What is dual enrollment in college courses?

By Kathryn Flynn

May 25, 2019

Dual enrollment allows high school students to take college classes while they are still enrolled in high school. These classes count for both high school and college credit. High school students who complete dual-enrollment classes generally take fewer classes in college and save money on total college costs.

Not all students are eligible to take dual-enrollment classes. Requirements vary by state, but in most cases, students must be a junior or senior in high school and maintain a minimum GPA to participate in dual enrollment. In some cases, dual-enrollment classes are available to students who have completed most of their high school graduation requirements.

How dual enrollment works

Dual enrollment, also referred to as dual credit, allows current high students to take college-level classes that count for high school and college credit. The types of dual-enrollment classes offered varies by high school district, but many include introductory college coursework in subjects like Humanities, English, Math, Social Studies and Science.

Most dual-enrollment classes are taken at the student’s high school, local community college or online. Home-schooled students may also take dual-enrollment courses if they meet state requirements. Dual-enrollment classes are available for students pursuing a Bachelor’s degree, Associate’s degree or Career and Technical Education certificates.

To earn college credit, students must pass a dual-enrollment class with a C or better. The grade earned will be part of the student’s college academic record. Unlike AP classes, students do not have to pass an exam to earn college credit. College admissions counselors may consider dual-enrollment grades during the admissions process.

However, not all colleges accept dual-enrollment credits. An in-state public college is more likely to accept dual-enrollment credits than out-of-state public colleges or private colleges. Students should research their dual-enrollment options and meet with their school counselor before enrolling in a dual-enrollment class.

Dual-enrollment requirements

Dual-enrollment requirements vary by state. Many states only offer dual-enrollment classes to high school juniors and seniors. Three states require dual-enrollment students to be at least a sophomore in high school, and 12 states require the student to be at least a junior. Some states will allow younger students to take dual-enrollment classes if they are considered gifted.

High school students in Alabama, Florida, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri and North Carolina must have a minimum GPA to participate in dual-enrollment classes, typically at least a 3.0. In many states, students must provide a written recommendation from a teacher, principal, coach or other high school or college staff member to be eligible for dual enrollment. Other eligibility requirements may include:

• Parent permission

• College course prerequisites or other course placement criteria

• Minimum ACT or SAT test scores

• Entrance requirements set by the college

Dual enrollment helps students save on college costs

Dual enrollment is a cost-effective way to earn college credit. Students who earn college credit during high school generally have to take fewer classes in college to earn a degree. Career and Technical Education students who complete dual-enrollment classes may also be able to enter the workforce sooner.

Dual-enrollment classes cost between $0 to $400, according to Education Week, which is significantly less than the cost of a traditional college class.

Dual-enrollment tuition costs may be covered by the state, the student’s high school district, the student or their parent, or some combination of these. In nine states, the student or their parents are primarily responsible for paying dual-enrollment tuition.

Families who have to pay for dual-enrollment credits may use a 529 plan to cover tuition costs. However, 529 plan withdrawals used to pay for other dual-enrollment expenses, such as books and supplies, will be a considered non-qualified distribution. The earnings portion of a non-qualified 529 plan distribution is subject to income tax and a 10% penalty, and any state tax benefits claimed may be subject to recapture.

Other Benefits of Dual Enrollment

Students who participate in dual-enrollment programs are more likely to graduate from high school, enroll in college, enroll full-time in college, earn higher grades in college and graduate from college. They are also more likely to obtain a Bachelor’s degree than an Associate’s degree or certificate.

Several studies have shown that dual-enrollment students are much more likely to graduate from college than students who do not take dual-enrollment classes:

A 2017 Illinois study reported that dual enrollment students were nine percentage points more likely to attain a Bachelor’s degree.

This confirms the results of a 2013 national study which reported a 10 percentage point increase in college graduation rates, especially among low-income students.

A 2012 Community College Research Center study also found improvements in high school graduation rates and enrollment in 4-year colleges, plus a reduction in the need for remedial classes in college.

