A dual enrollment course is a college course offered to high school students, taught by a college instructor or college-approved instructor, that allows successful completers to earn college credit while still in high school. While dual enrollment initially gained popularity as an option for academically advanced students to gain early access to college courses, a growing body of research recognizes the potential of dual enrollment courses to set a broad range of students on a path toward postsecondary degrees and careers of value.

This guide offers lessons learned for designing and implementing the first year of a dual enrollment mathematics course with an equity focus, and was written to address the why, what, and how of equity-focused dual enrollment mathematics planning and initial implementation. The primary audience is a leadership team composed of representatives from both a high school and a community college. The guide aims to provide an initial road map for designing and implementing such a course in a way that reduces inequalities and narrows opportunity gaps.