R165, Concurrent Enrollment

R165, Concurrent Enrollment

R165-1. Definitions

1.1. "Concurrent Enrollment"

is enrollment in college courses, for dual high school and college credit, by public high school students who continue to be enrolled as high school students and counted in Average Daily Membership. It exists when college enrollment occurs pursuant to contractual arrangements between a school district and a USHE credit-granting institution. Higher education reporting mechanisms will provide separate categories for student credit hours generated according to source of direct instructional costs. Concurrent enrollment is distinct from Early College Admission.

1.2. “USHE” is the Utah System of Higher Education, governed by the Utah State Board of Regents.

1.3. "Contractual Basis" In these cases, the school district and credit-granting higher education institution negotiate all aspects of the concurrent enrollment annual contract, including course location, instructor, and funding arrangements.

1.3. "Non Contractual Basis" In these cases, the student continues to enroll full-time in high school but elects at his or her own initiative to pursue college coursework. The student is responsible for all expenses associated with college enrollment.

1.4. "Early Admission" is enrollment in college courses for credit by high school students who have left high school prior to graduation (no longer counted in Average Daily Membership). Concurrent enrollment policies and funding mechanisms do not apply to early college admission enrollment. Early college admission enrollments are reported as regular enrollments by USHE credit-granting institutions.

R165-2. Purpose of Concurrent Enrollment

2.1. High Quality - Concurrent enrollment in its various forms should provide high quality college-level academic, career and technical education opportunities to qualified high school students. This purpose must take precedence over such issues as economic expediency or acceleration of the high school or college experience.

2.2. Limited Applicability - Course registration and the awarding of USHE institution credit for concurrent enrollment courses are the province of colleges and universities governed by USHE policies. Concurrent enrollment offerings shall be limited to courses in English, mathematics, fine arts, humanities, science, social science, world languages, health and career and technical education. The Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE) and the Utah State Office of Education (USOE) will jointly approve courses that are added to a master list. Only courses taken from the master list shall be reimbursed from state concurrent enrollment funds.

2.3. Secondary School Experience - Utah high schools are encouraged to provide a challenging and productive secondary school experience, particularly in the senior year, and to provide transition courses that can prepare students for success in post-secondary education.

2.4. Qualitative Safeguards - It is important that college instruction offered in the high school setting has qualitative safeguards to preserve the rigor and standards of college requirements. In harmony with Regents’ policies, the responsibility for qualitative safeguards rests with the USHE institution granting the college credit for the course.

2.5. Advanced Placement - It is not the intent of the concurrent enrollment program to compete with or displace the Advanced Placement program.

R165-3. References

3.1.

Utah Code §53A-15-101 (Higher Education Courses in the Public Schools—Cooperation between Public and Higher Education)

3.2. Utah Code §53A-17A-120 (Appropriation for Accelerated Learning Programs)

3.3. Utah Code §53B-1-103 (Establishment of State Board of Regents—Powers and Authority)

3.4. Utah Code §53B-6-103 (Cooperation with Nonmember Institutions Within the State)

3.5. Utah Education Policy R277-713 (Concurrent Enrollment of High School Students in College Courses)

3.6. Utah Education Policy R277-407

R165-4. Students

4.1. Student Status

- Students must be enrolled in public high school and have high school student status before and throughout enrollment in concurrent enrollment courses. Courses taken by students who have received a diploma, whose class has graduated, or who have participated in graduation exercises are not eligible for concurrent enrollment funding.

4.2. Eligibility Requirements - Local schools and USHE credit-granting institutions shall jointly establish the student eligibility requirements. To predict a successful experience, these requirements may include, among others:

4.2.1. junior or senior standing, sophomores by exception;

4.2.2. a grade point average, ACT score, or a placement score which predicts success (generally considered to be a B average or ACT score of 22 or higher);

4.2.3. supportive letters of recommendation; and

4.2.4. approval of high school and college officials.

4.3. Identification of Eligible Students - Students wishing to participate in concurrent enrollment should meet eligibility requirements. Local schools have the primary responsibility for identifying students who are eligible to participate.

4.4. Career and Technical Education Programs - Students interested in career and technical education concurrent enrollment should be enrolled according to eligibility requirements determined jointly by the public schools and USHE credit-granting institutions.

R165-5. Concurrent Enrollment Offerings

In general, concurrent enrollment offerings should be limited to a manageable number of courses in English, mathematics, fine arts, humanities, science, social science, world languages, health, and career and technical programs which allow a focus of energy and resources on quality instruction in these courses. There may be a greater variety of courses in the career and technical education area. The number of courses will be kept small enough to assure coordinated statewide development and training activities for participating teachers and transferability of credit from institution to institution.