PJC Dual Credit Program

QISD has given students the opportunity to earn over 5000 collective college hours over the past seven years due to a partnership with Paris Junior College.  Qualifying FHS students can earn from 12 to 60 college credit hours during their junior and senior years in high school, with some even earning an Associates degree before high school graduation.  QISD offers this program at no cost to the student, including books, transportation, fees, tuition, caps, and gowns.  To date, we have had 81 students graduate with full Associates degrees in the past four years.

Counselors meet with students in the spring semester of each year to discuss requirements and expectations.  Those who apply and then are selected to move forward in the process will be given the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) exam, and those who pass the required sections will be enrolled in the program.

Basic qualifications include:

1.  An 80 or higher average in Math and Science for the current and previous school years, 

2.  Scores on English I, English II, Biology, and Algebra I STAAR EOC exams must be passed at the "Approaches" level or higher on the first attempt.

3.  Excellent attendance and discipline records

4.  Teacher Recommendation Forms totaling up to 20 points each from four teachers (5 points each) for the current school year (new criteria for 2019)

5.  Signed Application (application sent home 1/25/2019), 50 points.

6.  Attendance by a parent/guardian at a parent information meeting TBA later this spring (30 points).

7.  Passing TSI scores in the Reading and Writing portions prior to initial program admission, and in Math before 12th grade begins

8.  A student taking any course on a PJC campus must submit records of current Meningitis vaccination (within 5 years).

If you have questions about the program, please contact your child's counselor.

AS PER ADMINISTRATIVE RULE CHANGES IN MAY, NO STUDENT WILL BE ALLOWED TO TRANSPORT HIM/HERSELF TO PJC BEGINNING FALL OF 2017.  Students who miss the PJC bus must have a parent/guardian contact Mr. Wallen, then take them to PJC or have the student remain on campus during periods 1-3.  

All students must maintain a minimum of a B in each course taken in the Dual Credit program.  If a student earns a C, he/she will be placed on academic probation for the next semester.  If another grade of C is earned in that probationary semester, he/she will be removed from the program at the end of that semester.  Parent/guardian must refund tuition paid on the student's behalf if a student fails a course. For example, if a student fails ENGL 1301, his/her guardian must refund the district for the tuition paid for ENGL 1301. 

TEXAS SUCCESS INITIATIVE (TSI)

Students attending Texas public institutions of higher education must be in compliance with the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), as of fall 2003 (Texas Education Code §51.3062) in order to enroll in public institutions of higher education. The law requires all entering college students to be assessed for college readiness in reading, mathematics and writing unless the student qualifies for an exemption. Each student who fails to meet the minimum passing standard of the exam offered by the institution must be placed in a developmental education program designed to help the student achieve college readiness.

For students enrolling without a TSI Exemption, they will be required to take the TSI Assessment, to measure student proficiency in the basic areas of study for fulfillment of the TSI requirement. Students are required to enroll in developmental education coursework if they do not reach the college level standard on the TSI Assessment prior to the start of a semester. Students are granted unlimited opportunities to take the TSI Assessment prior to a semester before being required to enroll in developmental education.

Students required to take the TSI Assessment are subject to the following standards to be considered college-ready:

• ELAR -  945

• Math -  950

A student may be exempt from meeting TSI standards by meeting one of the following standards:

• ACT – Composite score of 23 or higher, with individual math, reading and English scores of no less than 19.

• SAT – Earned scores on the Evidence-Based Reading  and Writing assessment of 480, and a minimum score of 530 in Mathematics.   

• STAAR end-of-course (EOC) – A minimum score of Level 2 on the English III shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for both reading and writing, and a minimum score of Level 2 on the Algebra II EOC shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for the mathematics section.

DUAL (COLLEGE) CREDIT COURSES 

Parent/Guardian Information Meetings scheduled for new PJC Dual Credit Candidates are scheduled in February/March for new students interested in the program.

A parent or guardian MUST attend 1 of these meetings for the student to be considered for the program. 

 Students at Ford High School may earn college credit and high school credit simultaneously through dual enrollment through a partnership with Paris Junior College. Three dual credit programs are available:

• Traditional -  up to 27 college credits may be earned during a student’s junior and senior year

• Core -  up to 48 college credits earned during a student’s summers before their junior and senior year, junior year, and senior year. 

