603.14 Instruction at Postsecondary Educational Institutions

Senior Year Plus was created to provide increased and more equal access to college credit. Courses delivered through Senior Year Plus provide students the opportunity to take rigorous college curriculum and receive both high school and college credit concurrently.

• No student shall be enrolled as a full-time student in any one postsecondary institution (24 credits per academic year).
• Successful completion of any course at a postsecondary educational institution is determined by the postsecondary educational institution.
• The Board shall have complete discretion to determine the amount of academic credit to be awarded to the student for the courses taken during the school year and for the courses taken during the summer.

Eligibility Iowa law requires students to meet certain criteria to be eligible to participate in Senior Year Plus programming. The following criteria apply to all Senior Year Plus programs and are supplemented by program-specific requirements.

• The student shall have demonstrated proficiency in reading, mathematics and science on the most recent administration of the Iowa Assessments.
• If the student is not proficient in one or more content areas of reading, mathematics, and science, an alternative but equivalent qualifying performance measurement may be utilized.
• The student shall meet the enrollment requirements established by the eligible postsecondary institution.

In accordance with this policy, students in grades nine through twelve may receive academic or career and technical education credits that count toward the graduation requirements set out by the board for courses successfully completed in post-secondary educational institutions.  Students and parents or guardians shall be made aware of the post-secondary instructional opportunities as part of the development of each student's indivdiual career and academic plan as required by law. The Superintendent or designee is responsible for developing the appropriate forms and procedures for implementing this policy and the following post-secondary educational opportunities.

Concurrent Enrollment - Concurrent Enrollment Students in grades 9 through 12 may receive secondary and postsecondary academic and/or vocational-technical credits for courses successfully completed through a postsecondary educational institution in which the school district has a contractual agreement with. 

Notice of the availability of the concurrent enrollment program shall be included in the school district's registration handbook, and the handbook shall identify which courses, if successfully completed. generate post-secondary credit. Students shall not be charged tuition for concurrent enrollment courses and shall not be required to reimburse the school district for tuition if they do not successfully complete a course. Students or their parents or guardians may be required to pay a fee consistent with the school district’s established textbook policy and other materials for the concurrent enrollment course to the extent permitted by law. Students or their parents or guardians may also be required to provide their own transportation to and from concurrent enrollment courses to the extent permitted by law. However, transportation shall be the responsibility of the school district for any contracted course that is used to meet school district accreditation requirements. Students who successfully complete a concurrent enrollment course, as determined by the postsecondary institution, shall receive postsecondary credit in accordance with the institution’s policies and high school credit that will be reflected on their high school transcript. The Superintendent or designee shall grant to a student who successfully completes a concurrent enrollment course a unit of high school graduation credit for every unit of high school level instruction successfully completed. 

Students who take courses other than courses taken under an agreement between the District and the postsecondary educational institution and/or approved by the Board are responsible for tuition, transportation to and from the locations where the course is being offered, and other costs directly related to taking any postsecondary education course. The student and/or their parents shall not receive reimbursement for tuition, transportation or other expenses.

Eligible students may take credit during the summer months when school is not in session, but are responsible for tuition, transportation to and from the location where the course is being offered, and other costs directly related to taking any postsecondary education course.

Post-Secondary Enrollment Option - Ninth and tenth grade students who have been identified by the school district as gifted and talented, and eligible eleventh and twelfth grade students, may utilize the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (“PSEO”) program. To qualify, a course must be a nonsectarian, credit-bearing course that leads to a degree, and in the areas of: mathematics, science, social sciences, humanities, career and technical education. A course is not eligible for PSEO if a comparable course is offered by the school district. In addition, courses at a community college with which the district has a concurrent enrollment agreement are not eligible for PSEO. Students shall not be charged for tuition, textbooks, materials, or fees related to a PSEO course with the exception of equipment that becomes the property of the student. 

The school district shall reimburse the post-secondary institution for tuition and other expenses for each PSEO course up to $250. Students who successfully complete a PSEO course, as determined by the postsecondary institution, shall receive postsecondary credit and high school credit. The Superintendent or designee shall grant to a student who successfully completes a PSEO course a unit of high school graduation credit for every unit of high school level instruction successfully completed. 

Transportation to and from the postsecondary institution is the responsibility of the student or parent or legal guardian of the student enrolled in a PSEO course. Eligible students may take up to seven hours of post-secondary credit during the summer months and receive high school credit upon successful completion of a post-secondary course. However, the student or student’s parent or legal guardian are responsible for all costs associated with courses taken during the summer. 

Students who fail a PSEO course and fail to receive credit are required to reimburse the school district for all costs directly related to the course up to the $250.00 reimbursement maximum. Prior to registering, students under the age of eighteen are required to have a parent or guardian sign a form indicating that the parent is responsible for the costs of the course should the student fail the course and fail to receive credit. Reimbursement waivers may be granted by the board if sufficient verification is provided to show that the student was unable to complete the course for reasons outside the student’s control, including but not limited to physical incapacity, a death in the student’s immediate family, or a move out of the school district.

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