Please join us for the upcoming presentation of the Maryland Longitudinal Data System (MLDS) Center Research Series Virtual Brown Bag. This event is a forum to bring together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss in-progress research on academic and workforce outcomes.
Title: “Effects of Dual Credit on Student Outcomes: Examining How Outcomes Vary Across Delivery Contexts”
Presenter: Pooya Almasi, PhD, Morgan State University
Date and Time: May 8, noon to 1 p.m.
Link to Join: May Research Series
Abstract: Dual credit (DC) courses offer high school and college credits simultaneously, often at minimal or no cost to students. As DC has expanded nationally, courses are implemented across diverse modalities and contexts. Prior studies find positive effects, but limited research examines heterogeneity, particularly how effects differ across delivery contexts. Using a statewide dataset from Texas, we compare student course-taking patterns and outcomes in three distinct DC delivery contexts: (a) courses taught on a college campus by a college instructor, (b) courses taught on a high school campus by a college instructor, and (c) courses taught on a high school campus by a high school teacher. We study the impact of DC delivery context on a range of student outcomes: DC course performance, high school graduation rates, college enrollment and completion, college GPA, and labor market earnings and employment. Our preliminary findings reveal that college-like courses yield positive effects across student outcomes, with particularly strong impacts on college enrollment. Interestingly, while courses taught by college faculty on college campuses substantially boost college graduation rates, their effect on enrollment is no different from other delivery models. Additionally, we identify significant variation in students' outcomes regarding the timing and intensity of their DC coursework, but these patterns differ based on the delivery context and students' prior academic preparation.
Speaker Bio: Pooya Almasi, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership, and Policy at Morgan State University and the faculty research methodologist for the National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities. He holds a PhD in economics from Georgetown University. As an empirical economist, Almasi's research focuses on the economics of education, labor economics, and public economics. He applies quantitative methods to analyze and evaluate educational programs and policies, with a strong focus on equity and impact. In his research on educator labor markets, Almasi explores the career mobility of teachers and principals by analyzing factors such as retention, attrition, salary, and job transitions to better understand workforce dynamics in education. His work on school finance advocates for the equitable allocation of resources by analyzing funding mechanisms and evaluating local and state education policies to ensure fair distribution across districts and schools. Additionally, Almasi explores student learning and outcomes in both K-12 and higher education, assessing how various instructional approaches and academic policies impact student success in both the short and long term.