603.3 Post-Secondary Enrollment Option

Code 603.3

Post-Secondary Enrollment Option

In accordance with this policy, students in grades nine through twelve may receive academic or vocational-technical 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 post-secondary educational institution 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 registration 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 for textbooks 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 contractual agreement 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.  

Postsecondary Enrollment Option

Eligible Students. Students enrolled in the Decorah Community School District in the eleventh or twelfth grades are eligible to participate in the postsecondary enrollment option (“PSEO”). Students in the ninth or tenth grade who have been identified by the District as gifted and talented students are also eligible to participate in PSEO. The students must be enrolled only part-time in the postsecondary institution and must continue to be enrolled in courses at the Decorah High School, including physical education (unless properly excused from P.E.).

Eligible Courses. PSEO must meet all of the following conditions to be considered under this policy:

            (a)        The course must be from an institution of higher learning under the control of the Iowa Board of Regents, from an area community college, or from an accredited private institution.

            (b)        The course must be a nonsectarian course.

            (c)        A comparable course must not be available at the Decorah High School. A "comparable course" is one in which the subject matter is substantially similar to a course offered in the District.

            (d)        The course must be a credit-bearing course that can lead to an educational degree at the postsecondary institution and must be taken for credit.

            (e)        The course must be in the discipline area of mathematics (including mathematical sciences, computer science and statistics), science (including astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, geology, physics and zoology), social sciences (including anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology and sociology), or humanities (including literature, foreign language, philosophy, civilizations and history), vocational-technical education, or must be a course in the career options program offered by an area community college.

            (f)        The course must be offered during Decorah's normal school year; summer school courses are not eligible. However, students who have completed eleventh grade but who have not yet graduated may take up to seven (7) college semester hours of credit during the summer at their own expense and receive credit for the hours towards graduation.

            (g)        Courses at a postsecondary institution with which the district has a concurrent enrollment agreement are not eligible for PSEO.

Application. An eligible student wishing to enroll in an eligible PSEO course must submit an approved application form to the District and must apply at the postsecondary institution. The District must approve of the student’s participation, and all applicable requirements of the program must be met, before the provisions of this policy relating to payment of fees and credit are applicable. The student is responsible for applying and enrolling in the postsecondary institution and for informing the institution that enrollment is pursuant to the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act.

Fees. The District shall pay for each eligible course, directly to the postsecondary institution, the lesser of the actual and customary costs of tuition, textbooks, materials and fees charged by the postsecondary institution or $250. However, if the student fails to complete and receive credit for the course, and the student does not receive a hardship waiver from the District, the student is responsible for the costs of the course.

Credit. Eligible students successfully completing eligible courses pursuant to this policy shall receive credit towards the minimum credits required for graduation using the following equations:

College Semester                      College Quarter                        High School

    Hour Credit                               Hour Credit                                Credit      

      6                                                9                                     2 credits

      2                                                3                                    2/3 credit

Withdrawal from a postsecondary course shall be subject to the same rules as withdrawal from a District course.

Transcript. The grades received from the postsecondary institution will be recorded on the student's transcript, and will be calculated in the student's grade point average.

Transportation. Students and their parents and guardians shall be responsible for transportation. Transportation costs are not reimbursable.

Date of Review:  April 9, 2018

01472803

DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS