The Aberdeen School District encourages students to take advantage of opportunities to enroll in nonsectarian courses or programs in eligible postsecondary institutions to earn credit for college and career technical programs while enrolled in the District.
The Board hereby directs the Superintendent or designee to establish timelines and requirements for participation in dual credit and Advanced Opportunities programs, including implementing procedures for the appropriate transcription of credits, reporting of program participation and financial transaction requirements.
DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions shall apply:
“Advanced Opportunities” are defined as Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Dual Credit courses, Technical Competency Credit, or International Baccalaureate programs.
“Course” means a course of instruction or a program of instruction.
“Credit” means middle level or high school credit.
”Dual credit” means credit awarded to a student on his or her secondary and postsecondary transcript for the completion of a single course. Dual credit allows high school students to simultaneously earn credit toward a high school diploma and a postsecondary degree or certificate. Credits earned in a dual credit class become part of the student’s permanent college record.
“Full credit load” means at least twelve (12) credits per school year for grades 7-12.
“Overload course” means a course taken that is in excess of a full credit load and outside of the regular school day, including summer courses.
“Postsecondary credit” means credit awarded to a student on his or her postsecondary transcript for the completion of a course.
“Secondary credit” means credit awarded to a student on his or her secondary transcript for the completion of a course.
“School year” means the normal school year that begins upon the conclusion of the spring semester leading up to the break between grades and ends upon the beginning of the same break of the following year.
POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT OPTIONS
Any secondary student enrolled in this district (except a foreign exchange student attending this district under a cultural exchange program) may apply to a postsecondary institution to enroll in nonsectarian courses, including students who have completed course requirements for graduation, but have not received a diploma. A student who has graduated from high school may not participate in postsecondary enrollment options.
Prior to a student enrolling in courses at a postsecondary institution, this district, to the extent possible, will provide counseling services to students and their parents/guardians to ensure that they are fully aware of the risks and possible consequences of such enrollment. The person providing the counseling will encourage students and their parents/guardians to also use available counseling services at the postsecondary institution prior to the semester of enrollment to ensure that the student’s anticipated plans are appropriate and adequate.
The district will provide the following information to interested students during a counseling session prior to enrollment at a postsecondary institution:
1. Who may enroll;
2. What institutions and sources are available under this program;
3. The decision-making process for granting academic credits;
4. Financial arrangements for tuition, books, and materials;
5. Eligibility criteria for transportation aid;
6. Available support services;
7. The need to arrange an appropriate schedule;
8. Consequences of failing or not completing a course in which the student enrolls;
9. The effect of enrolling in this program on the student’s ability to completed high school graduation requirements;
10. Financial aid; and
11. The academic and social requirements that must be assumed by the student and the parents/guardians.
ADVANCED OPPORTUNITIES
Students attending public schools in Idaho will be eligible for four thousand one hundred twenty-five dollars ($4,125) to use toward overload courses, dual credits, postsecondary credit-bearing examinations, career technical certificate examinations, career technical education workforce training courses, college entrance examinations, and preliminary college entrance examinations. Students may access these funds in grades 7 through 12 for:
(a) Overload courses, the distribution of which may not exceed two hundred twenty-five dollars ($225) per overload course. A student must take and successfully be completing a full credit load within a given school year to be eligible for funding of an overload course. An overload course must be taken for high school credit to be eligible for funding. To qualify as an eligible overload course for the program, the course must:
(i) Be offered by a provider accredited by the organization that accredits Idaho public schools; and
(ii) Be taught by an individual certified to teach the grade and subject area of the course in Idaho.
(b) Dual credits, the distribution of which may not exceed seventy-five dollars ($75.00) per one (1) dual credit hour. Dual credit courses must be offered by a regionally accredited postsecondary institution. To qualify as an eligible dual credit course, the course must be a credit-bearing 100 level course or higher.
(c) Eligible post-secondary credit-bearing or career technical certificate examinations. A list of eligible exams and costs is available through the state department of education but will generally include the following:
(i) Advanced placement (AP);
(ii) International baccalaureate (IB);
(iii) College-level examination program (CLEP); and
(iv) Career technical education examinations that lead to an industry-recognized certificate, license or degree.
(d) Career technical education (CTE) workforce training courses, such as federally registered apprenticeships, the distribution of which may not exceed five hundred dollars ($500) per course and one thousand dollars ($1,000) per year. A list of eligible CTE courses and costs is available through the division of career technical education.
(e) College entrance examinations and preliminary college entrance examinations. Eligible examinations include the SAT, the PSAT, the ACT, and other similar examinations identified by the State Department of Education.
A student who has earned fifteen (15) postsecondary credits using the advanced opportunities program and who wishes to earn additional credits must first identify his/her postsecondary goals. Advisors will counsel any student who wishes to take dual credit courses that the student should ascertain for himself/herself whether the particular postsecondary institution that he/she desires to attend will accept the transfer of coursework credits earned.
