Advanced Learning Opportunities

For students who have demonstrated strong interest and ability in specific areas, or interest in earning college credits while in high school, district 622 offers advanced learning through:

•   Advanced and Honors courses (refer to high school registration materials)
•   Advanced Placement (AP) courses
•   Articulated courses 
•   College in the Schools (CIS) courses
•   Concurrent Enrollment courses
•   Post-secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)

The registration information pages on both the North and Tartan websites have suggested coursework for students with specific interests. Students are encouraged to meet with their counselor to determine which coursework best suits their interests.

Advanced Placement

The National College Board’s Advanced Placement Program (AP) gives students an opportunity to take college-level courses and exams while they are still in high school. Through this program students may earn credit for high school courses; and, if they earn a grade of 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board test in May, they may also receive college credit for the equivalent course at more than 2900 colleges and universities that give credit for AP. Students can do this without having to leave their high school campus.
 

Articulated Courses

Juniors and seniors enrolled in specific courses in the Business, Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS), and Industrial Technology Departments may be eligible to earn college credit.  If students successfully complete the specified courses and enroll in at least one course at Century College after graduating from high school, they will receive credit for the specified courses completed while enrolled in District 622. 
 

College in the Schools (CIS)

College in the Schools (CIS) is a University of Minnesota (U of M) program that offers University courses in high schools. Student experience a faster pace and increased rigor of a U of M course and earn free college credits which are highly transferable.
 

Concurrent Enrollment

In Minnesota, concurrent enrollment courses are college courses offered at the high school, usually taught by a trained high school teacher. These are offered in partnership with a college or university. Students who successfully complete these courses generate both high school and transcripted college credit from the partnering postsecondary institution. Many people refer to these courses as College in the High School. There is no cost to the student to participate in these courses.  District 622 students have several options for concurrent enrollment at Century College.

Minnesota’s concurrent enrollment programs offer thousands of Minnesota students access to rigorous college courses in their high school buildings. Research shows that high school students who participate in an accelerated learning option, such as concurrent enrollment, benefit greatly from:

•   Exposure to high expectations.
•   Participation in challenging courses.
•   The momentum gained by earning college credits while still in high school.
   

Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)

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 (whichever is earlier), 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 online 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 8^th grade MCA. If 10th graders taking a CTE PSEO course earn at least a grade C in that class, they may take additional postsecondary courses. If the student did not take the MCA in 8^th-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.