Dr. Frederic Washington | Building Bridges: The Case for Policy on K-16 & Early College Educator Preparation (Special Report)

Awareness. Access. Equity. Data from reports, as well as student surveys, teacher focus groups, and administrative interviews point to a need for a Comprehensive Educator Preparation Model for Dual Enrollment and College-Level Teaching, specifically in the Southern Region of the United States.

Note: The content expressed in this column reflects the sole views/findings of the author, and the literature presented does not reflect an official statement nor the views of his employer or affiliated professional societies, family, friends, pets, religious organizations, civic groups, or named agencies (beyond the data retrieved for citation). 

Executive Summary

As dual enrollment surges across the United States—particularly in the South—it offers students a promising pathway to earn college credit while still in high school. This expansion has the potential to reduce tuition debt, increase college access, and smooth the transition to postsecondary education. Yet beneath this promise lies a troubling reality: the educator pipeline is fractured and inequitable.

To teach dual enrollment courses, educators must meet college-level credentialing standards. In states like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama—where more than 60 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch—the teachers most embedded in these communities are the least likely to have access to graduate coursework in subjects such as math, science, history, and business (Southern Regional Education Board [SREB], 2020). Institutions like Grand Canyon University, Wichita State, Southern New Hampshire University, and American College of Education offer partial solutions, but their models are often financially inaccessible, academically misaligned, or regionally irrelevant—especially for educators in rural, low-income, and Title I schools (College in High School Alliance [CHSA], 2025).

This report proposes a regionally responsive and holistic educator preparation pipeline that addresses credentialing requirements for dual enrollment, expands financial aid accessibility, ensures cultural and pedagogical relevance, offers flexible delivery modalities, and aligns with community and workforce needs.

The Problem: Credentialing Without Capacity

To teach dual enrollment courses, educators must either hold a master’s degree in the subject area or possess a master’s degree plus 18 graduate hours in the discipline. This requirement creates a credentialing bottleneck. Teachers who hold degrees in education or liberal arts often lack the subject-specific graduate hours needed to teach dual credit courses in core academic areas such as English, history, math, biology, chemistry, and physics. The same gap exists in vocational subjects like accounting, finance, marketing, and computer applications, as well as in STEM fields such as computer science and engineering.

The consequences of this bottleneck are far-reaching. Students in high-poverty districts lose access to college credit opportunities. Teachers are forced into costly and often mismatched degree programs that do not align with their instructional goals. School districts, in turn, rely on external college faculty to deliver dual enrollment courses, which undermines continuity and cultural relevance in the classroom (Hooper & Harrington, 2022).

Survey data from nine Southern states reveals the extent of these disparities. In Mississippi, for example, a majority of students were eligible for free or reduced lunch, yet only a small fraction had access to dual enrollment—and those students were disproportionately White and suburban. Rural students had options, but accessibility to broadband or commuting, proved to be a real burden, for the poorest high school seniors in the state.

Similar patterns emerged in Louisiana and Alabama, where dual enrollment participation was limited to a small number of students, predominantly White and from more affluent areas. In contrast, states like Virginia and North Carolina showed more equitable participation, with dual enrollment access reaching a broader mix of racial and geographic backgrounds.

Existing Programs: Fragmented and Inaccessible

Several institutions offer graduate programs that could, in theory, help educators meet dual enrollment credentialing requirements. However, these offerings are often fragmented, inaccessible, or misaligned with the realities of Southern educators.

Grand Canyon University offers a wide array of online master’s programs and certificates, but its courses are typically four credit hours, which complicates transferability and alignment with traditional three-credit systems. As a for-profit institution, GCU has faced legal scrutiny and tends to prioritize scalability over regional responsiveness, making it a poor fit for educators in underserved Southern communities.

A program that trains educators in this dual-focused model would not only improve instructional quality but also enhance student retention. Research shows that students are more likely to persist in college when they experience a sense of belonging and academic confidence early on (Ready Education, 2023).

When dual enrollment courses are taught by educators who understand both pedagogical and andragogical principles, students are better supported in their transition, reducing the risk of “expectation failure” and dropout (Pew, 2010). The bridge—between high school and college, between pedagogy and andragogy—is long overdue. It is not just a matter of credentialing; it is a matter of instructional philosophy and student success.

What a Comprehensive Program Should Deliver

Wichita State University provides dual enrollment and concurrent enrollment options at reduced rates, but these are limited to select subjects such as English and geographic locations. While the university maintains strong faculty oversight, it lacks a unified credentialing pathway for high school teachers, and is only 12 credits (six shy of the general accrediting body rule of 18) leaving educators without a clear route to qualification.

