EARLY COLLEGE CREDIT PROGRAM | Administrative Guideline Manual

2271 - EARLY COLLEGE CREDIT PROGRAM

The Board recognizes the value to students of participating in programs offered by institutions of higher education under the State’s Early College Credit Program. The following guidelines have been established to ensure that the Early College Credit Program operates efficiently and in accordance with State law and the administrative rules of the Department of Public Instruction. To the extent that these guidelines are ambiguous or inconsistent with applicable law or administrative rules, the law or rules shall govern.

Enrollment in Institutions of Higher Education

Any student may enroll in one (1) or more nonsectarian courses in an institution of higher education, which includes institutions in the University of Wisconsin system, a tribally controlled college or a private, nonprofit institution of higher education located in the State, that has notified the State Superintendent of its participation in the program and complies with 118.13(1) (non-discrimination). The student may take courses for high school credit, postsecondary credit, or both.

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in the program, a student must be enrolled in high school and not attending a technical college under Sec. 38.12(14) or 118.15, Wis. Stats.

Application for Enrollment

The student is responsible for submitting an application for enrollment to the institution of higher education. The application must indicate whether the course(s) will be taken for high school or postsecondary credit. The student must also specify on the application that if admitted, the institution of higher education may disclose the student’s grades, course(s) and attendance record to the School District.
A student or his/her parent must also complete and submit the Intent To Participate Form available from the Student Services Office or the Department of Public Instruction to the high school administration by: February 1^st for summer session attendance; by March 1^st for Fall Semester attendance; or by October 1^st for Spring semester attendance.
Failure to meet these deadlines shall exclude the student from the program for that session or semester.

Counseling Services

The student and parents must participate in the following counseling services provided by the high school counselors:

Program Eligibility and Credit Options
Responsibilities and Potential Consequences

Among the responsibilities and potential consequences of participation the student must be willing to accept are:
1. increased student responsibility for learning because of less instructional guidance;
2. reduced opportunities to participate in high school co-curricular and extra-curricular activities;
3. increased financial obligations for tools, calculators, instruments, and incidental fees, unless the School Board agrees to loan such equipment to the student;
4. potential loss of after-school employment opportunities;
5. possible effect on grade point average and class standing;
6. possible delay of graduation; and
7. increased time for travel, study, etc.
Potential benefits are:
1. expanded curriculum offerings;
2. opportunities to study in more depth those areas of special interest or need;
3. opportunities to earn both high school and postsecondary credits while still in high school;
4. opportunities for financial support for taking postsecondary courses while still in high school; and
5. opportunities to experience postsecondary level work and life prior to making final decisions about whether and/or where to attend a postsecondary institution.
Admission and Scheduling

A student will be admitted to an institution of higher education only if the institution has space available and the student meets the admission criteria of the institution.

The District will assist the student in the admission process by providing transcripts and other related documents. However, the institution of higher education shall have the sole discretion whether to admit the student. Students who are awaiting acceptance should register for high school classes as if they were not participating in the program. Schedule changes will then be made prior to the start of each semester for those students who receive notice of admission. The institution of higher education must notify the District, in writing, within thirty (30) days after the beginning of classes that a student has been accepted and for which courses.

Reasonable efforts will be made in scheduling to accommodate the needs of students who will be leaving the high school campus in order to participate in this program. However, scheduling conflicts are not the responsibility of the District. Revising the master schedule and/or unduly overloading classes are not required in order to accommodate schedule requests.
High School Credit for Postsecondary Coursework Under the Program

A student may be granted one-fourth (1/4) high school credit per one (1) semester credit offered by a postsecondary course. To receive high school credit, the student must complete the postsecondary course and receive a passing grade.

In addition, the postsecondary course must meet a requirement for graduation and satisfy one (1) or more of the following conditions:
1. The postsecondary course is complementary to, consistent with, or expands on the course offered by the District.
2. The postsecondary course offers the opportunity for the student to move to another level of academic or vocational study.
3. The postsecondary course content meets or exceeds the same standards for rigor and substance as other such courses approved, but not offered, by the District for graduation.
4. The postsecondary course supports rather than prevents the student from completing his/her high school graduation requirements, including by fulfilling any core or elective requirement for graduation.
Effect on Completion of Graduation Requirements

Credit for coursework at an institution of higher education under this program may constitute credit toward high school graduation. However, it is the responsibility of participating students and parents to be sure that the courses undertaken will meet the graduation requirements of the School District. Upon acceptance by the institution of higher education, students should schedule an appointment with a high school counselor to develop a written schedule showing courses to be taken at the high school and at the institution of higher education as well as all graduation requirements remaining to be met. No high school graduation requirements shall be waived for any student as a result of participation in this program.
High School Diploma

The District will grant a diploma to a student who has satisfied all of its high school graduation requirements under Wisconsin Stats. 118.33(1) regardless of whether the student has satisfied all or a portion of the requirements while attending a participating institution under the Early College Credit Program.
Available Student Services

Students enrolled in the postsecondary program will be entitled to all student services provided to any other of the District’s high school students (counseling, health, etc.). However, these services will be provided only while the students are on the high school campus and only upon request. It is also the students’ responsibility to stay informed of academic and other requirements for all students who attend the high school.
Student's Transcript

