LANSING, Mich. (WOWO) — Michigan is putting $40 million toward helping more high school students take college courses before they graduate, with the state specifically targeting districts serving large numbers of economically disadvantaged students.

The new funding comes as Michigan continues to rank among the states with the lowest rates of dual enrollment — a system that allows high school students to earn college credit while completing their high school education.

Bridge Michigan reports that participation has been particularly low among students from low-income households and students of color.

Under the new funding, districts will receive state support for dual enrollment, with priority given to districts where more than half of students are considered economically disadvantaged.

The Michigan Department of Education is developing the criteria for distributing the money ahead of the state’s new fiscal year, which begins October 1.

Department spokesperson Bob Wheaton said the state hopes the additional funding will substantially increase participation.

“I don’t know that we can put a number on it, but we hope to greatly expand the number of students taking advantage of the dual enrollment opportunity,” Wheaton said, according to Bridge Michigan.

The change could address one of the financial barriers that has discouraged some school districts from promoting dual enrollment.

Historically, Michigan districts have generally had to use their state per-pupil funding to cover the cost of dual enrollment. That means districts have had to balance the expense of college courses against other educational needs.

Brandy Johnson, president of the Michigan Community College Association, said that financial calculation has sometimes worked against expanding opportunities.

“Too often, and understandably so, school districts see the dollar signs of dual enrollment and not the really positive educational outcomes for students and families,” Johnson said.

The new state funding changes that calculation by taking the question of who pays for the courses largely out of the hands of individual school districts.

Supporters say the investment could have benefits well beyond the high school years.

Venessa Keesler, president and CEO of Launch Michigan, a nonprofit focused on public education reform, called dual enrollment one of the strongest evidence-based strategies available to help students succeed in high school and after graduation.

“It really helps kids on their futures, helps families, reduces costs and shows kids that they can do it,” Keesler said, according to Bridge Michigan.

Dual enrollment allows students to experience college-level coursework before they leave high school. Students can potentially accumulate credits toward a degree, shorten the amount of time they eventually spend in college and reduce tuition costs.

Stephanie Weiss, director of the Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative at the Detroit Regional Chamber, said the results among Michigan students who have participated are encouraging.

“The data is very clear on this,” Weiss said. “Over 92% of students that took dual enrollment courses since 2016 have passed, so they’ve had a successful experience.”

Weiss said students who take college courses in high school are more likely to enroll in college, graduate and eventually enter the workforce.

The program could also help Michigan address its broader workforce and educational attainment goals.

The state has set a goal of having 60% of working-age residents earn a college degree or a skills certificate by 2030.

Michigan stood at 51.6% in 2024, ranking 39th nationally, according to data cited by Bridge Michigan.

Advocates had sought a larger $60 million investment in dual enrollment, but they say the $40 million approved by the state represents an important starting point.

The funding could be particularly significant in rural districts, where transportation and geography can make dual enrollment more difficult.

Neil Wetherbee, superintendent of Northport Public School in Leelanau County, said only a small number of students in his district currently participate because the nearest community college is roughly 30 miles away in Traverse City.

His district already promotes dual enrollment, but he expects participation to increase as a result of the state investment.

“It will certainly relieve a financial pressure,” Wetherbee said. “We are always trying to juggle our budgets. But we are all trying to do what’s best for kids, always.”

Researchers caution, however, that simply putting more students into college classes isn’t enough.

John Fink, a senior research associate at the Community College Research Center at Columbia University, said dual enrollment has historically been used disproportionately by students who were already planning to attend college.

Those students can enter college with credits already completed and potentially save money and graduate sooner.

But Fink said the model can also serve students who might not otherwise see themselves as college-bound.

“It also serves a college access purpose of giving students exposure early on in high school to a college course so they are already feeling successful as college students when they complete high school and are more likely to continue in college after high school,” Fink said.

Researchers say Michigan should be deliberate about how it expands the program.

Davis Jenkins, a senior research scholar at the Community College Research Center, said dual enrollment courses should be connected to meaningful educational and career pathways rather than simply giving students a collection of general education credits.

Jenkins said course offerings should ideally connect to apprenticeships, associate degrees or bachelor’s degrees with strong labor-market value.

The courses should be high quality, connected to career opportunities and part of a broader plan for the student’s education.

Jenkins also said students should receive guidance from college advisers in addition to their high school counselors.

That could be particularly important for students who historically have had less access to dual enrollment, including low-income students, first-generation college students, students of color and students who speak English as a second language.

Research cited by Bridge Michigan indicates that students participating in dual enrollment are more likely to graduate from high school, enroll in college and complete college.

Jenkins said the strength of the evidence behind dual enrollment makes the opportunity particularly important as the cost of living and workforce requirements continue to change.

“I don’t know of any intervention that has that kind of power,” Jenkins said.

Michigan’s $40 million investment is therefore about more than allowing high school students to take college classes early.

State education officials and advocates see the program as a potential pipeline from high school to college, skilled careers and the workforce — while also giving families an opportunity to reduce the cost of postsecondary education.

The challenge will be making sure the expansion reaches students who have historically been least likely to participate and that the courses they take lead somewhere meaningful after high school.

With the state’s new fiscal year beginning October 1, the Michigan Department of Education is now working on the rules that will determine how the $40 million is distributed.