Post-Secondary Enrollment Options

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

Series 600

POLICY TITLE INSTRUCTION AT A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION No. 604.6

Students are eligible for concurrent enrollment, post-secondary enrollment options, and college credit courses under Senior Year Plus only if they meet the legal requirements for participation in the courses, including academic requirements of both the District and the postsecondary institution in which they seek to enroll.

Students are deemed by the Board to be eligible for enrollment in postsecondary courses if they are proficient in reading, mathematics and science. Proficiency in reading, mathematics, and science is measured either by the student’s most recent test scores on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) or by the alternative measures of proficiency identified in this policy.

If a student was absent for the most recent administration of the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) and such absence was not excused by the Principal, the student is deemed not yet to be proficient in any of the content areas under this measure and may only be eligible for participation in Senior Year Plus courses if the student satisfies the alternative measures of proficiency identified in this policy.

If a student is not proficient in one or more of the content areas of reading, mathematics, and science as measured by the student’s test scores on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), the following alternative measures of proficiency will be used by the Administration to determine whether a student is proficient:

1. A written recommendation from a licensed teacher who supervises the student’s instruction indicating that the student is proficient and is reasonably likely to benefit educationally from particiption in Senior Year Plus courses; or
2. Achieving a composite score of at least 21 on the ACT; or
3. Achieving a combined score of at least 141 in critical reading, mathematics, and writingskills on the PSAT; or
4. Achieving a combined score of at least 990 in critical reading and mathematics on the SAT

Students being served through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) who are not proficient in one or more of the content areas of reading, mathematics, and science as measured by the student’s Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) scores will be determined to be proficient if they satisfy the alternative standard of proficiency established by the IEP team.

Students seeking to enroll in a CTE course via concurrent enrollment are exempt from the ISASP proficiency requirements. However, the student may be required to complete an assessment administered by the eligible community college to determine the applicant’s readiness to enroll in CTE coursework.

In accordance with this policy, students in grades nine through twelve may receive academic or career and technical education credits that count toward the graduation requirements set out by the board for courses successfully completed in post-secondary educational institutions. Students and parents or guardians shall be made aware of the post-secondary instructional opportunities as part of the development of each student’s individual career and academic plan as required by law. The Superintendent or designee is responsible for developing the appropriate forms and procedures for implementing this policy and the following post-secondary educational opportunities:

Concurrent Enrollment

The board may, in its discretion, enter into a contractual agreement with a community college to provide courses for eligible students in grades nine through twelve when comparable courses are not offered by the school district. Notice of the availability of the concurrent enrollment program shall be included in the school district’s course handbook, and the handbook shall identify which courses, if successfully completed, generate post-secondary credit. Students shall not be charged tuition for concurrent enrollment courses and shall not be required to reimburse the school district for tuition if they do not successfully complete a course. Students or their parents or guardians may be required to pay a fee consistent with the school district’s established textbook policy and other materials for the concurrent enrollment course to the extent permitted by law. Students or their parents or guardians may also be required to provide their own transportation to and from concurrent enrollment courses to the extent permitted by law. However, transportation shall be the responsibility of the school district for any contracted course that is used to meet school district accreditation requirements.

Students who successfully complete a concurrent enrollment course, as determined by the postsecondary institution, shall receive postsecondary credit in accordance with the institution’s policies and high school credit that will be reflected on their high school transcript. The Superintendent or designee is responsible for determining the number of high school credits that shall be granted to a student who successfully completes a concurrent enrollment course.

Post-Secondary Enrollment Option

Ninth and tenth grade students who have been identified by the school district as gifted and talented, and eligible eleventh and twelfth grade students, may utilize the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (“PSEO”) program. To qualify, a course must meet the following:

• be a nonsectarian,
• credit-bearing course that leads to a degree,
• be in the areas of: mathematics, science, social sciences, humanities, career and technicaleducation
• the course meets any other requirements as in the board approved Course Hanndbookand/or set out by the board.

 

A course is not eligible for PSEO if a comparable course is offered by the school district. This would include courses at a community college with which the district has a concurrent enrollment agreement. Students shall not be charged for tuition, textbooks, materials, or fees related to a PSEO course with the exception of equipment that becomes the property of the student.

The school district shall reimburse the post-secondary institution for tuition and other expenses for each PSEO course up to $250. Students who successfully complete a PSEO course, as determined by the postsecondary institution, shall receive postsecondary credit and high school credit. The Superintendent or designee is responsible for determining the number of high school credits that shall be granted to a student who successfully completes a PSEO course.

Transportation to and from the postsecondary institution is the responsibility of the student or parent or legal guardian of the student enrolled in a PSEO course. Eligible students may take up to seven hours of post-secondary credit during the summer months and receive high school credit upon successful completion of a post-secondary course. However, the student or student’s parent or legal guardian are responsible for all costs associated with courses taken during the summer.

Students who fail a PSEO course and fail to receive credit are required to reimburse the school district for all costs directly related to the course up to the $250.00 reimbursement maximum. Prior to registering, students under the age of eighteen are required to have a parent or guardian sign a form indicating that the parent is responsible for the costs of the course should the student fail the course and fail to receive credit. Reimbursement waivers may be granted by the board if sufficient verification is provided to show that the student was unable to complete the course for reasons outside the student’s control, including but not limited to physical incapacity, a death in the student’s immediate family, or a move out of the school district.

Legal References: Iowa Code §§ 256.11; 258; 261E; 279.61, 280.3, 280.14

281 I.A.C. 12 and 22
Cross References: 505 Student Scholastic Achievement

604.3 Program for Talented and Gifted Students

Date Approved: January 28, 2002 Last Date Reviewed: August 17, 2023 Last Date Revised: August 17, 2023