5.1. Choice of Courses - The courses chosen should provide introductory level coursework in general education, career and technical education, or pre-major courses. Concurrent enrollment courses must assist students toward post-secondary certificates or degrees. Course selection criteria and the specific course subject list will be developed jointly by OCHE and the USOE.

5.2. Strengths, Resources, and Need - Courses selected should reflect the strengths and resources of the respective schools and USHE credit-granting institutions and be based on student need. Course content, procedures, examinations, teaching materials, and program monitoring shall be the responsibility of the appropriate USHE credit-granting institution, shall be consistent with Utah law, and shall ensure quality and comparability with courses offered on the USHE credit-granting institution campus.

R165-6. Credit

6.1. Permanent College Transcript

Participation in concurrent enrollment begins a student's college experience and a permanent college transcript. In contrast to the Advanced Placement program, where college credit is granted upon successful completion of a national examination (and no record is kept on the student's college transcript if the exam is not passed), registration for concurrent enrollment constitutes a commitment to enter the final course grade on the student's permanent college record, regardless of the results. Further, credit is earned by performance and participation throughout the class, rather than by an exit examination alone.

6.2. Credit Hours Earned - Individual students will be permitted to earn up to 30 semester hours of college credits per year through contractual concurrent enrollment. Credits in excess of 30 must be on a non contractual basis.

6.3. USHE Credit - Course registration and the awarding of USHE institution credit for concurrent enrollment courses are the province of USHE credit-granting institutions. Private institutions are not governed by geographic locations but are encouraged to consult with USHE institutions when sponsoring off campus concurrent enrollment programs.

6.4. Transferability - Credit earned through the concurrent enrollment program shall be transferable from one USHE credit-granting institution to another. Therefore, transferability should be considered when selecting courses. Students should be encouraged to seek advice from a college academic adviser to make course choices that will meet the student’s educational goals.

R165-7. Tuition, Fees, and Other Charges

7.1. Tuition and Fees

Tuition or fees may not be charged to high school students for participation in this program consistent with §53A-15-101(6)(b).

7.2. Admissions Fee - Students may be assessed a one-time admissions application fee per credit-granting institution. Payment of the admissions fee satisfies the general admissions application fee requirement for a full-time or part-time student at an institution so that no additional admissions application fee may be charged by the credit-granting institution.

7.3. Fee Waivers - Concurrent enrollment program costs attributable only to USHE credit or enrollment are not fees and as such are not subject to fee waiver under R277-407. All students’ costs related to concurrent enrollment classes, which may include consumables, lab fees, copying, and material costs, as well as textbooks required for the course, are subject to fee waiver consistent with R277-407. The school district/school shall be responsible for these waivers. The contract between the USHE credit-granting institution and the district may address the responsibility for fee waivers. The district may withhold concurrent enrollment funds to cover fee waiver costs.

R165-8. Location and Delivery

Concurrent enrollment courses shall be offered at the most appropriate location using the most appropriate delivery method for the course content, the faculty, and the students involved. Instruction normally occurs during the school day with students released from regular high school coursework to participate in concurrent enrollment.

8.1. Students within Commuting Distance - Qualified students residing within commuting distance of a USHE credit-granting institution are encouraged to pursue their concurrent enrollment study on the institution campus. However, this does not preclude high school programs within that area.

8.2. Students Not within Commuting Distance - Qualified students not residing near a USHE credit-granting institution may be provided college instruction in their local high school or other appropriate sites using the most current available education technology, visiting regular college faculty, or approved adjunct college faculty.

8.3. First Right of Refusal - The local USHE institution will be given the first opportunity to provide the concurrent enrollment course. If the local institution chooses not to offer the approved concurrent enrollment course, another USHE institution may be invited to provide the course. The local USHE institution should respond to requests in a reasonable time frame.

8.4. Exceptions to Geographic Service Delivery - Courses delivered through technology are exceptions to the geographic service area concept.

R165-9. Faculty

9.1. Selection of Adjunct Faculty

Nomination of adjunct faculty is the joint responsibility of the participating local school district(s) and the participating USHE credit-granting institution. Final approval of the adjunct faculty will be determined by the appropriate department at the college or university at the USHE credit-granting institution. Selection criteria for adjunct faculty teaching concurrent enrollment courses should be the same as those criteria applied to other adjunct faculty appointments in specific departments.

