EHDD(LEGAL) - ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR EARNING CREDIT: COLLEGE COURSE WORK/DUAL CREDIT

Notice to Parents

Each school year, a district shall notify the parent of each student enrolled in grade 9 or above of the availability of programs under which a student may earn college credit, including advanced placement programs, dual credit programs, joint high school and college credit programs, and international baccalaureate programs. The notice must include the name and contact information of any public or private entity offering such a program in the district.

A district may provide the notice on the district's internet website.

Education Code 28.010

Note: For information on dual credit courses available through the Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN), see EHDE.

College Credit Program

A district shall implement a program under which students may earn the equivalent of at least 12 semester credit hours of college credit in high school. If requested by the district, a public institution of higher education in this state shall assist the district in developing and implementing the program. The college credit may be earned through:

  1. International baccalaureate, advanced placement, or dual credit courses;
  2. Articulated postsecondary courses provided for local credit or articulated postsecondary advanced technical credit courses provided for state credit; or
  3. Any combination of the courses in items 1 and 2.

Annually, a district shall report to the Texas Education Agency (TEA):

  1. The number of students, including career and technical students, who have participated in the program and earned college credit; and
  2. The cumulative number of courses in which participating students have enrolled and college credit hours the students have earned.

The program may provide a student the opportunity to earn credit for a course or activity, including an apprenticeship or training hours:

  1. That satisfies a requirement necessary to obtain an industry-recognized credential or certificate or an associate degree, and is approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB); and
  2. For which a student may earn credit concurrently toward both the student's high school diploma and postsecondary academic requirements.

A dual credit course must be:

  1. In the core curriculum of the public institution of higher education providing college credit;
  2. A career and technical education course; or
  3. A foreign language course.

The requirements above do not apply to a dual credit course offered as part of the early college education program established under Education Code 29.908 or any other early college program that assists a student in earning a certificate or an associate degree while in high school.

A district is not required to pay a student's tuition or other associated costs for taking a course under this section.

Agreements

Any agreement, including a memorandum of understanding or articulation agreement, between a school district and public institution of higher education to provide a dual credit program must:

  1. Include specific program goals aligned with statewide goals developed jointly by TEA and the THECB;
  2. Establish common advising strategies and terminology related to dual credit and college readiness;
  3. Provide for the alignment of endorsements offered by the district [see EIF] and dual credit courses offered under the agreement that apply towards those endorsements, with postsecondary pathways and credentials at the institution and industry certifications;
  4. Identify tools, including tools developed by TEA, THECB, or the Texas Workforce Commission, to assist school counselors, students, and families in selecting endorsements offered by the district and dual credit courses offered under the agreement;
  5. Establish, or provide a procedure for establishing, the course credits that may be earned under the agreement, including by developing a course equivalency crosswalk or other method for equating high school courses with college courses and identifying the number of credits that may be earned for each course completed through the program;
  6. Describe the academic supports and, if applicable, guidance that will be provided to students participating in the program;
  7. Establish the district's and the institution's respective roles and responsibilities in providing the program and ensuring the quality and instructional rigor of the program;
  8. State the sources of funding for courses offered under the program, including, at a minimum, the sources of funding for tuition, transportation, and any required fees or textbooks for students participating in the program;
  9. Require the district and the institution to consider the use of free or low-cost open educational resources in courses offered under the program; and
  10. Be posted each year on the district's and the institution's respective websites.

Education Code 28.009; 19 TAC 4.84

College-Level Courses

A board may adopt a policy that allows a student to be awarded credit toward high school graduation for completing a college-level course. The course must be provided only by an institution of higher education that is accredited by any of the following regional accrediting associations:

  1. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
  2. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
  3. New England Association of Colleges and Schools
  4. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
  5. Western Association of Colleges and Schools
  6. Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools

To be eligible to enroll and be awarded credit toward state graduation requirements, a student shall have the approval of the high school principal or other school official designated by a district. The course(s) for which credit is awarded shall provide advanced academic instruction beyond or in greater depth than the essential knowledge and skills for the equivalent high school course.