The American College of Education offers certificate programs aligned with dual enrollment needs. However, the institution does not participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs, creating a significant barrier for teachers in the South, where salaries often lag behind national averages. Without access to federal aid, educators must pay out-of-pocket, which is simply not feasible for many working in Title I schools (CHSA, 2025).

An Untapped Opportunity: Reimagining HBCUs and Institutional Partnerships

As the educator preparation landscape shifts—often away from traditional higher education—there’s a growing need to reimagine who leads and sustains the pipeline for dual enrollment instruction. The historic exodus of K–12 teachers, paired with the rise of early college programs, has prompted districts and private entities to create their own credentialing pathways. Initiatives like the Louisiana Educator Resource Center, iteach US, and Teachers of Tomorrow reflect this trend, offering flexible, cost-efficient alternatives to conventional graduate programs.

Districts such as Shreveport-based Caddo Parish Public Schools and Texas’ Dallas ISD have launched internal educator preparation programs, often at a fraction of college tuition rates. The Dallas College System, which operates 7 campuses, now offers a four-year degree in K–12 education—an expansion that mirrors the growing demand for postsecondary educator preparation aligned with early college models.

Yet amid this transformation lies a powerful, underleveraged asset: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Moultrie’s (2025) analysis, “How HBCUs Have Grown Their Graduate Offerings and Why It Matters," documents this expansion and argues for increased investment in these institutions as engines of equity, affordability, and cultural relevance. The work further noted that HBCUs now offer more graduate programs than ever before, and that their students—often first-generation and Pell-eligible—benefit from high-quality education at significantly lower cost than their non-HBCU counterparts.

The findings by Moultrie (2025) saliently complement the concerns raised in the survey responses of the southern high school seniors, and focus groups with teachers, and interviews with assistant/vice principals of curriculum and instruction. The need to support the prolific, strategic growth of HBCUs make them prime for this level of undertaking, accenting the problem statement of this report: Southern educators lack accessible, culturally responsive pathways to dual enrollment credentialing. Moultrie’s work underscores the public good of graduate education—especially in teaching—and reframes it not as a private investment, but as a communal imperative.

Rather than divesting from teacher preparation, HBCUs could serve as regional hubs for dual enrollment educator training. Their missions, infrastructures, and community ties make them ideal partners for early college programs. By offering targeted graduate certificates, flexible delivery formats, and mentorship rooted in cultural competence, HBCUs can help rebuild the educator pipeline with intentionality and impact.

GSU (has) Been Doing This: Elevating HBCU Legacy Through Graduate-Level Credentialing

Grambling State University didn’t just happen upon greatness—it was built on it. From its roots as a normal school training Black educators during the height of segregation, GSU has always known its purpose: to prepare visionaries who turn barriers into pathways. Today, that same calling echoes in its graduate programs, especially the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in the social sciences.

This isn’t your standard K–12 MAT track. Grambling’s MAT brings something different to the table—an academic blueprint for Black scholars who want credentials to teach dual enrollment and college-level courses without sacrificing their cultural lens. It’s a gamechanger for African American educators who’ve mastered their fields but need a route to cross that post-secondary threshold.

Offering concentrations in criminal justice, psychology, sociology, and history, GSU’s MAT parallels programs like the MLA at LSUS, but with a twist: it’s rooted in service, storytelling, and the spirit of historically Black excellence. Unlike their comparatively newer MAT built for classroom licensure and pedagogy (and as offered at LA Tech and Centenary College of Louisiana), Grambling’s version blends content mastery with real-world application—tailored for those who teach with experience, not just with standards.

Just look at Marquel Sennett. Grambling Tiger alum. Fierce millennial. Journalist, PR executive, and college instructor whose resume reads like a masterclass in versatility. With undergraduate credentials in broadcast media and public relations, Marquel didn’t just pivot into higher ed—she thrived. Her MAT gave her the formal academic authority to walk into any classroom and own it, while her media background gave her the voice to make every lesson land.

She’s proof that Grambling’s MAT isn’t just a degree—it’s a transformation. It’s the kind of program that equips you to be credentialed and culturally relevant. A mirror of what HBCUs do best: meeting the moment with purpose, rigor, and that unapologetic flavor that says “I belong here”—whether it’s on stage, on screen, or in the college lecture hall.

