Post Secondary Enrollment Option

1. Post Secondary Enrollment Option Western High School

2. What is the Post Secondary Enrollment Option? • The program has been established to permit high school students in grades nine through twelve to earn college and high school graduation credit through successful completion of college courses.

3. History of the program? • The program was originally enacted in 1989 by Senate Bill 140 for the 11th and 12th grade students. • In 1997 Substitute Amended House Bill 215 permitted the program to include 9th and 10th grade students in addition to 11th and 12th grade students.

4. What is the purpose of the program? • The program is intended to provide qualified high school students academic opportunities that are beyond the opportunities offered by the high school in which they are enrolled.

5. What are the options? • Under option “A” the student is electing to receive only college credit. Under option “A” the student and their parents will pay for the cost of tuition, textbooks, materials, and fees.

6. What are the options?(cont.) • Under option “B” the student elects to receive both college and high school credit, in which case the student’s tuition and books will be subsidized by direct payment to the college out of the school district’s state foundation funds.

7. How do I enter the program? • Important Note: All school districts vary slightly in their procedures for Post Secondary Enrollment. The procedures outlined in the following screens are general for most schools but can and do vary slightly among school districts.

8. The Steps • You must attend an information session about the Post Secondary Enrollment Option. (Typically in February & March) • Notify your counselor by March 30th of your intent to participate. • Declaring intent to participate does not obligate you to participate but you must declare your intent to by March 30th. • If you choose not to participate after March 30th you must notify your district immediately.

9. The Steps (cont.) • The school district will provide counseling to students and parents to ensure that both the parent and the student are fully aware of the risks and consequences of participating. • The student and parent are required to sign a form provided by the school district stating that they have received counseling and they understand the responsibilities they must assume in the program.

10. POP Guidelines • In 1999 Substitute Amended House Bill 282 requires that a high school student must have a “B” average or better if they have taken a similar course prior to enrolling in a college course in the same subject area.

11. POP Guidelines (cont.) • The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) applies to education records at all levels of education. At the point of becoming a college student, FERPA rights become those of the student. Without written consent from the student, a student’s information cannot be disclosed even to the parent.

12. POP Guidelines (cont.) • Under the rules of Post-Secondary Enrollment Option, the college reserves the right to communicate student record information with the appropriate official(s) of the home high school. Information will not be released to parents without signed authorization from the student.

13. Common Questions • Q. How many credits can I take? • A. The number of college credits granted cannot exceed the number of Carnegie units that can be awarded in a regular high school year. • EX. If a student can receive 6 Carnegie units in a given year, they may not take more than 30 semester hours at the college or university.

14. Example (cont.)

15. Common Questions • Q. How is the credit evaluated and transferred? • A. 5.0 Semester hours = 1 high school credit

16. Common Questions • Q. How many hours may I take per semester? • A. Student may take up to a maximum of 15 semester hours per term.

17. Common Questions • Q. Will I still have the same high school graduation requirements? • A. Yes. No high school graduation requirements may be waived as a result of participating in the POP program. Note: Every school district has differing credit requirements for graduation. It is up to the district to make the final determination on how the credit is awarded.

18. Common Questions • Q. Can I take college level courses in the summer and have the cost covered through the POP program? • A. No. Students enrolled in public schools that do not operate on a 12 month calendar are not eligible for summer courses through POP.

19. Common Questions • Q. What happens if I fail a class? • A. If you fail a class under option B you or your parent may be required to pay the cost of the course. The school may withhold grades until payment is made.

20. Common Questions • Q. Is the college academic calendar the same as high school? • A. Typically the two calendars do vary slightly. For example, college students at SSU will begin 2014 fall semester August 18th whereas the local high schools may start earlier or later.

21. Common Questions • Q. Can I still be involved in athletic and extracurricular programs at the high school? • A. Yes, but be advised, your schedule at the college may vary from quarter to quarter and this could affect your ability to attend practices, games, meetings, etc. Note: You will not be permitted to participate in collegiate athletics.

22. Potential Risks • College course offerings do not mirror the high school offerings. • Scheduling required courses is not guaranteed. • Students will have increased responsibility for learning. College courses will be accelerated and more academically challenging than high school courses.

23. Potential Risks (cont.) • Potential for social discomfort as some students may not adjust to the new environment. • Class ranking and/or graduation could be affected, depending on the districts’ policies. • Grades in college courses will be averaged into your high school GPA. This may affect class standing which also could affect scholarship opportunities.

