Policy 6450 – Early College Credit Program

The Early College Credit Program (ECCP) allows all Wisconsin public and private students in high school grades who meet certain requirements to take postsecondary courses at a University of Wisconsin system school, tribally controlled college or private, nonprofit institution of higher education (IHE) in Wisconsin. Online courses offered by eligible postsecondary institution providers should be treated in the same manner as courses offered on a postsecondary institution campus. The Early College Credit Program opens the door to greater learning opportunities for students wishing to begin college early or students who want to prepare to enter the workforce immediately after high school graduation. All students enrolled in grades eight through eleven in the district shall be informed of the Early College Credit Program annually, prior to October 1 of the preceding school year.

Decisions regarding comparability of courses, satisfaction of district graduation requirements and the awarding of high school credit for courses taken through the Early College Credit Program are made in accordance with state law and established district procedures.

Through the Early College Credit Program, students may receive both high school and postsecondary credit for successfully completed courses. District high schools grant a diploma to students who successfully complete district high school graduation requirements, regardless of whether the student satisfied all or any portion of the requirements through the Early College Credit Program.

The School Board is responsible for the pre-established costs associated with students’ enrollment in a higher education course under the Early College Credit Program if the course is taken for high school credit and the course is not comparable to a course offered in the district. The district shall pay its respective portion for no more than a maximum of 18 postsecondary credits per student through either the Early College Credit Program or the Start College Now Program.

LEGAL REF.:

  • Wisconsin Statutes
    • Sections 118.13 [Student nondiscrimination]
    • 118.33 [High school graduation standards]
    • 118.145 (4) [Private school/parochial school participation in high school courses]
    • 118.51 [Full-time Open Enrollment]
    • 118.55 [Early College Credit Program]

CROSS REF.:

  • 5110 Equal Educational Opportunity/Discrimination Complaint
  • 5260 Full Time Open Enrollment
  • 5310 Student Attendance
  • 6421 Services for Students with Disabilities
  • 6423 Talent Development Program
  • 6426 Student Program or Curriculum Modifications
  • 6435 Start College Now Program
  • 6456 Graduation Requirements
  • Special Education Program and Procedure Manual

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS: None

AFFIRMED: March 27, 2018

REVISED: July 24, 2018

Rule 6450 – Early College Credit Program

All students in high school grades and who meet the program requirements defined by law are eligible to participate in the Early College Credit Program. The student must:

  • complete the 8th grade.
  • apply to the institute of higher education (IHE) in the school semester prior to the one in which the student plans to attend the postsecondary course.
  • notify the school board of the district in which they are enrolled, through a high school counselor or designee, of the student’s intent to enroll in an institute of higher education. The deadlines for filing the form are no later than March 1 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester. The notice shall include the titles of the courses in which the pupil intends to enroll, the number of credits of each course and shall specify whether they are taking the courses for high school and/or post-secondary credit.

The student’s parent/guardian is responsible for satisfactory student attendance and compliance with the state compulsory school attendance law. Nonresident open enrollment students attending courses in the District have all the rights and privileges of resident students and are subject to the same rules and regulations as resident students.

The board or designee shall determine whether a postsecondary course is eligible for high school credit, how many high school credits may be awarded, and whether the course is comparable to a course offered in the district. Such decisions shall be made consistent with state law requirements and established by district procedures. Students in grades 9-12 may be eligible to take respective post-secondary courses during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Participation in this program is limited to a total of 18 college credits, though there is no annual or semester limits.

Admission and Notification

The school board shall notify the pupil of its determinations, in writing, before the beginning of the semester in which the pupil will be enrolled. If the pupil disagrees with the school board’s decision regarding comparability of courses, satisfaction of high school graduation requirements or the number of high school credits to be awarded, the pupil may appeal the school board’s decision to the state superintendent within 30 days after the decision. The state superintendent’s decision shall be final and is not subject to review.

If an institution of higher education admits a pupil, it shall notify the school board of the school district in which the pupil is enrolled, in writing, within 30 days after the beginning of classes at the institution of higher education. The notification shall include the course or courses in which the pupil is enrolled. If a pupil is not admitted to attend the course that he or she specified in the notice but is admitted to attend a different course, the pupil shall immediately notify the school board of the school district in which he or she is enrolled and the school board shall inform the pupil of its determinations regarding the course to which the pupil was admitted as soon as practicable.

Responsibility of Costs Between the District and the IHE

The school board in which a pupil attending an institution of higher education is enrolled shall be responsible for the following amount within 30 days after the end of the semester. The school board shall pay the institution of higher education, on behalf of the pupil, the following amount for any course that is taken for high school credit and that is not comparable to a course offered in the school district:

  • If the pupil is taking a course for high school credit, regardless of whether the course is also taken for postsecondary credit, and if the course is not comparable to a course offered in the school district, 75 percent of the actual cost of tuition for the course.
  • If the pupil takes a course under the ECCP at a high school in a school district or at a participating private school, the school board of the school district shall be responsible for the costs of books and other necessary materials for the course.
  • If the pupil is taking a course for postsecondary credit and if the course is not comparable to a course offered in the school district, 25 percent of the actual cost of tuition for the course.

