Code: IDCH

160-4-2-.34 DUAL ENROLLMENT.

(1) DEFINITIONS

 (a) Commission – the Georgia Student Finance Commission created by O.C.G.A. §

20-2-161.3.

  (b) Dual Credit Course – a postsecondary course, including a virtual course, taken by an eligible high school student pursuant to an arrangement at or through an eligible postsecondary institution for which the student receives secondary credit from his or her eligible high school.

  (c) Eligible High School – any private or public secondary educational institution located within the State of Georgia and any home study program operated pursuant to O.C.G.A. 20-2-690.

  (d) Eligible High School Student – a student entering ninth, tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade at an eligible high school.

  (e) Eligible Postsecondary Institution – any eligible postsecondary institution as defined in. paragraph (7) of O.C.G.A § 20-3-519.

  (f) Georgia Department of Education – the state agency charged with the fiscal and administrative management of certain aspects of K-12 public education, including the implementation of federal and state mandates. Such management is subject to supervision and oversight by the State Board of Education.

  (g) Program – an arrangement authorized by O.C.G.A § 20-2-161.3 whereby an eligible high school student takes one or more dual credit courses with the goal of completing postsecondary credit and high school diploma requirements.

  (h) Secondary Credit – a high school credit for dual credit courses taken at or through an eligible postsecondary institution under the program.

(2) REQUIREMENTS

  (a) Any eligible high school student may apply to an eligible postsecondary institution to take one or more dual credit courses at or through that postsecondary institution which are approved for secondary credit pursuant to subsection (f) of O.C.G.A. § 20-2-161.3. If accepted at an eligible postsecondary institution, such eligible high school student may take any such approved dual credit course at or through that postsecondary institution, whether or not the course is taught during the regular eligible high school day and receive secondary credit therefor under the conditions provided in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-161.3.

  (b) No later than the first day of February each year, each eligible high school shall provide information about the program, which shall include forms provided by the Georgia Department of Education, to all its eligible high school students. An eligible high school shall also provide counseling services to such students and their parents or guardians before the students enroll in the program. Prior to participating in the program, the student and the student’s parent or guardian shall sign the form provided by the eligible high school or by an eligible postsecondary institution stating that they have received the counseling specified in this subsection and that they understand the responsibilities that shall be assumed in participating in the program.

  1. Program information and materials shall be provided to each eighth grade public school student at the time the student is developing his or her individual graduation plan as required by O.C.G.A. § 20-2-327.

  (c) Each eligible high school shall be required to execute a participation agreement as prescribed by the commission.

  (d) A participating eligible high school shall grant secondary credit to an eligible high school student enrolled in a dual credit course in an eligible postsecondary institution if such student successfully completes that course. The secondary credit granted shall be for a comparable required course; career, technical, and agricultural education course; or elective course. Upon completion of an eligible postsecondary institution’s dual credit course, the eligible high school student shall be responsible for requesting that the

eligible postsecondary institution notify the student’s eligible high school regarding his or

her grade in that course.

  1. Secondary credits granted for eligible postsecondary institution dual credit courses as provided in (2)(d) shall be counted by the eligible high school toward graduation requirements and subject area requirements of the eligible high school. Evidence of successful completion of each dual credit course and secondary credits granted shall be included in the eligible high school student’s secondary school records and transcripts.

  2. Grades earned at an eligible postsecondary institution shall be included on the high school transcript and shall be used, by the eligible high school, to compute a student’s grade point average.

  3. Secondary credits granted at an eligible postsecondary institution shall be converted and transcribed on the eligible high school student’s transcript.

  (i) Eligible postsecondary institution semester hour credit shall be converted to secondary credit as follows:

(I) 1 to 2 semester hours = .5 secondary credit

(II) 3 to 5 semester hours = 1 secondary credit

(III) 1 to 3 quarter hour credits = .5 secondary credit

(IV) 4 to 8 quarter hour credits = 1 secondary credit.

  (e) A participating eligible high school shall be required to award a high school diploma to any eligible high school student who is enrolled at or through an eligible postsecondary institution under the program as long as the credit earned at or through such postsecondary institution satisfies course requirements needed for the eligible high school student to complete high school graduation.

  1. An eligible high school student shall meet the following requirements in order to be awarded a high school diploma through the program:

  (i) Receives a score of admission acceptable on the readiness assessment required by the eligible postsecondary institution.

  (ii) Earns two secondary credits in State Board identified high school courses that culminate in a state administered end-of-course assessment in each of the following subject areas: English/language arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Eligible high school students must participate in the appropriate end-of-course assessment.

   (I) However, State Board of Education Rule 160-3-1-.07 TESTING PROGRAMS – STUDENT ASSESSMENT (2)(j)1 establishes certain exemptions from end-of-course assessments

(iii) Earns one secondary credit in health and physical education.

(iv) Completes one of the following postsecondary requirements:

(I) An associate degree program;

  (II) A technical college diploma program and all postsecondary academic education and technical education and training prerequisites for any state, national, or industry occupational certifications or licenses required to work in the field; or

  (III) At least two technical college certificate of credit programs in one specific career pathway and all postsecondary academic education and technical education and training prerequisites for any state, national, or industry occupational certifications or licenses required to work in the field as determined by the Technical College System of Georgia.

Authority: O.C.G.A. §§ 20-2-149.2 and 20-2-161.3

 Adopted: November 3, 2016                                 Effective:  November 23, 2016