The Board of Education recognizes the value to students and to the District for students to participate in programs offered by accredited colleges and universities in the State of Ohio.  Therefore, the Board will permit qualifying high school students to enroll in approved post-secondary programs while in attendance at Philo High School.  Students will be deemed eligible to receive secondary credit for completing any of these programs providing they meet the established requirements as set forth by O.R.C. Chapter 3365 and the Board of Education.  This program shall satisfy the Board’s obligation to offer a dual enrollment program to its students.

Deadlines and Procedure

Eligible students may enroll full or part-time for nonsectarian courses for high school and/or college credit in accordance with the following procedures:

A.     Information about the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program will be provided prior to March 1st (annually) to students enrolled in grades eight through eleven and their parents/guardians.

B.     Students/parents must notify the District, prior to March 31, of intent to participate in the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program.  (Note:  failure to provide such notice may make a student ineligible to participate in the program.)

C.     Any eligible student choosing to participate in the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program will be provided counseling services including possible risks, consequences and potential benefits.  Counseling will include the following:

1.     Program eligibility;

2.     Process for granting credit;

3.     Financial responsibilities - tuition, books, materials, fees;

4.     Criteria for transportation aid;

5.     Available support services;

6.     Scheduling;

7.     Consequences of failing;

8.     Graduation requirements;

9.     Academic and social responsibilities of students and parents/guardians for participation; and

10.    Use of college counseling services. 

D.     Students/Parents who have expressed interest and received counseling services must sign a form indicating that the details of the program have been presented and that criteria is understood.

E.     Students in grades nine, ten, eleven, and/or twelve may enroll in college for high school graduation and/or college credit, if the following conditions are met:

1.     Students must be accepted by the college; and

2.     College must send written notice (to all appropriate parties, including student, parent, School District Superintendent, and superintendent of public instruction) within ten (10) days of enrolling students.  Such notices shall include courses and hours of enrollment and the option selected.

If a student is expelled from the District, the Board will deny high school credit for college courses taken during the period of the expulsion.  The Superintendent shall send written notice of a student’s expulsion to the college where the student is taking courses to receive high school credit.  The notice must state the date the expulsion is scheduled to expire and whether the Board has denied high school credit for postsecondary education courses taken during the expulsion.  If the expulsion period is extended, the Superintendent must notify the college of the extension.

If the Superintendent determines that a student participating in the postsecondary enrollment option program has not attained a passing final grade in a college course in which the student enrolled under the program, the Superintendent shall seek reimbursement from the student or student’s parent for the amount of state funds paid to the college on behalf of the student for that college course. The Board may withhold grades and credits received by the student for courses taken at the Franklin Local School District until the student or student’s parent provides reimbursement.

Enrollment Options 

Option A permits eligible students to enroll in college courses for college credit.  Students enrolling in this option will be required to pay all costs incurred, including tuition, books, materials and fees.

Option B permits eligible students to enroll in college courses for college and high school graduation credit.  Students electing this option will not be required to pay for tuition, books, materials or fees associated with the course.  Parents and students should be aware that if a student fails to complete a post-secondary course, they are responsible for the financial obligation including tuition, textbooks, materials or other fees.

High School Credit

A.    If a student successfully completes a course in which he/she was enrolled as an Option B student, the Board of Education shall award him/her appropriate credit toward high school graduation.

B. Students who elect to receive high school graduation credit, shall receive such credit under the following circumstances:

        1.     If a course comparable to one a student completed at the college level is offered by the District, the Board shall award comparable credit for the course completed at the college.

        2.     If no comparable course is offered by the District, the Board shall grant an appropriate number of credits in a similar subject area to the student.

C.     The Board shall not award graduation credit to a student for courses failed or withdrawn from before completion.

D.     The Board of Education shall not award a student credit toward graduation unless, at the time of enrollment, the student elected to receive high school credit.

E.     Any dispute between students and the Board of Education regarding high school credits for college work may be appealed to the State Board of Education whose decision is final.

Student Records

A.     Evidence of successful completion of each course and the high school credits awarded by the District shall be included in the student’s cumulative record.  The record shall indicate that the credits were earned as a participant of the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option Program and shall include the name of the college at which the credits were earned.

B.     Each grade received by a student participating in the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option A shall be recorded, but the credits shall not count toward the student’s graduation requirement.  A change to Option B must be requested, in writing, to the high school principal within fourteen (14) days from date of enrollment.

C.     Each grade received by a student participating in the Option B program shall be recorded and counted when determining the following:

1.     Cumulative grade point average

2.     Athletic eligibility

3.     Honor student qualifications (in senior year, notification will include 1st quarter or semester grades)

High School/College Enrollment

A.     A 9^th grade student may not receive credit toward high school graduation for more than the equivalent of four academic school years.

B.     A 10^th grade student may not receive credit toward high school graduation for more than the equivalent of three academic school years.

C.     An 11^th grade student may not receive credit toward high school graduation for more than the equivalent of two academic school years.

D.     A 12^th grade student may not enroll for more than the equivalent of one academic school year. 

E.     Proportionate reductions are made for any student who enrolls in the program during the course of a school year.

F.      The maximum number of Carnegie units that may be earned during the academic year is the total of the high school courses and college courses; the total may not exceed the number of courses for full-time status.

G.     The conversion of courses for high school graduation credit earned through successful completion of college courses is as follows:  college courses for which five semester hours (7.5 quarter hours) are earned shall be awarded one Carnegie unit.

Financial Responsibilities

If a student fails to complete the course due to class drop process or nonattendance, the student or parent(s) are responsible for all costs associated with the course.

The following process shall be used to collect all course costs:

 A.     The District may determine and accept other reasons, including medical reasons, for failure to complete the course.

B.     Students enrolled for the combination of high school/college credit are not eligible for financial aid from the college.

C.     If the District provides transportation for resident students in grades eleven and twelve, upon parent application and determination of need according to the provisions of the National School Lunch Act, a student enrolling for the combination of high school and college credit in the program may receive full or partial reimbursement for the necessary costs of transportation between the secondary school which he/she attends and the college/university in which he/she is enrolled in accordance with guidelines established by the State Board of Education.

D.     No reimbursement for course costs, transportation costs or District liability are applicable if the student enrolls in a college course while he/she is also a full-time student in the District.

Other Considerations

A.     A student enrolled in the program shall follow the District attendance policy, as well as the District code of conduct, for curricular and extracurricular activities.  These policies and codes are applicable during the time the student is attending high school and is on school property for any class or activity.

B.     The student enrolled in this program must recognize that the master schedule is not altered or adjusted in order to permit enrollment; adjustments to individual schedules may be made by the school administration.

C.     The District adheres to the Ohio High School Athletic Association rules, regulations, and bylaws to determine eligibility to participate in athletics.  In order to be eligible, the student must have passed a minimum of five one-credit courses or the equivalent which count toward graduation during the prior grading period.  The five courses may be a combination of high school and college courses.

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                   Student’s Signature                                                   Parent(s’) Signature

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                             Date                                                                          Date

 Updated 9/1/2009