24. Potential Risks (cont.) • Increased time spent on academics, including online classes. • Students may have reduced time for participating in high school activities (athletics, music, band, etc.) • Students will have the opportunity to take courses that differ in scope and content from their high school courses. However, this could affect their ability to pass required state tests needed for graduation.

25. Potential Risks (cont.) • If a student fails to withdraw from a college course, they may lose the credits they need to graduate from high school and they might be responsible for the cost of the course.

26. Program Advantages • Challenging opportunity to jump start a student’s education goals. • Increased course selection. • Students may take classes that academically challenge them or that cover areas of particular interest to them.

27. Program Advantages (cont.) • Students have the opportunity to earn college credit at no cost. • Students have a chance to experience college-level work and college life prior to making a final decision about post-secondary education.

28. How do I begin? • Once you have gone through the steps at your home school, you now need to consider the college requirements. Remember, every college has somewhat different requirements. • Inquire with the college of your choice for specific admission requirements.

29. SSU POP Guidelines Other College/Universities may have different Guidelines • High School counselors must advise students and parents of advantages and disadvantages of the program. • Complete the SSU POP application and applicable documentation; submit it to your guidance counselor, who will in turn submit the information to the Office of Admission.

30. SSU POP Guidelines (cont.) • You should schedule a time to take the SSU Placement Test. Students may take the assessment one time per academic year. • Students must reflect a level of personal and social maturity which would make it possible for the student to function adequately in a college atmosphere.

31. SSU POP Guidelines (cont.) Post-Secondary applicants must meet both of the following criteria unless they will be an incoming Freshman. • Must take SSU placement assessment and score into English and Reading 1101 and Math Level 2 OR • Have an ACT subscore of at least 18 and English or Math score of 18. • Possess a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher.

32. SSU POP Guidelines (cont.) Freshman – 9th Grade Admission Criteria • An incoming Freshman will be required to meet the following requirement – Placement to English & Reading 1101 and Math Level 2, or ACT results of 18 in English, 18 in Math, or SAT results of 520 Verbal and 470 Math.

33. SSU POP Guidelines (cont.) Sophomore, Junior & Senior Admission Criteria • Provide official high school transcripts that reflect a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher on a 4.0 scale. • Provide official ACT/SAT scores of 18 or higher in English, 18 or higher in Math, 520 Verbal and 470 Math, OR • Take the Placement Test and place to minimum English & Reading 1101 and Math Level 2.

34. SSU POP Guidelines (cont.) • All Post-Secondary applicants will receive written notification of acceptance or denial. • All accepted students will receive notification of an orientation to be held in May, with registration to follow. • All POP Students MUST maintain a university GPA of 2.0 or higher to continue.

35. SSU POP Guidelines • 2014-15: Students who fail to receive a Term GPA of 2.0, regardless of their cumulative GPA will be removed from Option B. Students in Option A will be reviewed for possible removal from program.

36. SSU POP Guidelines (cont.) • Students will visit one of the advisors each term to register for classes. • It is the student’s responsibility not to register for specific college courses through the POP program if the student has taken high school courses in the same subject area and has failed to attain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale within that subject area.

37. SSU POP Guidelines (cont.) • POP students’ opportunities to repeat courses and have those courses subsidized through the POP program are dependent upon the student’s local school district. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up on this, as payment for such repetition may not be presented to the state for reimbursement and could ultimately become the student’s financial responsibility, depending on the student’s local school district policy.

38. SSU POP Guidelines (cont.) • Parents of students under 18 years of age need to be aware that all SSU computers have free unfettered access to the Internet. SSU computers do not use any type of filtering software. • Students enrolling in the program will be expected and required to perform at the same level as their college classmates. POP students are subject to the same policies and procedures, academic practices, and grading standards as all other SSU students.

39. Notification of Acceptance/Denial • Acceptance and Denial Letters will be sent the last week of April or the first week of May. • Acceptance Letter will include Orientation date reminder. • Denial Letter will include ACT/Placement results as well as grade point information.

40. Questions?

41. Contacts • Guidance Office • Brock Brewster Principal Western High School 740-493-2514 or Crystal Guilkey School Counselor 740-493-2514 • 740-493-2514 • bbrewster@westernlocalschools.com • cguilkey@westernlocalschools.com • Credit to Rick Merb, SSU for this presentation!