High School Students Enrolled in Dual Credit Programs

Dual Credit Programs are instructional partnerships between a public secondary school, a charter school, a private school, an Early College or Middle College High School, or a home school and the college. Course credit is provided to high school students for both high school and college credit. College credit may be for certificate or associate degree programs. Financial aid is limited to those who have either graduated from high school or have a G.E.D.

Eligibility requirements for Dual Credit:

• To be eligible for enrollment in a dual credit course offered by a public college, students must have at least junior high school standing.



• The student must demonstrate college readiness by achieving the minimum passing standard on a relative section(s) on an assessment instrument associated with the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) program for higher education based upon appropriate other test scores (eleventh grade exit-level TAKS, ACT, SAT). However, student is required to meet all DCCCD college prerequisites designated for a course. TSI(e.g., higher cut score requirement on a specific placement test than those outlined by the THECB TSI state minimum requirements, minimum grade in a specific previous course, etc.)



• A dual credit student who demonstrates that he or she is exempt under the provisions of the Texas Success Initiative as relating to exemptions/exceptions must still meet DCCCD college prerequisite requirements designated for a course as indicated above. Dual credit students who are in their junior or senior year of high school may receive the level-one certificate waiver or the non-degree seeking/non-certificate seeking waiver. However, a student who is granted a TSI waiver to take dual credit courses while still in high school based on eligible scores is not exempt from TSI. These waivers are not made available to the Early College/Middle College High School students or to students who are seeking an associate degree or level-two certificate.
  
  
• An eleventh grade high school student is eligible to enroll in dual credit courses by achieving a minimum score of 2200 on Mathematics and/or 2200 on English Language Arts with a writing subsection score of at least 3 on the tenth grade TAKS relevant to the course(s) to be attempted. An eligible high school student who has enrolled in dual credit courses in the eleventh grade under this provision shall not be required to demonstrate further evidence of eligibility to enroll in dual credit courses in the twelfth grade. However, students will need to meet the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) for higher education requirements by presenting qualifying eleventh grade exit-level TAKS scores or TSI approved assessment scores or meeting TSI requirements in relevant content area(s) by receiving a grade of C or better in select college level core course(s). Students are required to meet all DCCCD course prerequisite requirements which could require a higher cut score than those outlined by the THECB TSI state minimum requirements.



• An eleventh grade high school student is also eligible to enroll in dual credit courses by achieving a combined score of 107 on the PSAT/NMSQT with a minimum of 50 on the critical reading and/or mathematics test(s) relevant to the courses to be attempted. An eligible high school student who has enrolled in dual credit under this provision must demonstrate eligibility to enroll in dual credit courses in the twelfth grade. Students are required to meet the Texas Success Initiative(TSI) for higher education requirements by presenting qualifying eleventh grade exit-level TAKS scores or TSI approved assessment scores or meeting TSI requirements in relevant content area(s) by receiving a grade of C or better in select college level core course(s). Students are required to meet all DCCCD course prerequisite requirements which could require a higher cut score than those outlined by the THECB TSI state minimum requirements.



• An eleventh grade high school student is also eligible to enroll in dual credit courses by achieving a composite score of 23 on the PLAN with a 19 or higher in mathematics and English. An eligible high school student who has enrolled in dual credit under this provision must demonstrate eligibility to enroll in dual credit courses in the twelfth grade. Students are required to meet the Texas Success Initiative for higher education requirements by presenting qualifying eleventh grade exit-level TAKS scores or TSI approved assessment scores or meeting TSI requirements in relevant content area(s) by receiving a grade of C or better in select college level core course(s). Students are required to meet all DCCCD course prerequisite requirements which could require a higher cut score than those outline by the THECB TSI state minimum requirements.



• A high school student is eligible to enroll in workforce education dual credit courses in the eleventh and/or twelfth grade if the student demonstrates that he or she has achieved the minimum high school passing standard on the Mathematics section and/or the English/Language Arts section on the tenth or eleventh grade TAKS relevant to the course(s) to be attempted. The college may determine if additional assessments are necessary in order to ensure the student is placed correctly or permitted into dual credit courses. Students are required to meet Texas Success Initiative (TSI) for higher education requirements by presenting qualifying eleventh grade exit-level TAKS scores or TSI approved assessment scores if required by the course, degree or certificate. Students may also meet TSI requirements in the relevant content area(s) by receiving a grade of C or better in a select college level core course(s). Students are required to meet all DCCCD course prerequisite requirements which could require a higher cut score than those outlined by the THECB TSI state minimum requirements.



• Students must be at least of junior standing. Exceptions may be made for students with demonstrated outstanding academic performance and capability (as evidenced by grade point average, PSAT/NMSQT scores, PLAN or other assessment indicators). These students must be approved by the principal of the high school and the chief academic officer of the college. These students must demonstrate readiness for college as outlined above.



• Students who do not acquire the necessary test score(s) for eligibility purposes should discuss their options with the college Dual Credit Coordinator.



• Score requirements can be altered by the THECB or DCCCD with the currently approved scores being used for eligibility and course placement purposes.

High school students may not be enrolled in more than two dual credit courses per semester. Exceptions may be permitted to enroll in more than two courses if recommended to do so by both the chief academic officer of the college or designee who is a mid-level or higher administrator and the high school principal or appropriate home school "official" and under one of the following conditions:

• Achieve a minimum GPA of 3.00 on at least two college courses taken in previous semesters; or



• Proof of having passed all sections of an approved TSI test; or



• Proof of eligibility to be TSI exempt based upon eleventh grade exit-level TAKS, ACT, or SAT appropriate scores by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. If a TSI (Texas Success Initiative) exemptions/exceptions is allowed student is still required to meet all DCCCD course prerequisite requirements. Course prerequisite requirements are usually met by taking a college assessment test to determine college-level readiness skills. Some DCCCD course prerequisites could require a higher cut score than those outlined by the THECB TSI state minimum requirements.

Early College High School provides outreach, curricula and student learning and support programs that enable participating students to combine high school courses and college-level courses to attain the Recommended or Advanced High School Program diploma and earn up to 60 semester credit hours toward an associate or baccalaureate degree by the fifth anniversary of the student's first day of high school.

Students enrolled in Early College High Schools (EC) are exempt from the two dual credit courses per semester limitation. A student enrolled in EC may enroll in more than two dual credit courses per semester and may enroll in dual credit coursework with freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior high school standing.

Middle College program provides outreach, a course of study, and student learning and support programs that enable a participating student to combine high school courses and college-level courses during grade levels 11 through 12 and to attain the Recommended or Advanced High School Program diploma and a significant number of semester credit hours toward an associate or baccalaureate degree. Such students may enroll in more than two dual credit courses per semester.

Students participating in an ECHS or MC must meet eligibility requirements. An ECHS or MC shall assess each student for readiness to engage in any college-level curriculum offered for college credit prior to the student's enrollement in such curriculum. For this assessment, an ECHS/MC may use any instrument otherwise approved for Texas Success Initiative purposes.

Early College/Middle College High School students who do not acquire the necessary test score(s) for eligibility purposes should discuss their options with the college Dual Credit Coordinator.

The college vice president or designate will have a conversation with prospective students under the age of sixteen (16) and their parents/guardians so that expectations of college readiness issues of the students, parents/guardians and college are clarified. These issues will be considered in determining readiness for college-level course work.

The student must meet all admissions criteria of the college. In addition, students may be withdrawn from the pre-registration course(s) for subsequent semesters or terms if the student withdraws from a course or makes a grade of D or F. Students may be refused re-enrollment unless the student and the parent(s)/guardian(s) agree to abide by written conditions from the college designed to increase the potential for success.

Eligibility for continued participation in DCCCD Dual Credit program requires satisfactory academic performance at the high school; earned grades of A, B or C in all college courses; and parental and school approval for each subsequent semester of enrollment. A student who earns grades of W, D or F may not be eligible for future dual credit courses or may have restrictions.

Students must discuss with their high school counselor if they wish to withdraw from their college course(s). Students who decide to withdraw must submit the required withdrawal form to the College Dual Credit/Concurrent Enrollment Coordinator or College Registrar by the published deadline.

Section 51.907 of the Texas Education Code applies to students who enroll in a Texas public institution of higher education for the first time in fall 2007 or later. Based on this law, when you graduate from high school and continue your college education, DCCCD or any other Texas public institution of higher education may not permit students to drop more than six college level credit courses for unacceptable reasons during their entire undergraduate career without penalty. All college level courses dropped after the official drop and add period for the course are included in the six-course limit, including courses dropped at another Texas public institution of higher education, unless it qualifies as an exception.

It is recommended that students take minimal hours beyond degree requirements to avoid possible higher tuition charges at the institution to which they are transferring. However, semester credit hours earned by the student before graduation from high school and used to satisfy high school graduation requirements are exempt starting Fall 2009.

Academic freedom is practiced at all DCCCD Colleges and appropriate and essential discipline-specific terminology, concepts and principles are utilized as needed in the classroom setting, including within dual credit classes.

EDUC 1300 Learning Framework is a required core course, but EDUC 1300 will not be required of dual credit students while in high school.