Dual Enrollment Participation and Immediate College Enrollment: Investigating Socioeconomic and Ethnic Disparities Among Hawai‘i Public High School Students Through a Multilevel Model

Congratulations to Dr. Warren Kawano who earned his doctoral degree from the PhD in Education program- Educational Administration concentration in Spring 2025.

Warren’s dissertation researchexamined how dual enrollment in Hawai‘i’s Early College program, which allows high school students to take college classes for credit, affects whether Hawai‘i public high school graduates enroll in college immediately after graduation. Using data on student demographics, academics, and school characteristics, multilevel logistic regression models were used to explore how participation in Hawai‘i’s Early College program relates to immediate college enrollment, with a focus on students from low-income families and underrepresented ethnic groups.

Results showed that students who participated in dual enrollment were much more likely to enroll in college immediately after high school. In fact, participation in Early College was associated with a 90.4 percent increase in the odds of enrolling in college; however, the impact was not the same for every group. Pacific Islander students gained the most from participation, while Native Hawaiian and Filipino students experienced smaller benefits compared to their peers.

Overall, the findings highlight the promise of dual enrollment as a strategy to boost college-going rates, particularly among students who have historically been underrepresented in higher education. Expanding access to these opportunities can help close equity gaps and ensure more Hawai‘i students make the transition to college.

Advisor Statement from Dr. Chris Lucas, Associate Professor & Department Chair, Educational Administration:

Dr. Warren Kawano produced an excellent dissertation inclusive of key findings with clear applications for education in Hawai’i. His study also adds important new considerations to the literature as well as represents the lone example in the field of how dual enrollment patterns occur within a single localized Department of Education system. Each dissertation committee member contributed well-matched advice and genuine support for the study. On behalf of the committee and Warren’s original advisor, Dr. Ron Heck who sadly passed away in 2023, we are proud of Warren’s work and are looking forward to his future efforts at improving educational practice.