and earn meaningful credentials before graduation. Last month, CPS celebrated record AP gains; today, the District is spotlighting dual credit and dual enrollment to show how all of these pathways work together to build strong, confident graduates who are ready for what comes next.

How Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment Expand College Opportunities for CPS Students
Dual credit and dual enrollment programs give CPS students meaningful opportunities to experience college-level coursework, strengthen their academic confidence, and reduce college costs long before graduation. Through partnerships with City Colleges of Chicago (CCC), and a growing network of higher education institutions – including Chicago State University, University of Illinois-Chicago, Illinois Tech, Loyola University, Northeastern Illinois University, National Louis University, University of Chicago, DeVry University – students can earn transferable college credits at no cost to families.

Dual enrollment allows juniors and seniors to take college courses on a participating higher education campus or online, giving them access to college libraries, labs and student support. Students can explore subjects from biology and business to psychology and computer science, gaining early exposure to fields that align with their interests or future careers. Dual Credit, offered within CPS high schools and taught by credentialed CPS teachers, brings rigorous general education coursework directly into the school day allowing students to fulfill high school requirements while simultaneously earning college credit.

Together, these programs create flexible pathways that meet the needs of diverse learners. Whether a student is pursuing a full associate degree, knocking out general education requirements, or exploring future majors, dual credit and dual enrollment help them build momentum, strengthen college applications, and save time and money. These opportunities complement AP, IB, CTE, JROTC, and other advanced pathways, ensuring every CPS student has access to multiple ways to challenge themselves and prepare for life after high school.

School Spotlight: Gwendolyn Brooks Preparatory Academy
At Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy, students are earning college credit through on-campus, virtual, and off-campus courses offered in partnership with CCC, Chicago State University, and other higher education institutions.

Brooks student Isis Simmons, who aspires to become a firefighter, is taking a psychology class at Olive-Harvey College to build the academic foundation she’ll need.

“Essentially, in college, there's not many majors for firefighting, so there's background courses like fire science,” Isis said. “My counselor told me to take psychology, anatomy and speech to prepare. At first, it was really rough, but I have a lot of support, like my counselors and my parents, and I realized that even if it's rough now, it’s going to make the future so much easier.”

Brooks Principal Shannae Jackson says she has seen dual credit and dual enrollment transform her students’ trajectory. She, and the school’s counseling department, often cite the story of a school alumnae who earned an associate degree while still in high school and went to start at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana as a junior.

“We have students independently completing asynchronous or synchronous college-level courses and excelling,” Jackson said. “They’re not just taking rigorous college courses; they’re performing well in them.”

Brooks senior Fredrick Williams, who hopes to become a computer programmer, was inspired by those success stories. He is taking math and speech at Olive-Harvey College.

“I remember hearing that if you take dual enrollment your sophomore, junior, or senior year, you may be able to earn an Associate’s degree,” Fredrick said, “I was interested in that so I talked to my counselor, and they helped me sign up.”

CPS leaders will next visit Back of the Yards College Prep on December 4 as part of ongoing efforts to highlight schools advancing college and career readiness through multiple pathways. Back of the Yards College Prep, like Westinghouse and Brooks, offers Advanced Placement, Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment classes to ensure students have multiple opportunities and pathways to gain experience.

Access and Equity
CPS is committed to expanding access to advanced coursework, particularly in underrepresented communities, and ensuring that students who are ready for more rigorous opportunities are encouraged and supported to participate.

Through our partnership with Equal Opportunity Schools, CPS utilizes student experience surveys and targeted outreach to identify students with interest and readiness in taking advanced coursework who might otherwise miss out on dual credit and dual enrollment opportunities. This work, combined with our Learn.Plan.Succeed. initiative, which supports students in developing career goals and personalized postsecondary plans, has shown that students are approaching college decisions with increased clarity and confidence. District students are driving this momentum, and CPS is committed to meeting their aspirations with high-quality opportunities.

Counselors and other trusted adults collaborate closely with students and families to help them understand their options, build confidence, and successfully transition into dual credit, dual enrollment, and other advanced pathways.

To respond to what we’ve heard from students and families, CPS continues to strengthen the Chicago Roadmap, our joint initiative with City Colleges of Chicago, which expands access and provides aligned supports along a seamless pathway to and through college. Building on this foundation, Chicago Roadmap 2.0 brings the University of Illinois system into the partnership, creating an even more robust pipeline from high school to a bachelor’s degree.

Partnerships with colleges and universities across the city and state have significantly expanded access to dual credit and dual enrollment. Additionally, the CPS Expanded Access Hubs provide district-run virtual options that allow students in grades 7–8 and 10–12 to take accelerated and college-level courses either during the school day or after school. The Hubs put students on an advanced academic track and open the door to free college-level coursework regardless of a school’s size, staffing model, or course availability.
Together, these strategies ensure that CPS is not only expanding access rapidly but doing so with intentionality, equity, and academic rigor so that every student, in every neighborhood, can participate in early college opportunities that set them up for success.