In accordance with this policy, students in grades 9 through 12 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 postsecondary instructional opportunities as part of the development of each student’s Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) 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 9 through 12 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 postsecondary 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 courses 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] shall grant to a student who successfully completes a concurrent enrollment course a unit of high school graduation credit for every unit of high school level instruction successfully completed.
POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT OPTION
Ninth and tenth grade students who have been identified by the school district as talented and gifted, and eligible eleventh and twelfth grade students, may utilize the Postsecondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) program. To qualify, a course must be a nonsectarian credit-bearing course that leads to a degree and in the areas of mathematics, science, social sciences, humanities, or career and technical education. A course is not eligible for PSEO if a comparable course is offered by the school district. In addition, courses at a community college with which the district has a concurrent enrollment agreement are not eligible for PSEO. 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 post-secondary institution, shall receive a post-secondary credit and high school credit. The superintendent [or designee] shall grant to a student who successfully completes a PSEO course a unit of high school graduation credit for every unit of high school level instruction successfully completed.
Transportation to and from the postsecondary institution is the responsibility of the student or parent or legal guardian of the student enrolled in the PSEO course. Eligible students may take postsecondary credit during the summer months and receive high school credit upon successful completion of a postsecondary 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 reimbursement maximum. Prior to registering for the course, students under the age of 18 are required to have a parent/guardian sign a form indicating that the parent or legal guardian are responsible for the cost 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 immediate family, or a move out of the school district.
Adopted: 11/92
Reviewed: 1/10; 6/12
Related Policy: 602.19
Revised: 1/10; 6/11; 9/13; 4/15; 1/18; 11/18; 2/21; 10/23; 2/24
Legal Reference (Code of Iowa): §§ 256.7, .11; 258; 261E; 279.61; 280.3; 280.14; 281 IAC 12 and 22
IASB Reference: 604.06