Photo: Eric Gay/ Associated Press

Data and research show that access to college coursework while in high school increases college enrollment, improves academic performance, and strengthens graduation rates.

Yet undocumented students, often called Dreamers, are too often excluded from such coursework, particularly dual enrollment. This lack of access is just one of the persistent barriers that immigrant students encounter in their pursuit of higher education and career success.

Illustration: James Yang

International enrollments at American colleges rebounded strongly in the 2022-23 academic year, increasing 12 percent. It's the largest single-year growth in more than four decades.

International students may be more important to American higher education now than at any other time. Their presence on campus exposes their American classmates to different cultures and perspectives, a crucial skill for navigating a global workplace.

Photo: Ludwig Rodriguez

Hoping to entice more non-English speakers to enroll in community college, California is making it easier for those students to take courses in their native language.

A new law will allow community colleges to offer courses in languages other than English without requiring students to enroll in ESL. Community college officials think it could be a game-changer for potential students who might otherwise be discouraged from enrolling or staying in college because of the ESL requirement.