If a student withdraws from the postsecondary course within ten (10) school days of the start of the course, s/he will be rescheduled for the appropriate high school courses, and no record of the postsecondary course will appear on the student’s transcript. However, if the student withdraws from the postsecondary course later than ten (10) school days of the start of classes, the course will appear on the transcript and will carry a grade of Withdrawn/Failing, which will be computed in the same manner as a failing grade on the high school transcript.
Academic and Social Responsibilities of Students and Parents
1. When attending either regular classes or co-curricular/extra-curricular activities at the high school, students participating in this program will be expected to abide by all District policies and the Student Code of Conduct. Students and their parents assume all responsibility and liability related to attendance at an institution of higher education and must agree to hold harmless the Board, the administration, and the staff for any incidents arising out of participation in this program.
2. Students must meet all requirements and standards established by the institution of higher education and assume responsibility for attendance and behavior.
Encouragement of Students

Counselors should encourage the participation of those students who have been identified as academically gifted and talented or as otherwise identified as potentially successful in such postsecondary course work.
Grade Point Computation and Reporting of Grades

For those postsecondary courses taken for high school credit, the grade for that course will be computed at the end of the next regular grading period at the high school following the receipt of an official transcript from the institution of higher education. All grades to be entered on the high school transcript must be taken from an official transcript from the institution of higher education. Should there be an urgent need for a letter grade, notification on official letterhead from the institution of higher education’s instructor advising of the grade will be accepted to verify the grade.

Financial Responsibilities and Limitations

Courses Taken for High School Credit/No Comparable Course

The School District shall pay for the course, on behalf of a student taking a course at an institution of higher education, and which the Board (or the State Superintendent on appeal) has determined qualifies for high school credit and which is not comparable to a course already offered in the School District. However, the student shall be responsible for providing consumable or personal materials (examples include: scrubs, pens, pencils, notebooks, etc.) which are typically used and paid for by the student while taking a course at the School District. Further, any equipment purchased by the School District for use by the student in the course (e.g., calculator, computer, tools) shall be the property of the School District and shall be returned to the School District upon completion of the course. The District is not responsible for the costs of admission tests such as a background check or medical requirements.

Postsecondary Credit

The District shall pay seventy-five percent (75%) of the cost of a postsecondary course or courses that are taken solely for postsecondary credit. The Board shall waive the cost to the student if it is informed by the Department of Public Instruction that payment of the costs would pose an undue financial burden on the student's family. The student shall pay the remaining twenty-five percent (25%) of the tuition in advance of the start of the course.

High School Credit/Comparable Course

A student taking a postsecondary course or courses, which the Board has determined is comparable to a course offered in the School District, is solely responsible for the tuition and fees for the postsecondary course. The District has no responsibility for these costs.

Reimbursement for Failing Grade or Failure to Complete a Course

If a student receives a failing grade in a course or fails to complete a course, the student’s parent, or the student if an adult, shall reimburse the School District the amount paid on the student’s behalf under this program. If the Board is not reimbursed as requested, the student shall not be eligible for further participation in the program. A grade that constitutes a failing grade in the School District shall constitute a failing grade under this section of the guideline.

Report of Fees Paid

The District shall file a report with the Department by June 15^th of each year with an itemized report of the amount of tuition paid under this program.

Transportation

The School District is not responsible for transporting a student attending an institution of higher education under this program to or from the institution that the student is attending.

A student’s parent, who is unable to pay for transportation, may, however, seek reimbursement for such costs from the State Superintendent in a manner and by the deadlines established by the State Superintendent.

The principal may deny high school credit for any of the following reasons:

The postsecondary course is comparable to one offered or that will be offered by the School District between the date the student submits notice of intent to enroll in a postsecondary course and the term of the student's expected high school graduation date. A course will be considered comparable if at least eighty percent (80%) of its content is consistent with a course that is or will be offered by the District, as determined by comparing course curriculum guides, expectations, course goals, and the scope and sequence of course syllabi and course descriptions.
At least eighty percent (80%) of the content of the postsecondary course repeats the content of a course for which the student has already received a passing grade and high school credit.
The course repeats the content of a postsecondary course the student has already taken and failed.

Any denial of high school credit shall be given in writing to the student and/or parent.

Appeal Process

A student may appeal the written determination of the Board concerning satisfaction of high school graduation requirements, the number of high school credits to be awarded, or the comparability of courses as they relate to this program, to the State Superintendent within thirty (30) days after the principal's decision, in accordance with the process stipulated by the Department of Public Instruction.

Inapplicability

The procedures in this guideline and related policy are not applicable if all of the following conditions are present for the receipt of postsecondary credit:

there is an agreement for enrollment of students between the Board and the particular University of Wisconsin System institution or a private, non-profit higher education institution;
the instruction takes place at a facility in the District or owned by the District; and
instruction is given by a teacher employed by the District and approved by the applicable credit-granting institution.

Notice

Annually, by October 1st of each year, the high school principal shall provide information regarding the Early College Credit Program to students currently enrolled in grades 8, 9, 10, and 11 and their parents.

This information is electronically emailed and posted in newsletters and learning management platforms. A record should be kept of the mailing list and the date of the mailing to confirm compliance with State rules.