9.2. Criminal Background Checks - USHE institution adjunct faculty beginning their USHE employment in the 2005-06 school year who are not K-12 teachers and who have significant unsupervised access to K-12 students shall complete a criminal background check consistent with §53A-3-410. The adjunct faculty employer shall have responsibility for determining the need for criminal background checks consistent with the law and for satisfying this requirement and shall maintain appropriate documentation.

9.3. Faculty Development - High school teachers who hold adjunct faculty status with a USHE institution for the purpose of teaching concurrent enrollment courses should be included as fully as possible in the academic life of the supervising academic department. USHE institutions jointly with secondary schools shall initiate faculty development and share expertise in providing in-service training, including appropriate workshop experiences prior to offering of concurrent enrollment courses, on-site monitoring, and continuing education in the content area. Adjunct faculty should be prepared with knowledge of federal and state laws specific to student privacy and student records.

R165-10. Concurrent Enrollment Coordinating Committee

10.1. Committee Membership

- The Commissioner of Higher Education and the State Superintendent shall appoint a Concurrent Enrollment Coordinating Committee composed of an equal number of higher education and public education administrators to coordinate concurrent enrollment activities.

10.2. Committee Responsibilities - The committee shall:

10.2.1. develop a list of approved courses for concurrent enrollment in consultation with college/university academic departments;

10.2.2. advise the two governing boards regarding in-service training and professional development programs; and

10.2.3. oversee the research and evaluation of concurrent enrollment practices in Utah. Research studies should be designed to assess student selection procedures, student success and rate of progress, quality of instruction and academic preparation of instructors, and relative costs and benefits of concurrent enrollment programs.

R165-11. Funding

11.1. Source of Funds

A portion of the state funds appropriated for accelerated learning programs shall be allocated to concurrent enrollment programs. Each school shall receive a pro-rated amount according to the number of semester hours of successful college credit earned by students in that school. Successfully completed means that a student received USHE credit for the course.

11.2. Appropriation of Funds - A school participating in a concurrent enrollment program offered pursuant to §53A-15-101, shall receive on a per student basis up to $50 per semester hour for each hour of higher education coursework undertaken. Districts shall spend monies for these programs according to rules established by the State Board of Education, R277-713.

11.3. Funds Flow - Appropriated funds, pursuant to §53A-15-101, should flow to the districts and from there to the USHE credit-granting institutions according to the level of costs borne by each as determined by the concurrent enrollment contract.

11.4. Shared Costs - Some portion of program costs will be borne by each of the participating parties: the school district, the USHE credit-granting institution, and the student.

R165-12. Annual Contracts

12.1. General Concurrent Enrollment Contracts

- Collaborating school districts and USHE credit-granting institutions will negotiate annual contracts for administrative and instructional support of concurrent enrollment courses. The contracts should include

12.1.1. the courses offered;

12.1.2. the location of the instruction;

12.1.3. the teacher;

12.1.4. student eligibility requirements;

12.1.5. course outlines;

12.1.6. texts, and other materials as needed;

12.1.7. the administrative supervisory services, in-service education, and reporting mechanisms to be provided by each party to the contract;

12.1.8. a provision regarding parental permission for students to participate in concurrent enrollment classes, which includes notice to parents that participation in concurrent enrollment courses count toward a student’s college record/transcript;

12.1.9. a provision regarding the entity responsible for parent notification about concurrent enrollment purpose(s) and student and family protections; and

12.1.10. a provision for discussion and training, as necessary, to all concurrent enrollment instructors about student information, student records laws, and student confidentiality.

12.2. UCAT Contracts - The Utah College of Applied Technology (UCAT) is often in the position of providing instruction for high school students. Students may be sent to a UCAT location from the various school districts in the region for “typical” concurrent enrollment courses. Under the following conditions, the UCAT could be a participant in the concurrent enrollment contract between the school district and the college.

12.2.1. Concurrent Enrollment Contract - A concurrent enrollment contract (refer to 12.1) must be in place between the school district and the USHE credit-granting institution covering the instruction being given at the UCAT campus.

12.2.2. UCAT Instruction and Costs - The credit-granting USHE institution contracts with the UCAT to provide the instruction. The instructional costs, or a portion thereof which could be transferred to the UCAT, should be clearly established in the concurrent enrollment contract.
the administrative supervisory services, in-service education, and reporting mechanisms to be provided by each party to the contract;

(Approved January 22, 1988. Amended June 10, 2005.)