• NYC Public Schools
  • City University of New York

DUAL CREDIT PLAYBOOK

For New York City Public Schools & City University of New York Campuses

  • NYC Public Schools
  • City University of New York

This playbook aims to provide a comprehensive resource for New York City Public School leaders and higher education partner campus leaders, reinforcing the importance of dual credit opportunities and how they can be effectively and equitably integrated into the educational system.

This dual credit playbook provides best practices for school and campus leaders to implement effective dual credit programs—a key lever to increasing equitable access to and completion of early college credit. The playbook focuses on five strategies school and campus leaders can use to effectively and equitably implement dual credit.

Conduct outreach to historically underserved students

  • Award high school credit for college courses
  • When possible, offer dual credit courses during the school day
  • Ensure equitable identification by targeting all eligible students
  • Offer introductory courses to remove barriers to entry

TIPS FOR OUTREACH »

Align credit to college degrees and careers in fields of interest

  • Provide career-connected learning opportunities aligned to labor market and program data
  • Consider how work-based learning and industry experience can reinforce skills and knowledge gained via dual credit

TIPS FOR ALIGNMENT TO COLLEGE AND CAREERS »

Support career and academic exploration, advising, and planning

  • Dedicate resources to ensure high school counselors can focus on college and career planning for all students whether they want to go to college or pursue other postsecondary options

  • Develop strong infrastructure and utilize partnerships to provide career and academic exploration

  • Connect dual credit students with partner colleges’ advising and planning staff so that students can discuss their postsecondary plans with high school staff as well as with staff at the college

TIPS FOR EXPLORATION, ADVISING, AND PLANNING »

Focus on high-quality college instruction and academic support

  • Provide academic support to dual credit students from both the high school and college

  • Provide non-academic support to dual credit students from both the high school and college

  • Focus dual credit opportunities on classes that are most likely to be valuable for transfer

TIPS ON PROVIDING ACADEMIC SUPPORT »

Provide advising for early college high school students transferring to a 4-year institution of higher learning

  • For students in early college high schools, connect them with transfer advisors at the college to ensure they understand what core courses and what major courses will transfer if they choose to continue their college education beyond a two-year Associate degree

TIPS FOR COLLEGE ADVISEMENT »

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the many individuals at the New York City Public School system (NYCPS), City University of New York (CUNY), and other institutions for their invaluable support in the development of this report.

We would also like to thank all of the other stakeholders who contributed to this project, including educators, administrators, and community leaders, for their dedication and insight. This report would not have been possible without their collaboration and support, and we are honored to have had the opportunity to work with them.

Accessing College Now

Supported by funding from the New York State Education Department, New York City Public Schools, and CUNY, College Now supports dual enrollment and dual credit programming opportunities in New York City. For NYC public schools CUNY’s College Now program is the largest dual enrollment program in New York City, and schools and students incur no additional cost for participating.

For high schools wanting to partner with CUNY’s College Now program, please complete this application.