Early COllege Program

how to start college and/or earn an associate's degree in high school

The Francis Howell School District is proud to partner with Saint Charles Community College (SCC) to offer the Early College Program to students at all FHSD high schools. The Early College Program offers high school students an opportunity to earn transferable college credits while still enrolled in high school. The program allows students to take classes on campus at SCC. Beginning in a student’s junior year, students may enroll in Lanes 1 and 2 of the Early College Program and replace part or all of their traditional high school course schedule. Students in grades 9-12 may enroll in Lane 3, which will allow them to take 1-3 classes at a time. All three lanes are described below. While enrolled in the Early College Program, students will take college coursework with textbooks and curriculum taught by SCC professors. Students can earn enough credits to complete part or all of an Associate’s Degree while concurrently earning a high school diploma. The Early College Program will consist of 3 “Lanes” of course offerings at SCC. Click here to view/download a flyer that further explains the lanes.

the three lanes

Lane 1 (42+ Transferrable Credit Hours) – Open to Juniors and Seniors

Students in Lane 2 will have an opportunity to earn an Associate’s Degree from Saint Charles Community College and will be able to transfer to any Missouri public university having completed all lower-division general education requirements. Most private institutions in Missouri and many in neighboring states also accept these credit hours, but students and families will need to confirm this with their destination school. Students shall receive full credit, including any prerequisites or requirements in their major, for all Missouri Transfer (MOTR) courses transferred to Missouri state institutions. The receiving institution cannot require the student to take additional lower-division general education courses. A student may, however, have to take additional lower-division courses to fulfill major, minor, program, or other requirements at the receiving institution. Only students entering their junior year may enter Lane 2.

Lane 2 (Associate’s Degree) – Open to Juniors

Lane 3 (A La Carte Courses) – Open to all grades

Students in Lane 3 will take individual classes at Saint Charles Community College. For each MOTR course completed, the receiving Missouri public institution shall award full transfer credit, including any prerequisites or requirements for a major or minor. Most private institutions in Missouri and many in neighboring states also accept these credit hours, but students and families will need to confirm this with their destination school. Students may enter Lane 3 at any time in their high school career.

admission requirements

Interested students must complete an Early College Application (included at the end of this packet) and submit it to their school’s counseling office. Students must also complete an online Application for Admission for SCC. All students will need to apply to SCC and take their entrance assessment. Prospective will apply to the Early College Program as part of the January registration process. All enrollees will complete a signed agreement to abide by the expectations and responsibilities of the FHSD/SCC Early College Program. Prospective enrollees should have a strong academic record with documented success in rigorous courses. A successful applicant must meet the following criteria:

Cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher (SCC minimum requirement)
Junior or Senior standing (FHSD requirement for Lanes 1 and 2)
Completion of Algebra II before or during participation in the Early College Program
- Students in Lane 2 who are attempting to earn the full Associate’s Degree must complete Algebra II before starting the Early College Program. Exceptions can be made for students who complete Algebra II through alternate means that they identify on their application
- Students in Lane 1 who are attempting to earn 42+ transferable credit hours may take Algebra II concurrently with their participation in the Early College Program
Completion of Personal Finance before or during participation in the Early College Program
- Students in Lane 2 who are attempting to earn the full Associate’s Degree must complete Personal Finance before starting the Early College Program. This can be accomplished by taking the online course for credit advancement during summer school. Exceptions can be made for students who complete Physical Science through alternate means that they identify on their application
- Students in Lane 1 who are attempting to earn 42+ transferable credit hours may take Personal Finance concurrently with their participation in the Early College Program
Completed SCC Academic Skills Assessment
Completed online Application to SCC and completed application to the FHSD Early College Program
Documented success in rigorous courses
Record of good citizenship & behavior
90% attendance

gRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

In order to graduate, students must earn a minimum of 24 units of credit and 8 semesters of attendance, unless approval for early graduation has been granted through Board Policy 2540. The 24 credits must be earned in the areas of study shown in the table below.

Students participating in the Early College Program will receive high school credit for MOTR-numbered dual enrollment courses offered at SCC. Only non-remedial courses will be eligible for dual enrollment credit. All MOTR-numbered courses completed at SCC will be included on participating students’ high school transcripts, satisfy cum laude credit requirements, and will be calculated into the participating student’s GPA. Students may petition the district to accept courses that are not listed in this document. The petition form is included in this guidebook. FHSD cannot guarantee that such courses will be accepted for FHSD credit or that they will meet graduation requirements.

Special note on Cum Laude honors recognition:

In order to receive cum laude honors upon graduation, must satisfy all core course requirements outlined in Policy 2525. Only non-remedial dual enrollment courses will satisfy cum laude honors requirements. Course grades from classes taken as part of Lanes 1, 2, and 3 of the Early College Program will be calculated into a student’s GPA. Courses at a 200-level or higher (or equivalent depending on unique SCC departmental course numeration) will carry an honors point. For more information pertaining to cum laude requirements (ACT or SAT score, GPA thresholds, transfer credits, etc.), please reference FHSD Policy 2525 (Graduation Requirements).

Credit Value Equivalencies

A 3.0 credit-hour college course will count as 0.5 units of high school credit. A 5.0 credit-hour college course will count as 1.0 units of high school credit. 4.0 credit-hour science courses with labs will count as 1.0 units of high school credit. All other 4.0 credit-hour courses will count as 0.5 units of high school credit.

*Personal Finance course may count for one half unit of credit toward meeting this requirement.
**Personal Finance is typically taken in a student’s 11th grade year in FHSD high schools. Students in Lane 1 will need to take Personal Finance at their FHSD home site. Students in Lane 2 will have to take the online Personal Finance course offered for credit advancement during the summer before starting the Early College Program unless they have alternate plans to earn the credit.

tuition, fees and books

The District will provide financial assistance (full tuition, fees, and books) for ECP enrollees who participate in the Federal Free or Reduced Lunch program. Unless a family secures financial assistance through this avenue, students and families will pay all costs for tuition ($50 per credit hour for 2023-2024), fees, and books associated with participation in the program. In an effort to mitigate financial barriers to participation in the Early College Program, SCC tuition is offered at a significant discount for FHSD high school students.

a+ plus and post-high school financial aid

The A+Plus program was created by the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993. If students meet the requirements of the A+Plus program upon graduation, then they qualify for state-paid financial assistance to attend any public community college of vocational/technical school in Missouri. Currently these funds may only be accessed after a student graduates from high school. Once a student has completed an Associate’s Degree, their eligibility utilize A+Plus funds terminates. By participating in the Early College Program, students who complete their Associate’s Degree will lose the ability to use A+Plus funds. Furthermore, students who complete the Lane 1 (Core 42) option will only be able to use A+Plus funds to financially assist the remainder of the credit hours necessary or them to earn an Associate’s Degree.

In addition, while most 4-year colleges and universities award financial aid packages that cover 4 years of a student’s attendance at that institution, some schools may limit financial aid packages if incoming students have earned a significant number of credit hours. Students and families are strongly encouraged to check with prospective colleges and universities to see if their participation in the Early College Program will impact their ability to earn financial aid.

Students and families will need to consider these impacts as they balance the benefits of the Early College Program with their educational and financial post-high school plans.

attendance

Students and parents are reminded that a student’s regular attendance at school is required by law (167.031, RSMo). Students participating in the Early College Program are expected to maintain a minimum of a 90% attendance rate. Students who fall below 90% attendance may be considered for removal from the program. Students are expected to abide by all FHSD attendance procedures and practices. By participating in the Early College Program, students and families agree to follow the academic calendars established by both FHSD and SCC. This means that if SCC holds classes during an FHSD break, then the student must still attend their SCC classes. Similarly, if FHSD has school during an SCC break, then the student must still attend their FHSD classes. The same conditions apply to the beginning and end of the school year, when one institution may be in session and the other institution may not be in session. Participating students must comply with any and all attendance procedures as directed by district personnel.

activities and athletics

For all Early College Program participants, non-remedial courses attempted and completed through the Early College Program will appear on a student’s transcript and must be completed before the end of the FHSD semester in order to count toward eligibility.

Any student who wishes to participate in a MSHSAA-sanctioned activity must have passed 3.0 units of credit in the previous semester or have earned 80% of the credits in the maximum allowable classes, whichever was greater. In addition, in order to participate during the current semester, students must be enrolled in 3.0 units of credit or 80% of the maximum allowable classes, whichever is greater. Students participating in the Early College Program must account for this if they wish to participate in MSHAA-sanctioned activities. Students in Lane 1 must take 3.0 credits of combined credit in order to participate during the current semester. Students in Lane 1 will be considered full-time if they take 2 classes at their FHSD home site and 12.0 credit hours of classes at SCC. In addition, Lane 1 students may take 1 class at their FHSD home site and at least 13.0 credit hours at SCC. Students in Lane 2 will be attending SCC as a full-time student. Students in Lane 2 will be considered full-time if they take 15.0 credit hours of classes. To maintain eligibility, students in both lanes need to earn 80% of their possible credits. This will typically require that the student be enrolled in 5-6 SCC courses, depending on the number of college course credits that are assigned to a specific class. In order for a student to protect their eligibility, it may be necessary for students to take summer courses through SCC or FHSD or to take additional online courses outside of the regular school schedule.

The diagram below outlines the college course equivalencies that apply to MSHSAA eligibility requirements.

Students participating in the Early College Program may maintain eligibility as to participate in MSHSAA-sanctioned activities as bonafide students under FHSD Policy 2921 (Participation by Non-Traditional Students). Non-traditional students may be considered bonafide under MSHSAA regulations under any of the following options:

Option 1 – Transcripted Credits

The student must be enrolled in a District high school although some courses/credits are taken off-campus, e.g. virtual, post- secondary, work study, etc.; and
All credits attempted must appear on the student’s high school transcript; and
All classes must be completed by the high school’s close of semester in order to be considered countered toward activity eligibility.

Option 2 – Seat Time plus Non-Transcripted Credits

The student must be enrolled in a District high school and take a minimum of two (2) credit bearing seat time classes for a minimum of 1.0 units of credit at the high school; and
High school administration must confirm after a full academic review that the student is further enrolled in courses outside of the high school, which bring the student up to full MSHSAA mandated credit requirements of 80%. The high school administration will develop and submit to the superintendent/designee a written procedure to determine approval of outside courses/credits, as well as the procedures to determine success/credit confirmation for academic eligibility for the current and following semester. It is not necessary that such confirmed credits be placed on the student’s transcript.
All classes must be completed by the high school’s end of semester in order to be considered toward activity eligibility.

Change of Enrollment Status

Any student whose enrollment status changes from being a non-bonafide activity eligible student to a bonafide activity eligible student will be considered a transfer student. As a transfer student, the student would be activity ineligible until a transfer of eligibility form is filed and an eligibility ruling rendered.

responsibilities for all parties

Student/Family Responsibilities

All students enrolling in the Early College Program will complete the SCC Academic Skills Assessment as a condition of enrollment.
Students assume all responsibility to ensure that the courses they take at SCC will fulfill FHSD graduation requirements.
Students and families are ultimately responsible for their transportation to and from the SCC campus. Bus transportation will be available between each high school campus and SCC, but will not be able to accommodate unique scheduling needs outside of base transportation schedules.
Students and their families will pay all tuition, fees, and books unless they apply for and qualify for financial assistance.
Students and families will be responsible for obtaining all textbooks required by SCC instructors, which can be purchased at SCC or online through another source. Students who qualify for financial assistance will have their books purchased by FHSD. At the conclusion of the associated courses, all FHSD-purchased books must be returned to the District.
Students will follow the SCC academic calendar for their Early College classes and the FHSD academic calendar for their high school classes. There may be times when FHSD and SCC scheduled breaks do not align. Students are still expected to attend all classes that are in session in the event that FHSD and SCC breaks do not align.
Students will follow both the FHSD Code of Student Conduct and SCC Student Handbook.
Students are required to maintain 90% attendance and earn grades of “C” or better in all FHSD and SCC classes in order to proceed through and remain in the program. Students who earn a grade of “D” or lower in any class or whose attendance rate falls below 90% may lose eligibility to participate in the Early College Program.
Students who receive financial assistance must reimburse FHSD for all costs associated with classes that are dropped or not completed.
Textbooks or other resources purchased by FHSD will remain the property of the District and must be returned to the District at the conclusion of each course.
Students in all Lanes of the Early College Program may participate in extracurricular activities including sports if they meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the Francis Howell School District Activities Handbook. Students who are scheduled to miss part or all of a school day in order to participate in an extracurricular event must communicate this their college professors. All other MSHSAA and FHSD eligibility requirements will apply.
Students must comply with all SCC registration dates and deadlines in order to be eligible to receive credit for courses.
Students must follow all attendance and accountability procedures as directed by Francis Howell School District officials.

SCHOOL DISTRICT RESPONSIBILITIES

Students will have access to their home high school site and all of its resources.
High school counselors will assist students with selecting high school courses and will advise students on potential application to the Early College Program.
The Francis Howell School District will ensure that all applicants to the Early College Program have met criteria for acceptance and understand the level of rigor involved with taking college courses while in high school.
The District will provide basic bus transportation services between each main high school site (FHC, FHHS, FHN) and the campus of SCC. The District will not be able to accommodate special scheduling needs outside of basic offerings.
The District will provide financial assistance (tuition, fees, and books) for ECP enrollees who participate in the Federal Free or Reduced Lunch program.

COLLEGE RESPONSIBILITIES

Students will have access to Saint Charles Community College and all of its resources.
SCC counselors will assist students with registration and selection of Early College Program courses.
Early College Program courses offered will be taught by SCC instructors who hold faculty status through the college.

core 42

The Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) has identified a common set of general education courses that they call the “Core 42.” Core 42 courses are guaranteed to transfer to any Missouri public college or university to satisfy general education requirements.

The Core 42 offers several courses across five knowledge areas: Communications (Oral & Written), Humanities and Fine Arts, Mathematical Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences. These courses are designated with a Missouri Transfer (MOTR) course number that guarantees the one-to-one transfer of these courses to all Missouri public institutions of higher education.

Students and families participating in the Early College Program will pay for all tuition, fees, and books associated with enrollment in the Early College Program.

Core 42 Courses – Saint Charles Community College

Only courses that have an assigned MOTR number are guaranteed to transfer as part of the Core 42 program. For more information about Core 42, please visit the Missouri Department of Higher Education Core 42 webpage.