Prior to a student participating in the program and throughout their involvement in the program, the District shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that any student who considers participating in the program also considers the challenges and time necessary to succeed in the program, including guidance on how the student’s participation in the program contributes to prospective college and career pathways.
Parents of participating students may enroll their child in any eligible course, with or without the permission of the District, as prescribed in this policy. Each participating student’s transcript shall include the credits earned and grades received by the student for any overload or dual credit courses taken pursuant to this policy. For an eligible course to be transcribed as meeting the requirements of a core subject as identified in administrative rule, the course must meet the approved content standards for the applicable subject and grade level.
The District shall collaborate with Idaho public postsecondary educational institutions to assist students who seek to participate in dual credit courses or graduate from high school early by enrolling in postsecondary courses.
If a student fails to earn credit for any course for which the State Department of Education has paid a reimbursement, the student must pay for and successfully earn credit for one (1) like course before any further reimbursements for the student shall be paid. If a student performs inadequately on an examination for which the State Department of Education has paid a reimbursement, the Principal, Superintendent, shall determine whether the student must pay for and successfully pass such examination to continue receiving state funding. Repeated and remedial courses or examinations are not eligible for funding through these programs.
The district will provide general information on postsecondary dual enrollment to high school students by March 1 of each year.
CREDITS
A student may enroll in a postsecondary course for secondary credit, postsecondary credit, or dual credit. At the time a student enrolls in the course, he/she must designate the type of credit desired. The district will grant academic or career technical credit, as applicable to the course, to a student enrolled in a course for secondary credit if the student successfully completes the course. Four (4) semester college credits equal at least one (1) full year (two (2) semester credits) of high school credit in that subject. The Superintendent or designee shall determine proration of fewer college credits into secondary credits. Secondary credits earned pursuant to this policy will be counted toward the district’s graduation and subject area requirements.
The student must provide appropriate documentation of postsecondary course content/requirements to the Superintendent or designee, and successful completion of each course and secondary credits earned will be included in the student’s secondary school record. Upon a student’s request, the student’s secondary school record will also include evidence of successful completion and credits granted for a course taken for postsecondary credit. The record will indicate that the credits were earned at a postsecondary institution.
A student with postsecondary dual enrollment shall be subject to the same policies, procedures and school rules as any regularly enrolled student during the times that this student is involved in a district program or activity. This includes all graduation requirements.
CHALLENGING A COURSE
Idaho Code §33-4602 provides that the board of trustees may set forth criteria by which a student may challenge a course. The board elects to allow students to challenge courses as determined appropriate by the student’s school to allow a student to move on to further learning. If a student successfully meets the following rigorous and comprehensive challenge process, the student will be counted as having completed all required coursework for that course.
- A student must be enrolled with the school district and be challenging a course that provides credit towards graduation.
- A student may not challenge a course in which the student has received prior credit, or for which the student is currently enrolled.
- A student must make a written request challenging a class to the principal or designee, setting forth the reasons for the challenge and the courses the student has previously taken or other learning experiences that have occurred which have prepared the student to challenge a course.
- A teacher who has previously taught the course being challenged at least twice may administer the course challenge process.
- The course challenge process shall include a variety of assessment techniques that measure the level of student attainment of course objectives. The assessment techniques will be developed by the teacher for the course.
- The school will determine the appropriate times when courses may be challenged.
- The student challenging the course must attain a minimum of 80% through the course challenge process in order to be granted credit for that course. The transcript for the student will identify a “pass” for the course.
- A student who is not successful in the course challenge process will not be allowed to challenge the same course a second time. In order to receive credit for the course, the student will be required to successfully complete the course.
- A student is limited to challenging 4 courses (World History, US History, English 9, and Algebra).
ADVANCED OPPORTUNITIES SCHOLARSHIP
Any student who successfully completes public school grades 1 through 12 curriculum at least one (1) year early shall be eligible for an advanced opportunities scholarship. The scholarship may be used for tuition and fees at any Idaho public postsecondary educational institution. The amount of the scholarship shall equal thirty-five percent (35%) of the statewide average daily attendance-driven funding per enrolled pupil for each year of grades 1 through 12 curriculum avoided by the student’s early graduation. Students must apply for the scholarship within two (2) years of graduating from a public school.
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LEGAL REFERENCE:
Idaho Code Sections:
33-4601 – Definitions
33-4602 – Advanced Opportunities
33-5101 et seq. – Postsecondary Enrollment Options
IDAPA 08.02.03.007 – Definitions
IDAPA 08.02.03.106 – Advanced Opportunities
ADOPTED: December 15, 2022
AMENDED:
(Form)