An illustration depicts a dual enrollment application being denied. Effective fiscal year 2027, a new law, the Dual Enrollment Act, was passed and is expected to alienate and greatly harm undocumented students when implemented. “Increasing limitations for students to reach higher education during high school does nothing but disadvantage undocumented students and potentially those who are lawfully present.” Illustration by Tess van Wagtendonk
To participate in dual enrollment for the 2026-27 school year, a new law requires students to meet U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizenship requirements, a discriminatory policy that diminishes opportunities for many students.
Everyone deserves equal access to education. This is a statement that shouldn’t prompt disagreement, but a new law: GA House Bill 18, or the Dual Enrollment Act. Effective fiscal year 2027, has managed to do just that. The law requires dual enrollment students to meet the United States citizenship or eligible non-citizenship requirements in order to be eligible for the Dual Enrollment Funding Program, according to Georgia Futures.
Isolating students from both collegiate opportunities and from their peers does more harm than any good the policy may create.
The U.S. Department of Education states students must either be a U.S.citizen, a lawful permanent resident or hold official “eligible noncitizen” status according to Federal Title IV Regulations, which govern student aid.
Clarke Central High School currently offers dual enrollment through five colleges and universities: Athens Technical College, Piedmont University, University of North Georgia, University of Georgia and Georgia Institute of Technology Distance Math and Distance Computer Science programs. But these opportunities are insignificant if they are not accessible to all CCHS students.
“I think (the law) is a detriment to our students. I think that all of our students should have the opportunity to further their education if that’s what they choose to do,” CCHS Assistant Principal Alexis Scott said.
Increasing limitations for students to reach higher education during high school does nothing but disadvantage undocumented students and potentially those who are lawfully present, including asylum seekers, individuals with Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which protects undocumented minors who came to the U.S. as children from deportation.
“These opportunities are insignificant if they are not accessible to all CCHS students.”
Dual enrollment previously allowed equitable opportunities for high school students to earn college credit at no cost, something vital for Title I schools like CCHS, where funding is an obstacle for many students. Diminishing these opportunities will likely lower postsecondary education enrollment, undoing earlier progress.
According to the Georgia Student Finance Commission, 70% of dual enrollment students who graduated between 2019 to 2024 enrolled in a HOPE-eligible postsecondary institution within a year of high school graduation, in comparison to 45% of non-dual enrollment students.
Dual enrollment proves to be an essential component to furthering education and workforce preparation, but despite this, an ample number of students will be cut from accessing these programs. Implementing GA HB18 will harm affected students in their future endeavors and alienate them from a sense of belonging within the public school system.
“(GA HB18) directly hits the core values of American society by depriving (students) of one part of public education.This law does not fit into the framework of what public education is supposed to be,” Athens immigration attorney Sujata Gupta Winfield said.
“(This policy) sends a very negative (message to students). It says that they’re good enough for high school, but not good enough for anything further. We don’t want to build a society of people who are excluded from (opportunities).”
Diminishing the important educational programs already in place in an attempt to reduce funding and align with consistently strict and unfair immigration policies is unprincipled. Equitable access to higher education should be prioritized, not pushed to the side.
No student deserves to be unable to participate in dual enrollment because of their residency status.
