Wisconsin legislators are seeking to make dual enrollment programs more accessible and easier to navigate for high school students across the state. A new proposal, known as the Dual Enrollment Reform Bill, is designed to reduce disparities between districts and ensure that students from smaller or lower-income schools have the same opportunities to earn college credit as their peers in wealthier areas.
The legislation, introduced by Republican Sens. Rachael Cabral-Guevara and Andre Jacque along with Reps. Joel Kitchens and David Murphy, points to data showing that while participation in dual enrollment has doubled over the past decade, access remains uneven. Lawmakers say the patchwork of programs and requirements gives an advantage to students in larger or better-funded districts, particularly those located near colleges.
Streamlining a Fragmented System
Dual enrollment programs allow students to take college-level courses that count toward both their high school and postsecondary degrees. These differ from Advanced Placement classes, which require students to pass standardized exams to earn college credit.
Supporters of the bill say the current system is confusing, with programs like Start College Now and the Early College Credit Program each following separate rules, deadlines, and eligibility standards. Murphy said the goal is to make the process so clear that students and families can easily understand their options without navigating multiple agencies or applications.
To accomplish that, the proposal calls for a statewide online portal run by the Department of Workforce Development, where students and parents could find information about all available programs in one place. The measure would also create an oversight council that includes representatives from the Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Technical College System, the Universities of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. That group would be responsible for reviewing existing barriers and recommending strategies to expand participation statewide.
Participation Rising, but Inequities Remain
According to a 2025 report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum, dual enrollment participation grew from about 38,000 students in 2015 to nearly 79,000 in 2024. Roughly 80 percent of those students took courses through the Wisconsin Technical College System.
Despite this growth, the report highlighted major disparities in access. Schools with smaller enrollments, higher poverty rates, or rural locations were significantly less likely to offer dual enrollment options. Fewer than half of schools where most students come from low-income households provided such programs, compared with more than 90 percent of those serving primarily middle- or upper-income students. Lawmakers behind the bill argue that this imbalance leaves many rural and under-resourced students behind.
The proposed legislation also aims to simplify how credits transfer between colleges. It would require the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities to identify at least 36 general-education credits that transfer automatically across campuses. Supporters say that change would reduce confusion for students who move between technical colleges, universities, and private institutions.
Building Common Ground
Backers of the bill see dual enrollment as a rare area of bipartisan consensus — one that helps families save on tuition while preparing students for postsecondary success. Murphy said expanding access to college-level courses in high school can make higher education more affordable and attainable for more Wisconsin families.
Educators who have been involved in shaping the state’s dual enrollment landscape say the legislation could provide useful structure and momentum.
If enacted, the Dual Enrollment Reform Bill would represent Wisconsin’s most significant overhaul of college-credit programs in years — one that its sponsors hope will make early college experiences a reality for every student, no matter where they live.
