The expansion of opportunities for high school students to earn college credit underscores progress in creating a seamless education system, from kindergarten through college. Fortunately, programs for college credit in high school are no longer limited to elite schools, and students from a wide range of backgrounds and with diverse accomplishments are showing that the academic challenge of college courses is an inspiration, not a barrier. The question then is the degree to which these opportunities will increase the number of young people gaining a college diploma or other postsecondary credential—especially students for whom access to higher education remains limited.
