Giving Compass' Take:

• With almost half of every college student beginning their education at a two-year institution, it is crucial to start on the right foot before transferring. Education Dive explains how community colleges are providing strong first-year support.

• The data is still incomplete (we don't quite know what kinds of students participate in dual enrollment), but it's still worth a look for education funders and policymakers hoping to make an impact on college affordability.

• Amid the skepticism surround higher education, support for community colleges continues to rise.

Dual enrollment is gaining popularity as a way for high-achieving high school students to get a jump-start on college while saving money on tuition.

The Community College Research Center looked at enrollment and degree records for more than 200,000 students who took dual enrollment classes in the fall of 2010, tracking them through the summer of 2016. Nine in 10 (86%) matriculated on to college, but the type of institution attended and their completion rates vary greatly by state.

Of dual-enrollment students who attended a community college after high school, nearly half (46%) nationwide earned a credential within five years. Among states, however, the share ranged from 28% in West Virginia to 64% in Florida, the CCRC found. Completion rates were higher for dual enrollment students who attended a four-year college after high school.

However, the CCRC notes, colleges and state education agencies have failed to monitor what kinds of students enroll in dual-enrollment programs, which colleges the students matriculate on to and how many students complete a degree. Without sufficient research into what these students need to be successful, two-year institutions will miss out on opportunities to help them reach their full potential — especially as high college costs have some high-achieving students giving their local community college a closer look.

Read the full article about two-year colleges by Halona Black at Education Dive.