A high school student who completes two college courses before graduation may gain more than six credits. The experience can offer an early understanding of academic expectations, greater confidence about college, and potentially a lower tuition bill later.
But there is a catch: taking a college course in high school does not automatically mean the class is free, that the credits will transfer to a future university, or that the experience is appropriate for every student.
For Maryland families, those distinctions have become especially important in 2026. Montgomery County has tightened the conditions for publicly funded dual enrollment following a budget reduction. Prince George’s County, meanwhile, has expanded its partnerships and announced a major effort to bring college courses directly into high schools.
These developments illustrate something parents should understand before beginning an application: dual enrollment opportunities can differ considerably even between neighboring Maryland school districts.
For Black families planning their children’s educational futures, the programs deserve attention. College costs are a serious concern for many households, and earning credits early may create valuable flexibility. Yet the financial and academic consequences need to be understood before a teenager enters a college classroom.
The right decision begins with knowing what dual enrollment actually provides—and what it does not.
What Is Dual Enrollment?
Dual enrollment allows qualified high school students to take courses offered by a college or university while remaining enrolled in high school.
In some arrangements, students receive both high school and college credit for the same course. Other courses may provide college credit without satisfying a particular high school graduation requirement.
This distinction is important. Parents should not assume that every college class replaces a high school requirement.
The courses may take place on a college campus, online, or inside a participating high school. They are generally taught according to college-level academic standards, and students may be expected to complete the same coursework and assessments as other college students.
For a motivated teenager, that can be exciting.
A student interested in psychology might explore an introductory course before choosing a college major. Someone interested in business might begin studying economics or accounting. A student considering healthcare may benefit from college-level science or mathematics, provided the course matches their preparation.
But dual enrollment is not simply an advanced high school class with a more impressive name.
Students begin building an official college academic record. Grades, course withdrawals, and academic performance may have consequences beyond the current school year.
The question is not whether a child is intelligent enough to attend college early. It is whether the student is academically prepared, adequately supported, and enrolling in courses that serve a sensible educational purpose.
Montgomery County’s 2026 Funding Change
For families in Montgomery County, one of the most significant developments came on June 4, 2026.
That day, the Montgomery County Board of Education approved a budget that included a $1.4 million reduction in recommended funding for dual enrollment.
The change affects which students can receive financial support for approved college courses.
Beginning July 1, 2026, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) restricted district-funded dual enrollment costs to students who meet Maryland’s College and Career Readiness (CCR) standards under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
This is a substantial distinction because academic eligibility for a college course and eligibility for school-funded tuition are not necessarily the same thing.
A student may meet Montgomery College’s admission requirements but still fail to qualify for MCPS payment if the student has not met the applicable state CCR standards.
Under the current Jumpstart to College funding arrangement, eligible CCR students can receive coverage for the first two approved college courses during the fall and spring semesters.
That coverage includes tuition, fees, textbooks, and required instructional supplies.
Students who have not met the CCR standards are generally responsible for their course costs. Students taking additional courses or enrolling during winter and summer terms may also face expenses.
Montgomery College offers a separate, need-based Dual Enrollment High School Grant that may help eligible students with certain costs, subject to available funding and program requirements.
Parents should not interpret the phrase “free dual enrollment” as a guarantee.
Before applying, families should ask their child’s counselor two separate questions:
Does my student qualify academically for the proposed college course?
And does my student qualify for the funding that would cover it?
The difference may determine whether a promising academic opportunity is financially practical.
Montgomery College Offers Several Pathways
Montgomery College works with MCPS to offer multiple forms of dual enrollment.
The most familiar option is Jumpstart to College, which allows eligible students to take individual college courses while completing their high school education.
Students may take a single course or pursue a sequence of classes intended to contribute toward later college study.
Montgomery College generally requires students applying through its standard dual enrollment process to have an unweighted cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 during the freshman, sophomore, or junior years. For seniors, the standard minimum is 2.50.
Students must also meet applicable course prerequisites and other admission requirements, with limited exceptions evaluated individually.
Other programs take a more comprehensive approach.
Early College allows participating MCPS students to pursue a college degree while completing high school graduation requirements. Students generally enter the program in eleventh grade after applying during tenth grade.
Middle College pathways likewise combine secondary and postsecondary education through particular school partnerships and program structures.
These options can produce different outcomes.
Taking one college course in high school is not equivalent to completing an associate degree alongside a diploma. The latter requires substantially more planning, academic commitment, and coordination.
For students considering such programs, parents should examine the entire schedule rather than focusing only on the potential number of credits earned.
How much time will the student spend in college courses? What high school activities will remain available? Will transportation be required? How will the student balance schoolwork, extracurricular activities, family responsibilities, and rest?
The most ambitious option is not necessarily the most appropriate.