LSU Shreveport Expands Dual Enrollment Educator Prep to Meet Growing Demand

Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSUS) is responding to the region’s rising demand for qualified dual enrollment instructors by launching a new certificate program in English for Dual Enrollment Teachers. Offered through LSUS’s Continuing Education division, this program provides a targeted credentialing pathway for educators seeking to teach college-level courses in high school settings—without the barriers of traditional graduate programs.

For years, many educators have quietly pursued LSUS’s longstanding Master of Arts in Liberal Arts, strategically selecting electives that align with their teaching goals. These often include 15 to 18 graduate-level credits in disciplines such as English, math, history, political science, and criminal justice/sociology. This flexible approach has made LSUS—a public four-year university in Louisiana’s third-largest city—a quiet but vital resource for credentialing educators.

This initiative mirrors broader national trends. For example, Arizona’s dual enrollment model allows high school students to take college-level courses on their own campuses, with instructors credentialed through streamlined partnerships between school districts and community colleges. Similarly, California’s College and Career Access Pathways program targets underrepresented students and offers flexible teaching arrangements for dual enrollment educators.

A Path Exists—But It’s Not Tailored to Today’s Educators

While some may point to graduate programs at larger research universities as alternatives, these institutions often design their liberal arts degrees to serve future academics. These programs typically require full-time commitments, including fellowships, teaching assistantships, residency, and even post-doctoral work—making them impractical for working educators.

Many current teachers and aspiring instructors find themselves at a crossroads: they want to teach dual enrollment or undergraduate courses but are deterred by certification exams, unpaid student teaching, or rigid K–12 environments that emphasize standardized testing and micromanagement. LSUS’s new certificate program offers a more accessible, flexible solution—one that aligns with the realities of today’s educators and the evolving needs of students seeking college credit in high school.

This challenge is not unique to Louisiana. Across the country, flexible credentialing pathways are gaining traction. Micro-credentials, for instance, are being used in states like New Hampshire to certify educators for specialized roles such as Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) coordinators—positions that support learning outside traditional classrooms through internships and community service. Additionally, alternative teacher certification programs, such as those offered by iTeach U.S, LRCE, and Teachers of Tomorrow, allow professionals from other fields to enter teaching without a traditional education degree, often completing certification in under a year.

These innovations reflect a growing recognition that educator preparation must evolve to meet the needs of diverse learners and teaching environments. LSUS’s certificate program is a timely and strategic response to this shift.

Bridging Pedagogy and Andragogy: A Dual-Focused Instructional Model

One of the most overlooked challenges in dual enrollment is the instructional gap between high school and college expectations. High school students enrolled in college-level courses occupy a unique space—they are adolescents navigating a system designed for adult learners. This transitional phase demands a hybrid instructional approach that blends the structure and support of pedagogy with the autonomy and relevance of andragogy.  

Pedagogy, traditionally associated with K–12 education, emphasizes guided learning, teacher-led instruction, and developmental scaffolding. Andragogy, on the other hand, centers on self-directed learning, real-world application, and intrinsic motivation—hallmarks of college-level teaching (Pew, 2010). Dual enrollment instructors must be equipped to navigate both frameworks, adapting their teaching to meet students where they are developing while preparing them for the expectations of postsecondary education.

A program that trains educators in this dual-focused model would not only improve instructional quality but also enhance student retention. Research shows that students are more likely to persist in college when they experience a sense of belonging and academic confidence early on (Ready Education, 2023).

When dual enrollment courses are taught by educators who understand both pedagogical and andragogical principles, students are better supported in their transition, reducing the risk of “expectation failure” and dropout (Pew, 2010). The bridge—between high school and college, between pedagogy and andragogy—is long overdue. It is not just a matter of credentialing; it is a matter of instructional philosophy and student success.

What a Comprehensive Program Should Deliver

A truly transformative educator preparation model must be intentional, accessible, and regionally responsive. First and foremost, it must offer credential alignment by providing master’s degrees or graduate certificates that include the required 18 credit hours in core academic and vocational subjects. This ensures that educators can meet dual enrollment teaching requirements without pursuing unrelated or overly advanced degrees.

Financial accessibility is equally critical. Programs must participate in Title IV federal aid and offer scholarships or district-supported tuition relief to ensure that educators in low-income and Title I schools can afford to participate. Without this support, the credentialing gap will persist.

Delivery modalities must be flexible. Online, hybrid, and weekend formats are essential to accommodate working educators, particularly those in rural and underserved areas who cannot relocate or take extended leave to pursue graduate coursework. These programs must also be culturally responsive, with curricula designed to reflect the lived experiences of students in historically marginalized communities.