• Associate - 60 college credits earned and student graduates from Paris Junior College with an Associate’s Degree prior to his high school graduation. Students attend classes during summers before their junior and senior year, junior year, and senior year.

• Advanced Dual Credit Math (1314, 1342) – 6 hours of college credit earned embedded (on campus) in a student’s FHS class schedule. 

• Advanced Dual Credit English (1301, 1302) – 6 hours of college credit earned embedded (on campus) in a student’s FHS class schedule.

DUAL CREDIT/TSI

The following information is relevant for all parents and/or guardians of any PJC dual credit student regardless of the student’s age. Your student has officially enrolled in an institution of higher education, and as a result, your student is now protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974.

What does this mean?

When a student reaches the age of 18 or begins attending a post secondary institution, regardless of age, FERPA rights are transferred from the parent/guardian to the student.  Students must act on their own behalf.  Parents, guardians, relatives, or friends of SBCC students are not permitted to enroll, drop, or add classes on behalf of the student.  The same applies to requesting transcripts or grade verifications.  

Below you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions received from parents/guardians. 

As a parent/guardian, do I have access to my son or daughter's academic records?

Parents/guardians of community college students do not have a right to access their children's student records, regardless of whether the student is under the age of 18.

I am a parent/guardian and I need help logging in to, navigating, and/or processing transactions in my student's Blackboard account. What do I do?

College officials may only assist the student with access to his/her Blackboard account, which contains records covered under FERPA. Additionally, students at PJC are expected to act on their own behalf. Parents, guardians, relatives, or friends of PJC students are not permitted to enroll, drop, or add classes on behalf of the student.

As a parent/guardian, can I contact my son's/daughter's instructor regarding course content, assignments and/or grading policy?

Your student is enrolled in a college course and it is important to understand that instructors prefer to work directly with students, as opposed to the type of parent/guardian interactions you are accustomed to at the high school level. Under FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) instructors are not required to discuss student performance or other student-related issues with parents/guardians.

Since the community college environment addresses the learning needs of adults, there are some concerns to consider when enrolling in courses at PJC such as: The possibility of controversial content of courses, the maturity level of minor students that enables them to learn the content and perform at an equivalent level to the adults in the classroom, the ability for minors to perform out-of-class assignments that may require travel or admission to adult environments such as R-rated movies.

PJC Faculty establish a syllabus for each course, which include the course content or objectives, assignments, a general guide to the pacing of the course and information about how grades will be determined. Once a student receives the syllabus for the course from the instructor, the syllabus becomes the contract between the student and teacher. FHS has no bearing, discourse, or consequence in how the PJC professor runs his/her class, calculates his/her grades, grades his/her assignments, or considers attendance.

As a parent/guardian, can I request a grade progress report from my son's/daughter's instructor?

Under FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) instructors are not required to discuss student performance or other student-related issues with parents/guardians, including progress or grades.

My son/daughter did not pass one or more of the STAAR EOC exams in 9th grade on their first attempt, but did pass on the second attempt.  Can she or he still qualify for the program?

Unfortunately, no.  Our program criteria are set in this way in order to ensure student success.  Students who have difficulty passing the STAAR EOC exams on the first attempt have historically had a much lower success rate overall in a dual credit program, and our Board has set that standard so that we have the highest success rate possible, as the program is quite expensive for us to offer. 

My student failed a course at PJC, or received a 2nd C while on probation, and has been removed from the program.  Can I pay for the courses and keep my student in the program?

No.  Once a student is removed from the program, he/she is ineligible to rejoin.  If you would like to pay PJC and enroll your student in online courses or evening courses on your own, feel free to do so.  He or she may not use class time or any QISD resources for those courses, including transportation, class time, or textbooks. 

I don't agree with the policies for selection criteria or removal from courses. What is the appeals process?

We do not have any appeal process for those who do not meet the criteria, or for those who are removed from the program. We have very stringent standards and our selection and retention policy is rigorous, with high expectations.