19 TAC 74.25

Dual Credit Programs

Definitions

For purposes of the following provisions, "college" means any public technical institute, public junior college, public senior college or university, medical or dental unit, public state college, or other agency of higher education as defined by Education Code 61.003.

"Dual credit" means the system under which an eligible high school student enrolls in college course(s) and receives credit for the course(s) from both the college and high school.

19 TAC 4.83(4), (7)

Partnership Agreements with Public Colleges

A district may enter into an agreement with a public college to form a dual credit partnership in accordance with 19 Administrative Code Chapter 4, Subchapter D. Education Code 130.008; 19 TAC Ch. 4, Subch. D

Community College Jurisdiction

A school district that operates a high school may enter into an agreement with a community college district, regardless of whether the high school is located within the service area of the community college district, to offer a course as provided by Education Code 130.008.

A course offered for joint high school and junior college credit must be:

  1. In the core curriculum of the public junior college;
  2. A career and technical education course; or
  3. A foreign language course.

These requirements do not apply to a course offered for joint high school and junior college credit to a student as part of the early college education program established under Education Code 29.908 or any other early college program that assists a student in earning a certificate or an associate degree while in high school.

Education Code 130.008(a-1), (a-2), (d)

Student Eligibility

A high school student is eligible to enroll in academic dual credit courses and workforce education dual credit courses as permitted by 19 Administrative Code 4.85(b).

To be eligible for enrollment in a dual credit course offered by a public college, students must meet all the college's regular prerequisite requirements designated for that course (e.g., minimum score on a specified placement test, minimum grade in a specified previous course, etc.).

An institution may impose additional requirements for enrollment in courses for dual credit that do not conflict with this section.

An institution is not required, under the provisions of this section, to offer dual credit courses for high school students.

19 TAC 4.85(b)

Qualified Instructor

A course offered for joint high school and junior college credit must be taught by a qualified instructor approved or selected by the public junior college. An instructor is qualified if the instructor holds:

  1. A doctoral or master's degree in the discipline that is the subject of the course;
  2. A master's degree in another discipline with a concentration that required completion of a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the discipline that is the subject of the course; or
  3. For a course that is offered in an associate degree program and that is not designed for transfer to a baccalaureate degree program:
    1. A degree described above;
    2. A baccalaureate degree in the discipline that is the subject of the course; or
    3. An associate degree and demonstrated competencies in the discipline that is the subject of the course, as determined by the THECB.

Not later than the 60th day after receipt, a public junior college shall approve or reject an application for approval to teach a course at a high school that is submitted by an instructor employed by the district with which the junior college entered into an agreement to offer the course.

Education Code 130.008(g), (h)

Attendance Accounting

The time during which a student attends a dual credit course, including a course provided under the college credit program, shall be counted as part of the minimum instructional hours required for a student to be considered a full-time student in average daily attendance. Education Code 48.005(g) [See FEB]

The commissioner of education may approve instructional programs provided off campus by an entity other than a district as a program in which participation by a student may be counted for purposes of determining average daily attendance. Education Code 48.007(a)

Reporting Off-Campus Programs

A board may adopt a policy that allows a student to participate in an off-campus instructional program. The program must be provided only by an institution of higher education that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations specified in 19 Administrative Code 74.25 (High School Credit for College Courses).

To be eligible, a student must:

  1. Be in grade 11 or 12;
  2. Have demonstrated college readiness as outlined in the requirements for participation in dual credit programs in the Student Attendance Accounting Handbook;
  3. Meet any eligibility requirements adopted by the institution of higher education; and
  4. Have the approval of the high school principal or other school official designated by the district.

The off-campus program must comply with rules adopted by the THECB in the Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 1, with respect to teacher qualifications.