Importantly, the model should offer non-doctoral pathways that focus on instructional excellence rather than requiring pursuit of a PhD. Many educators are not seeking careers in higher education but want to teach introductory college-level courses to high school students. The program must respect and support that goal.

Finally, the credit structure must be compatible with existing institutional policies. Courses should follow a traditional three-credit hour format to ensure compatibility with transcripts and transfer systems, avoiding the confusion and misalignment that currently plague many graduate programs.

Regional Relevance: Why the South Needs This Most

Educators in Southern states face a unique set of challenges. Salaries are lower on average, and Title I schools are more prevalent. Access to graduate programs is limited, especially in rural areas, and racial and economic disparities in college access are more pronounced (SREB, 2020).

A regionally tailored educator preparation program would address these challenges head-on. By partnering with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), community colleges, and regional universities, the program could offer tuition-free or subsidized pathways for educators in Title I schools. It would also provide mentorship and instructional coaching to ensure that teachers are fully prepared to deliver dual enrollment courses with confidence and cultural relevance.

Such a program would prioritize the subjects where credential gaps are most severe, including English, math, science, history, business, and STEM. It would be designed not just to meet credentialing requirements, but to empower educators to serve their communities more effectively.

Conclusion: From Patchwork to Pipeline

The current landscape of educator preparation for dual enrollment is a patchwork of sporadic offerings, inaccessible formats, and misaligned incentives. Teachers are forced to choose between affordability and impact. Students—especially in the South—are left behind.

This report calls for a new approach: federal and state investment in comprehensive credentialing programs, institutional partnerships that prioritize equity and access, and a shift from degree accumulation to instructional empowerment.

Educators deserve a clear, affordable, and culturally responsive pathway to dual enrollment instruction. Students deserve teachers who reflect on their communities and can guide them toward college success. It’s time to stop asking educators to navigate broken systems. It’s time to build the bridge—not just to college, but to the classroom where it begins.

Dr. Frederic Washington has the humbling honor of serving as Associate Professor of Education Policy and Advocacy at Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida, where he primarily teaches graduate-level online courses in education foundations, educational administration, and public administration. With Full Disclosure: Washington is a proud 2007 honor graduate of Caddo's Booker T. Washington High School. He is a former employee of Caddo Parish Public Schools (2008-2014), and served as a registered lobbyist on education policy matters from 2010-2012 for the AFT affiliate Red River United – based in Shreveport, his legal domicile.

References

• American College of Education. (n.d.). Graduate certificates for dual enrollment instruction. https://www.ace.edu

• College in High School Alliance. (2025). Expanding access to dual enrollment: Equity and policy recommendations. https://www.collegeinhighschool.org

• Dallas College. (n.d.). Bachelor’s degree in education. https://www.dallascollege.edu

• Grand Canyon University. (n.d.). Online graduate programs for educators. https://www.gcu.edu

• Hooper, L., & Harrington, J. (2022). Credentialing gaps in dual enrollment instruction: A regional analysis. Journal of Postsecondary Access, 14(3), 45–62.

• iteachUS. (n.d.). Flexible certification for aspiring teachers. https://www.iteach.net

• Louisiana Educator Resource Center. (n.d.). Credentialing support for Louisiana educators. https://www.louisianabelieves.com

• LSU Shreveport. (n.d.). Continuing education certificate in English for dual enrollment. https://www.lsus.edu

• Moultrie, T. (2025). How HBCUs have grown their graduate offerings and why it matters. Journal of Black Higher Education Policy, 19(1), 22–38.

• National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. (2023). Current term enrollment estimates: Fall 2023. https://nscresearchcenter.org/current-term-enrollment-estimates/

• Pew Research Center. (2010). Expectations and reality: College readiness among U.S. high school students. https://www.pewresearch.org

• Ready Education. (2023). Student retention and belonging: The role of early college experiences. https://www.readyeducation.com

• Southern Regional Education Board. (2020). Dual enrollment and educator credentialing in the South: A policy brief. https://www.sreb.org

• Teachers of Tomorrow. (n.d.). Alternative certification pathways for educators. https://www.teachersoftomorrow.org

• U.S. Department of Education. (2023). Education in America: Equity and innovation in the 21st century. https://www.ed.gov

• U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2023). Digest of Education Statistics, 2022 (NCES 2023-070). https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/

• Wichita State University. (n.d.). Graduate education programs for dual enrollment teachers. https://www.wichita.edu

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