Should students who are dual-enrolled at NECC be allowed to take online classes or should they be restricted to only early college classes?

NECC offers dual enrollment with many high schools in the Merrimack Valley area. This program allows high school students to take college classes and earn college credits while still going to high school. 

There are designated early college times, which are generally 12:30-1:45, but this time does not work for everyone. 

As a dual enrollment myself, I have a lot of thoughts on the program, and how much it has done for me. However, the classes I choose to take have become a recent topic of conversation. In the process of choosing what classes I am going to take in the upcoming Spring semester, I was met with opposition. 

I was told by several people at both my high school and NECC that I am not supposed to be taking online classes, and that those were only a temporary option because of Covid. 

This was news to me, as there were no COVID restrictions at either school when I started the dual enrollment program over a year and a half ago, and this restriction was not brought up before I went to register for classes. No clear “no online classes for dual enrollment students” is mentioned on the NECC website. 

So, what is the difference between a high schooler taking a college class online and taking a college class with other high schoolers at a set time (besides the obvious)? 

The early college classes offer a safe space with other high schoolers looking for a different environment, and updates are given to the high schools that the students attend about their academic standing and attendance. However, are there no updates for online classes?

Even if there are not updates, to me, this does not mean that we should be discouraged from taking them. 

Online college classes as a high schooler are a great challenge and a great introduction to actually going to college. You can interact with people you would not normally interact with, but from a distance (like on a discussion board). There is also a much wider range of classes to cater to many interests that might be too niche for a high school. 

Students can get a head start on careers they are interested in, all while getting credit for it. 

There is also the time aspect of online classes, high schoolers are notoriously busy. They have to balance sports, college applications, clubs, homework, studying, and getting a good amount of rest. 

For busy high school students who want to be able to take classes that interest them, taking them online might be the only way they can get everything done. 

I choose online classes because they align with my interests and time management, and I hope my school understands that. 

I know it might be difficult for my school because they may not get updates, but I have a great track record, and I talk to my counselor at least once every two weeks. 

Online classes are a great option for students who have completed the classes that interest them in person and are good communicators. This has to be done to make up for the lack of updates. 

However, there are no objections when a student chooses an in-person class not during their designated time. 

I am also struggling to find a difference between a high schooler taking an online NECC class versus a student taking an online AP or honors class. In either situation, the high school does not get updates, and the student is left to learn independently. 

So, should dual enrollment students be allowed to take classes online here at NECC, or only designated early college classes? 

Should it be up to the high school or student? 

I see it on a case-by-case basis, and it is dependant on the student, there can be a case made for every student and every class; everybody has a different schedule and different learning styles and interests.