19 TAC 129.1031

Time that a student participates in an off-campus instructional program approved by the commissioner under Education Code 48.007(a) shall be counted as part of the minimum number of instructional hours required for a student to be considered a full-time student in average daily attendance. Education Code 48.005(h)

Dual Credit Agreement

The board of a district and the governing board of a college must approve any dual credit partnership between the schools before offering such courses.

The dual credit agreement must address:

  1. Eligible courses;
  2. Student eligibility;
  3. Location of class;
  4. Student composition of class;
  5. Faculty selection, supervision, and evaluation;
  6. Course curriculum, instruction, and gathering;
  7. Academic policies and student support services;
  8. Transcripting of credit;
  9. Funding; and
  10. Defined sequences of courses, where applicable.

19 TAC 4.84–.85

Instructional Partnerships with Community College Districts

Types of instructional partnerships between a district and a community college district include:

  1. Award of High School Credit Only (see High School Credit-Only Courses, below).
  2. Award of Dual Credit (see Dual Credit Programs, above).
  3. Tech-Prep Programs (see Tech-Prep Programs, below).
  4. Remedial or Developmental Instruction for High School Graduates (see Remedial Programs, below).
  5. College Preparatory Courses for High School Students (see College Preparatory Courses, below)

19 TAC 9.143

Agreement

For any educational partnership between a district and a community college district, an agreement must be approved by the board or designee of both the district and the college district. The partnership agreement must address the following:

  1. Student eligibility requirements.
  2. Faculty qualifications.
  3. Location and student composition of classes.
  4. Provision of student learning and support services.
  5. Eligible courses.
  6. Grading criteria.
  7. Transcripting of credit.
  8. Funding provisions.

19 TAC 9.144

High School Credit-Only Courses

A district may contract with a community college district for the college district to provide coursework necessary for students to complete high school as described in 19 Administrative Code 9.125. The district and college district shall negotiate an agreed cost for instruction. 19 TAC 9.125, .143(a)

Tech-Prep Programs

A district may partner with a college district to allow for the articulation of high school technical courses taught by the high school to high school students for immediate high school credit and later college credit, to be awarded upon enrollment of the students in the college district in an associate degree or certificate program. 19 TAC 9.143(c)

Remedial Programs

A board may contract, as outlined in 19 Administrative Code 9.125, with the board of the community college district in which a district is located for the college district to provide remedial programs for students enrolled in a district's secondary schools in preparation for graduation from secondary school and entrance into college.

Community colleges may provide instruction to high school students for either remedial course work to prepare students to pass the required State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness End-of-Course (STAAR EOC) assessments or developmental course work to prepare the students to pass an assessment instrument approved by the board under 19 Administrative Code 4.56 (Assessment Instruments).

High school students who have passed all of the STAAR EOC assessments with the high school graduation standard may be permitted to enroll in state-funded developmental courses offered by a community college at the college's discretion if a need for such course work is indicated by student performance on an assessment instrument approved by the board under 19 Administrative Code 4.56 (see below).

The district and college district shall negotiate an agreed cost for instruction. Remedial and developmental courses may not be offered for dual credit.

Education Code 130.090; 19 TAC 9.125, .143(d), .146

An institution of higher education shall use the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment offered by the College Board as the only THECB-approved assessment instrument. 19 TAC 4.56

College Preparatory Courses

College preparatory courses are locally developed through a memorandum of understanding created between school districts and community colleges. 19 TAC 9.147

Certain Academies

A district shall grant a student a maximum of two years' credit toward the academic course requirements for high school graduation for courses successfully completed at the Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities (at Lamar University—Beaumont), the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (at the University of Texas—Brownsville or University of North Texas—Denton), or the Texas Academy of International Studies (at Texas A&M University—Laredo). Education Code 28.024

Oglesby ISD

EHDD(LEGAL)-P

UPDATE 114

DATE ISSUED: 11/12/2019