The Cost-Effectiveness of Providing Early College Opportunities in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has invested substantial resources in early college opportunities for high school students in an effort to increase college degree attainment. The Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands collaborated with the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner (RIOPC) to investigate the impact and costs of participation in each of the state’s three early college opportunities—dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and Advanced Placement—on college enrollment and persistence. For each early college opportunity, researchers examined the costs associated with providing the program beyond the cost of a typical high school course, and the per-student cost associated with improved outcomes. To evaluate program impacts, this study used data for first-time grade 9 students in Rhode Island public schools who graduated high school on time in the 2014/15 school year. To examine costs, researchers drew on statewide administrative records and conducted interviews with staff from a sample of 12 local education agencies.