Lorain County, Ohio, College Credit Plus Dual Enrollment

Program Description: 

While the state of Ohio implemented its statewide dual-enrollment program, College Credit Plus, in 2015, Lorain County Community College (LCCC) has been providing dual-credit opportunities for students for over 20 years. At LCCC, 52 percent of Lorain County high school students graduate high school with an average of 22 college credits, saving families more than $5.6 million in tuition costs. Students can begin taking courses as young as age 12, and many students graduate high school each year with one or more associate degrees. 
 
Unlike other dual-enrollment programs, College Credit Plus requires participating colleges and secondary schools to create 15- and 30-credit hour pathways for students. However, LCCC has expanded its model to offer dual-enrollment courses and pathways that lead to industry-recognized credentials and certificates that tie to in-demand job fields. Dual enrollment traditionally targets learners who intend to attend four-year universities. However, this model allows high school students to graduate while working toward (or even having completed) certificates in programs like automation technology and microelectronics manufacturing. The program’s goal is not only to provide opportunities for students to transfer, but to expose all students to in-demand jobs that pay living wages. 
 
LCCC also partners with four-year colleges and universities that offer complementary degrees, which allows learners to more efficiently work toward bachelor’s degrees, if that is their choice. Additionally, LCCC delivers its own applied bachelor’s degrees in three in-demand fields (Microelectronic Manufacturing, MEMS, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing), and each of these programs include stackable coursework available to dual-enrollment students. The courses that LCCC offers to both dual-enrollment and traditional students come with industry partnerships and a strong focus on work-based learning opportunities, so that students graduate with hands-on experience. 

Impact: 

Students are able to graduate high school working toward, or even having completed, college degrees and certificates in high-demand fields. One student graduated high school with two associate degrees and nearly a bachelor’s degree under his belt, obtained entirely via dual enrollment.  
 
Dual enrollment saves students both time and money on their path to a postsecondary degree, as College Credit Plus uses state funding to cover all tuition, fees, and cost of books for dual-enrollment learners. This acceleration of postsecondary educational access impacts a large number of learners each year, with over half of Lorain County’s high school students graduating with college credits. 

Population Served: 

High school students in Lorain County and surrounding counties in Ohio. 

Learn more here. 

Page last updated in August 2026