Early-college high schools are partnerships between secondary and postsecondary institutions and/or businesses where students can earn both a high school diploma and college credit as early as ninth grade. Though state policies to implement or expand early-college high schools are just now becoming popular, the evidence base for this model is strong, demonstrating positive outcomes for graduation, proficiency, attendance, college enrollment and more.
This short brief from the College and Career Readiness and Success Center at the American Institutes of Research provides an overview of research related to early-college high schools to build a case for states to meet the evidence requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The brief further describes promising state strategies to help policymakers find the right approach to adopting early-college models in their own states.