Postsecondary courses taken by high school students under the following three conditions are not subject to the cost sharing model under the Early College Credit Program.

  1. The School Board and either the chancellor of a University of Wisconsin (UW) System 4-year institution or the president of a private, non-profit institution (i.e. a member of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities) have entered in an agreement to provide a college credit in a high school program to academically qualified students under which participating students may take the course for postsecondary credit (e.g., dual credit program); and
  2. The instruction of students in the course takes place in a school building in the school district or a school district facility; and
  3. The individual who provides instruction in the course is a high school teacher who is employed by the school district and certified or approved to provide the instruction by the participating UW-System institution or private, non-profit institution, or a faculty member of the participating UW-System institution or private, non-profit institution, as applicable to the particular college credit in high school program agreement.

If a school board is required to pay, the tuition charged for each credit assigned to the course may not exceed the following:

  • For an institution of higher education other than a University of Wisconsin college campus, one-third of the amount that would be charged for each credit assigned to the course to an individual who is a resident of this state and who is enrolled in the educational institution as an undergraduate student. Neither the institution of higher education nor the school board may charge any additional costs or fees to a pupil to attend a course.
  • For an institution of higher education that is a University of Wisconsin college campus, one-half of the amounts that would be charged for each credit assigned to the course to an individual who is a resident of this state and who is enrolled in the college campus as an undergraduate student. Neither the college campus nor the school board may charge any additional costs or fees to a pupil to attend a course.
  • For an institution of higher education, one-third of the amount that would be charged for each credit assigned to a similar course offered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison to an individual who is a resident of this state and who is enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an undergraduate student. Neither the institution of higher education nor the school board may charge any additional costs or fees to a pupil to attend a course.

Within 30 days after the end of the semester, the school board shall pay the institution, on behalf of the pupil, the amount determined and shall submit an itemized report to the department of instruction of the amounts paid under this subdivision. The secretary of the department of workforce development shall, on behalf of the school board, pay to the department of public instruction the following amount:

  • For a pupil who took a course for high school credit, 25 percent of the actual cost of tuition for the course. The department of public instruction shall reimburse the school board the amount received from the department of workforce development.
  • For a pupil who took a course for postsecondary credit, 50 percent of the actual cost of tuition for the course. The department of public instruction shall reimburse the school board the amount received from the department of workforce development.
  • If the appropriation in any fiscal year is insufficient to reimburse all school districts and all governing bodies eligible for the full amount of reimbursable tuition costs, the secretary of the department of workforce development shall notify the state superintendent, who shall prorate the amount of the payments under among eligible school districts and governing bodies.

Responsibility of Pupil for Tuition and Fees

A pupil taking a course at an institution of higher education for high school credit is not responsible for any portion of the tuition and fees for the course if the school board has determined that the course is not comparable to a course offered in the school district.

A pupil taking a course at an institution of higher education for high school credit is responsible for the tuition and fees for the course if the school board has determined that the course is comparable to a course offered in the school district.

A pupil taking a course at an institution of higher education only for postsecondary credit is responsible for 25 percent of the actual cost of tuition for the course. The school board shall establish a written policy governing the timing and method for recovering from the pupil or the pupil’s parent or guardian the pupil’s share of tuition.

The school board shall waive the pupil’s responsibility for costs if the department determines that the cost of the course would pose an undue financial burden on the pupil’s family.

The parent/guardian or student is responsible for transportation between the school and the participating Early College Credit postsecondary institution. The parent or guardian of a pupil who is attending an institution of higher education or technical college and is taking a course for high school credit may apply to the state superintendent for reimbursement of the cost of transporting the pupil between the high school in which the pupil is enrolled and the institution of higher education or technical college that the pupil is attending if the pupil and the pupil’s parent or guardian are unable to pay the cost of such transportation. The state superintendent shall determine the reimbursement amount and shall pay the amount. The state superintendent shall give preference to those pupils who satisfy the income eligibility criteria for a free or reduced-price lunch.

If a pupil receives a failing grade in a course, or fails to complete a course, at an institution of higher education or technical college for which the school board has made payment, the pupil’s parent or guardian, or the pupil if he or she is an adult, shall reimburse the school board the amount paid on the pupil’s behalf upon the school board’s request. If a school board that requests reimbursement of a payment made is not reimbursed as requested, the pupil on whose behalf the payment was made is ineligible for any further participation in the program. A grade that constitutes a failing grade for a course offered in the school district constitutes a failing grade for a course taken at an institution of higher education or technical college.