A well-chosen introductory college course may provide more educational value to one student than an accelerated degree pathway that creates unnecessary academic pressure.
Prince George’s County Is Expanding Access
Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) has taken a different approach to expanding dual enrollment opportunities.
In November 2025, the district announced a partnership with Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) to bring tuition-free college courses into every PGCPS high school by the 2026–27 school year.
The initiative, called Dual in the Schools, is designed to make college courses available during the regular school day.
That delivery model addresses a practical barrier that can prevent students from participating in college programs: transportation.
A teenager who must travel to a college campus after school may face difficulties arranging rides, managing family schedules, or fitting a college class around other responsibilities.
Providing college-level instruction inside the high school reduces that obstacle.
Under the district’s Dual in the Schools model, participating students take eligible courses in their familiar school environment while earning both high school and college credit.
Tuition and fees for this in-school pathway are covered.
PGCPS also announced an expansion of its college partnerships in July 2026, adding Bowie State University and the University of Maryland Global Campus alongside its established relationship with Prince George’s Community College.
The Bowie State partnership is particularly notable for families interested in historically Black colleges and universities.
Bowie State, founded in 1865, is Maryland’s oldest historically Black university. For students exploring HBCU pathways, early exposure to university-level study can offer an opportunity to connect academic interests with future college plans.
However, parents should distinguish between the in-school partnership and other dual enrollment arrangements.
Not every course at every participating institution necessarily follows identical rules concerning tuition, fees, textbooks, course delivery, or registration.
PGCPS requires eligible applicants to be enrolled in district schools, generally entering or attending eleventh or twelfth grade, and to have an unweighted cumulative GPA of at least 2.6.
Additional placement requirements or course prerequisites may apply.
Students interested in institutions other than Prince George’s Community College may also need to submit a district Intent to Enroll form by the applicable deadline.
Missing that step can affect whether the school system will cover eligible costs.
The important lesson is that expanded opportunity still requires careful planning.
College Credit Is Valuable Only When It Fits the Plan
One of the most persuasive arguments for dual enrollment is the possibility of earning college credits before paying full college tuition.
That potential is real.
But parents should examine what the credits will actually accomplish.
A student who completes an introductory college course may receive an official college transcript showing the earned credit. Yet another institution does not necessarily have to accept that credit in exactly the way the family expects.
Some universities may accept a course as an equivalent required subject. Others may recognize it as elective credit. A particular degree program may have additional rules concerning prerequisites, laboratory courses, transfer grades, or major requirements.
These details matter because earning credit and applying credit toward a future degree are not always the same thing.
Consider a student planning to study engineering.
Taking an introductory course unrelated to the intended major may still be intellectually valuable. But if the family’s primary goal is reducing future degree costs, a course that satisfies a required mathematics or general education requirement may provide a more direct financial benefit.
A student considering nursing, education, business, computer science, or another structured degree program should also investigate how prospective colleges treat transfer courses.
The most useful questions are practical.
Will the intended college accept this course?
Will the course satisfy a specific requirement?
Is there a minimum grade needed for transfer?
Will the college transcript become part of future admissions or academic review?
What happens if the student changes their major?
A high school counselor can help families begin this analysis, but the future receiving college has the final authority over how credits apply to its programs.
Before enrolling, students should consult the current transfer policies of institutions they may eventually attend.
Academic Readiness Is More Than GPA
Grade point average is useful, but it does not tell the entire story of a student’s readiness for college coursework.
A student may earn strong grades while relying heavily on teachers to remind them about assignments, manage deadlines, or provide extra opportunities to complete unfinished work.
College expectations can be different.
Students may be responsible for reading lengthy assignments independently, participating in discussions, communicating directly with professors, organizing their schedules, and preparing for major examinations.
These are skills that develop over time.
A student considering dual enrollment should understand how college instructors communicate expectations and what happens when an assignment is submitted late or an examination is missed.
Parents should also discuss the implications of a poor grade.
Unlike many enrichment activities, dual enrollment courses create an official college academic record.
Montgomery College, for example, generally requires dual enrollment students to earn at least a C in previous college coursework to maintain eligibility for continued participation. Certain withdrawals may also affect future eligibility.
This is not a reason to discourage capable students.
It is a reason to choose courses carefully.
An academically successful teenager who is already overwhelmed by extracurricular activities, employment, or family responsibilities may benefit from waiting until the schedule is more manageable.
Another student may thrive because college classes provide the intellectual challenge missing from their regular coursework.
The decision should reflect the individual rather than a general belief that accelerated education is always better.
Students With Disabilities Need a Transition Plan
For families of students with disabilities, including autistic students and those with learning differences, dual enrollment raises an additional consideration.
Support services in college do not necessarily operate the same way they do in high school.
A student receiving accommodations through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 plan should not assume that every high school accommodation will automatically transfer to the college setting.
