Home > Current Initiatives > Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program
ComMonwealth Dual Enrollment Program
The Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program (CDEP) provides opportunities for Massachusetts high school students to take college-level courses free of charge* and earn credit simultaneously toward high school completion and their future college degrees. CDEP eases the transition from high school to college, allows students to get a headstart on their college careers, and provides meaningful and challenging academic experiences to qualified students who otherwise may not have access to an early college experience. The ultimate goal of CDEP is to increase the population of high school graduates who are college ready.
What's New
Early Outcomes of the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program
On May 3, 2011, the Board of Higher Education heard a presentation on the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program and other early college initiatives underway through collaboration between the Department of Higher Education and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, including success data. Over the course of the 2008–09 and 2009–10 academic years, CDEP students saw an 82% course completion rate with an average GPA of 3.16. Additional data can be found in the presentation (.PDF) and in the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program: 2008-2010 Outcomes (.PDF) report.
Background
State-funded dual enrollment was first established 
in Massachusetts in 1993 and supported 12,000 participating students between 1994 and 2001. After a hiatus due to a shortage of state funding, the program was restored in 2008 and, as of July 2009, became known as the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program. The program is managed and supported by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, as the fiscal agent, and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education .
* Some institutions may charge a nominal admission fee (for example, $25), which may be waived.