ISD728 College Credit Opportunities Overview

Advanced Placement (AP) classes are nationally recognized college-level classes offered in the high school setting.  Students who complete the coursework can take an AP test which may award college credit(s). Students enrolled in AP courses should anticipate college-level workloads and expectations. It is strongly recommended that sophomores enroll in no more than two AP classes during 10th grade. Remember: Advanced Placement is a nationwide curriculum designed to prepare students for the AP exams; therefore course content cannot be altered.

The following AP classes are offered in ISD 728:

• AP Art History
• AP Biology
• AP Calculus AB
• AP Calculus BC
• AP Chemistry
• AP Computer Science
• AP English Language & Composition
• AP English Literature & Composition
• AP Human Geography
• AP Macroeconomics
• AP Physics
• AP Statistics
• AP Studio Art
• AP U.S. Government/Politics
• AP U.S. History
• AP World History

AP course grades are “weighted”.

Sophomores, juniors and seniors may take technical and/or community college courses offered at the high school. These high school courses have been matched with similar courses at Minnesota technical and community colleges (for a full list of participating schools visit www.CTECreditMN.com.  

High school students meeting the college course requirements may earn college credit, as well as high school credit to apply toward graduation at no cost to high school students.  

ACC courses are not “weighted”.

ISD 728 has partnered with Pine Technical and Community College, Chippewa Valley Technical College, St. Cloud State University, and the University of Minnesota to offer the following rigorous college-level classes to juniors and seniors in the high school setting. Students earn college credits in conjunction with meeting high school graduation requirements. There is no student fee to enroll in these programs and, upon successful completion of these course(s), the student will earn college credits.

In addition, these courses are “weighted”.

Refer to the Course Description Guide for prerequisite(s) required to enroll in these courses.

Students enrolled in these courses begin their college transcript with the partnering college so please consider your enrollment options carefully.
 

Pine Technical College

• College Algebra
• College Intermediate Spanish I & II
• College Intro to Psychology
• College Intro to Sociology
• College Physics I
• College Pre-Calculus
• College Principles of Macroeconomics
   

St. Cloud State University (S2S)

• French 102 & 201
• German 102 & 201
   

University of Minnesota (Twin Cities)

• Human Physiology, Technology & Medical Devices
   

Chippewa Valley Technical College 

• Advanced Marketing/DECA 4

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students to earn both high school and college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college nonsectarian courses at eligible participating postsecondary institutions. Most PSEO courses are offered on the campus of the postsecondary institution; some courses are offered online. Each participating college or university sets its own admissions requirements for enrollment into the PSEO courses. Eleventh and 12th-grade students may take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis; 10th graders are eligible to enroll in PSEO on a more limited basis (see note below). Students must meet the PSEO residency and eligibility requirements and abide by participation limits specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09. If a school district determines a pupil is not on track to graduate, she/he may continue to participate in PSEO on a term by term basis.

By March 1 of each year, or three weeks prior to the date a student registers for courses for the following school year, schools must provide PSEO information to all students in grades 8-11 and their families. To assist the district in planning, a student must inform the district by May 30 of each year of their intent to enroll in postsecondary courses during the following school year.

There is no charge to PSEO students for tuition, books or fees for items that are required to participate in a course; however, students may incur fees for equipment that becomes their property when the course or program is completed, textbooks that are not returned to the postsecondary institution according to their policies, or for tuition costs if they do not notify the district by May 30 and the district does not waive this date requirement.

Funds are available to help pay transportation expenses for qualifying students to participate in PSEO courses on college campuses. For more information on these funds, access the PSEO Mileage Reimbursement Program Instructions.

Enrolling in a PSEO course does not prohibit a student from participating in activities sponsored by the high school.

School districts must allow a PSEO student reasonable access to the high school building, computers and/or other technology resources during regular school hours to participate in PSEO courses, whether on-line or on campus.

Each year, districts must publish their grade-weighting policy on their website, including a list of courses for which students can earn weighted grades.

All courses taken through the PSEO program must meet graduation requirements. Districts must transcript credits earned in PSEO by a ratio prescribed in statute. Districts have the authority to decide which subject area and standards the PSEO course meets. If there is a dispute between the district and the student regarding the number of credits granted for a particular course, the student may appeal the board's decision to the commissioner. The commissioner's decision regarding the number of credits will be final.

Postsecondary institutions are required to allow PSEO students to enroll in online courses consistent with the institution’s policy regarding postsecondary student enrollment in online courses.

Tenth-grade students may initially enroll in one Career and Technical Education (CTE) PSEO course if they receive a reading proficiency score of “meets” or “exceeds” on the 8th grade MCA. If 10th graders taking a CTE PSEO course earn at least a grade C in that class, they may take additional CTE PSEO courses. If the student did not take the MCA in 8th-grade, another reading assessment accepted by the enrolling postsecondary institution can be substituted. For students with disabilities, there is an alternative option to demonstrate reading proficiency.

For current information about the PSEO program, visit the Minnesota Department of Education’s Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) webpage.