High schools should be springboards of opportunity, ensuring that postsecondary education and training is available to every student. Beyond aligning diploma requirements with public college admissions criteria (Policy Action 3), states can expand opportunity by offering all students access to advanced, college-level coursework that allows them to earn postsecondary credits while still in high school. That can include, for example, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), dual enrollment or dual credit, and postsecondary CTE-focused courses.

Studies show that taking even one advanced class predicts positive outcomes later in life, including college-going, choice of college major, and lower student loan debt—all of which in turn predict greater success in the labor market. The benefits begin in high school: According to the Education Trust, “When students have access to advanced coursework opportunities, they work harder and are more engaged in school, have fewer absences and suspensions and higher graduation rates.” Finally, students who earn postsecondary credits in high school can use them to reduce college tuition costs and shorten the time it takes to earn a degree.

Advanced coursework can support career readiness as well. In Washington State, for example, the CTE Dual Credit program allows students to earn college-level credit in high school through industry-aligned courses that blend rigorous academics with technical and workplace skills. These credits can be applied at any community or technical college in the state.

Despite these benefits, many students still don’t have access to such opportunities. Only 72 percent of high school students say their school offers advanced coursework for earning postsecondary credit. Among parents with children who are not enrolled in a dual enrollment course, 73 percent said they’d like their child to enroll in one—an “unmet demand” seen across all income levels.

National data have long shown that access to advanced courses varies across different kinds of high schools. A survey conducted in 2025 revealed that 79 percent of high schools serving relatively few students of color offer advanced courses of some kind, compared with 67 percent of high schools enrolling a high percentage of such students.

Every student deserves a fair chance to challenge themselves, work hard, and get a head start on postsecondary credits and lifelong success—which is exactly what advanced coursework is all about.