Did Someone Ask? Lessons for Leaders when Recruiting and Enrolling Autistic Students into Dual Credit Classes

Abstract

As rates of autism diagnosis continue to rise, more autistic students are graduating high school, and seeking to pursue postsecondary education options. Dual credit coursework has proven to be advantageous for college enrollment, success, and completion rates. Autistic students, however, are not equally represented in these college-level courses. The purpose of this qualitative study was to review dual credit recruitment practices and experiences, as told from the perspective of autistic students who completed one or more dual credit courses. Relying on student voice and a disability studies perspective, the intent of this study was to inform school leaders on how to facilitate the recruitment and participation of autistic students in dual credit courses, reducing the impact of institutional ableism. Traditional informational sessions proved ineffective as a recruitment tool. While parents influenced students' decisions to enroll in dual credit classes, parents' previous college experience factored into how much support students received. Teachers had the most meaningful influence due to their personal relationships with the students. Students with early-identified advanced academic ability received more encouragement to enroll, suggesting staff training and recruitment intentionality are key components for increasing autistic students' enrollment in dual credit programs. The intense bullying that students experienced in their traditional secondary classes versus the more accepting dual credit postsecondary learning environment also influenced their decisions to enroll and remain in dual credit classes. Implications for future practice and recommendations for future research are provided.