Hamilton County ranks No. 2 statewide in career dual enrollment

Danny Federico

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A new report from the Florida College Access Network (FCAN) shows Hamilton County posted the second-highest Career Dual Enrollment (CDE) participation rate among the state’s county-based school districts during the 2024-25 academic year.

The report, titled “Florida’s Career Dual Enrollment Boom Hasn’t Reached Every District Yet,” found that 32.3% of Hamilton County graduates earned CDE accelerated credit. Only Wakulla County ranked higher, with a participation rate of 36.1%. Both rates were more than 10 times Florida’s statewide average of 3.2%.

FCAN released the report on Thursday, Aug. 27, examining CDE participation, outcomes and district-level trends across the state.

FCAN states the CDE program allows students in grades six through 12 to take college-level, industry-aligned courses while still enrolled in school. The courses are offered at no cost to students and can help participants graduate with postsecondary credit and industry-recognized credentials.

Statewide participation in the CDE program, FCAN states, has more than doubled over the past five years. According to the report, 6,581 students participated during the 2024-25 academic year, compared to 3,054 in 2020-21, an increase of approximately 115.5%.

Despite that growth, FCAN found significant differences in access among Florida school districts. Fifteen districts reported no CDE participation during the 2024-25 academic year.

The report identified staffing, transportation and partnerships with postsecondary institutions as important factors in expanding access to the program. In its conclusion, FCAN described Hamilton and Wakulla as the two districts with the most developed staffing, transportation and postsecondary partnerships, noting their participation rates far exceeded the statewide average.

Hamilton County High School (HCHS) currently offers Career and Technical Dual Enrollment opportunities through North Florida College and RIVEROAK Technical College. According to the school’s website, HCHS students seeking Career and Technical Dual Enrollment must have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average.

After the report’s release, HCHS acknowledged the district’s ranking on social media and credited Elizabeth Mitchell and Louis Daniels for developing partnerships and helping students access opportunities. The school also thanked North Florida College and RIVEROAK Technical College for their ongoing partnerships with HCHS.

FCAN’s report also noted that CDE is one of several pathways available to Florida students, and said access to the program can determine whether a student can leave high school with both college credit and an industry certification at no cost.

The organization concluded that expanding those opportunities in districts with little or no participation will be CDE's next challenge in Florida.

To view the full report, visit FloridaCollegeAccess.org, select “News,” then “FCAN Blog,” and open the Aug. 27 article, “School Districts Doing Well in Career Dual Enrollment Have Three Things in Common.” From the article, click “Read The Report.”