Montgomery College directs dual enrollment students who need college testing or classroom accommodations to register through its Disability Support Services office.
The college advises families to submit relevant documentation well in advance so that appropriate arrangements can be considered before courses begin.
This reflects an important transition in responsibility.
In high school, parents and school teams often coordinate many educational supports. At the college level, students generally take a more active role in requesting and arranging accommodations through the institution’s disability services process.
Families can use dual enrollment as an opportunity to build self-advocacy skills.
Does the student understand their learning needs?
Can they explain which accommodations help?
Do they know whom to contact when difficulties arise?
Are they comfortable asking a professor for clarification?
These skills may be just as important as the academic credit earned.
Parents should discuss the transition with the high school support team and the college’s disability services staff before enrolling.
What Black Families Should Ask Before Applying
Dual enrollment is often promoted as a way to give ambitious students a head start. But not every family has the same information, transportation, financial flexibility, or access to college guidance.
The quality of a student’s opportunity should not depend on whether a parent already understands higher education terminology.
Families can begin with a conversation at the high school.
In Montgomery County, the school’s Dual Enrollment Program Assistant can help students navigate the process.
In Prince George’s County, school counselors and participating COAST Advisors help students understand available college options and enrollment requirements.
Before beginning an application, families should ask:
Which dual enrollment programs are currently available at this high school?
Does my child meet both the academic and funding eligibility requirements?
Will the course count toward high school graduation, college credit, or both?
What tuition, fees, textbooks, or transportation costs would our family be responsible for?
Does the proposed course align with the student’s possible college major or educational goals?
What academic or disability-related support is available?
Will the course appear permanently on an official college transcript?
When is the application deadline, and which approvals or forms are required?
How can we evaluate whether a future college will accept the credit?
Would taking one course first be a better choice than enrolling in several?
These questions shift the discussion from whether a program sounds prestigious to whether it offers an appropriate educational benefit.
That distinction is particularly important when families face pressure to make early college decisions based on a student’s potential rather than their present needs.
The goal is not to collect the greatest possible number of credits before graduation.
It is to create a sensible pathway toward education after high school.
The Larger Question: Access or Acceleration?
Maryland’s dual enrollment developments reveal two different policy concerns.
Prince George’s County is emphasizing expanded access, including the opportunity to take college classes during the regular school day.
Montgomery County’s 2026 funding change highlights the financial constraints that can limit participation, even when courses remain academically available.
Both developments affect families’ decisions.
But they also raise a larger educational question.
Should the success of dual enrollment be measured primarily by how many students take college courses early, or by how many students gain credits that meaningfully advance their education?
Enrollment figures can demonstrate participation. They do not automatically show whether students selected appropriate courses, transferred their credits successfully, avoided unnecessary costs, or became better prepared for college.
A strong program should do more than accelerate students through material.
It should help them make informed educational choices.
For a Black student whose family has limited experience navigating college applications, a well-supported dual enrollment course may provide early familiarity with university expectations and create confidence about pursuing higher education.
For another student, a demanding course taken too early may add pressure without offering a clear academic or financial benefit.
Neither experience should be reduced to a simple success story about accumulating credits.
Good educational decisions are individualized.
The best outcome is not always the earliest.
Conclusion: Make the Credits Count
Maryland dual enrollment can offer students a genuine advantage. College-level courses during high school may reduce future educational costs, introduce new academic interests, and help teenagers prepare for the demands of higher education.
But the opportunity is only as valuable as the planning behind it.
For the 2026–27 school year, Montgomery County families should pay special attention to the College and Career Readiness funding requirements introduced following the district’s budget reduction.
Prince George’s County families should investigate the expanded Dual in the Schools program, current course offerings, partner institutions, and application procedures.
Across both school systems, students should confirm admission requirements, financial responsibilities, course relevance, and transfer possibilities before committing.
A student who earns three carefully selected credits that satisfy a future degree requirement may be better served than one who accumulates many credits without a clear destination.
That is the principle families should remember.
College credit is not the finish line. It is a tool for getting somewhere.
Used thoughtfully, dual enrollment can make that journey more accessible, affordable, and academically rewarding.
Akukulu Family encourages Black parents, caregivers, and high school students throughout Maryland to review local dual enrollment opportunities before choosing next semester’s courses. Speak with your school counselor, confirm whether your student qualifies for tuition support, and investigate how the credits could contribute to future college plans. A well-informed decision today can help students move toward higher education with greater preparation and fewer financial surprises.
Official Resources
Montgomery County Public Schools — Dual Enrollment:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/partnerships/dual-enrollment
Montgomery College — Dual Enrollment:
https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/high-school-students/dual-enrollment/
Prince George’s County Public Schools — Dual Enrollment:
https://www.pgcps.org/offices/dual-enrollment
Prince George’s Community College — COAST Advising:
