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Administrative Procedures 6000 - Instruction
Administrative Procedure 6155 - Dual Enrollment Program

Administrative Procedure 6155 - Dual Enrollment Program

I. Purpose

The purpose of this administrative procedure is to outline the criteria, rules, and process for the implementation of Prince George’s County Public Schools’ (PGCPS) Dual Enrollment Program.

II. Policy

The Prince George's County Board of Education (Board) vows to close achievement gaps and raise achievement for all students in Prince George’s County by ensuring “equitable access” to a high quality education that guarantees that every child graduating from PGCPS is college and work ready. (Board Policy 0118)  

III. Background

  1. The College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013 established a number of requirements based on specific higher education initiatives from across the nation designed to increase college readiness and degree completion in the state. One of the bill’s targeted initiatives included dual enrollment.
  2. The Dual Enrollment Program is an opportunity for a PGCPS high school student to take courses at a college or university. PGCPS will pay tuition for high school juniors and seniors dually enrolled in qualified courses at any Maryland public college or university. Students participating in the program are responsible for paying the associated fees and textbooks, with exception of students eligible for free and reduced meals. For students who are eligible for free and reduced meals, PGCPS will pay for their fees and textbooks for courses at institutions with which PGCPS has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). PGCPS has an MOU with Prince George’s Community College (PGCC), Bowie State University (BSU) and the University of Maryland College Park Calculus program (UMD).

IV. Definitions

The following definitions apply to the content of this administrative procedure:

  1. Accuplacer College Placement Exam – A college placement exam that is administered online at specified times during the school year.
  2. Dual Credit Courses – Courses where students receive both high school credit AND college credit. These courses are limited, and are pre-approved by PGCPS’ Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Students might be enrolled in a dual enrollment course but not necessarily receive dual credit. (Please check with the Office of College Readiness for list of courses at www.pgcps.org/dualenrollment).
  3. Dual Enrollment – PGCPS students enrolled in high school and college courses at any Maryland public college or university.
  4. Homeschool Students – Instruction provided by a parent or legal guardian who desires to teach a child at home in lieu of enrolling him or her in a public or private school. A parent or legal guardian who chooses to teach a child at home must complete and sign the Home Schooling Notification form prescribed by the Maryland State Board of Education and provided in Administrative Procedure 5113.5.
  5. Nonpublic Office – An office in the PGCPS Department of Special Education that supports the provision of specialized instruction for students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment.
  6. Specialty Programs – Programs that focus on specific content areas, such as: Programs 3D Scholars, Talent Ready, Information Technology Early College (ITEC), Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-Tech) and the Academy of Health Sciences (AHS).
  7. Weighted Grade – In the Dual Enrollment Program, selected dual credit courses are approved for additional weighting. The college letter grade will be converted to numerical equivalents when computing the high school Grade Point Average (GPA) as follows: A=5; B=4.0; C=3.0; D=2.0; E=0.

V. Procedures

  1. Eligibility Requirements – To participate in the Dual Enrollment Program, students must be enrolled in PGCPS, which includes PGCPS Public Charter Schools, prior to submitting a dual enrollment application, and also meet the following criteria:
    1. Have a class status of 11th or 12th grader. Students may begin taking courses during the summer prior to entering 11th grade;
    2. Possess a minimum 2.5 cumulative high school GPA;
    3. Meet minimum college placement test score requirements, if applicable, on the SAT, ACT, or Accuplacer exam for the applicable college or university prior to submitting the dual enrollment application. Colleges may utilize an unweighted GPA or other multiple measures in lieu of a standardized test score. (Please note: Developmental (remedial) courses may not be taken as part of the dual enrollment program);
    4. Meet all additional eligibility requirements for the college or university to which the student intends to apply; and
    5. Possess transportation to and from the college campus. Specialty Programs may transport students to a college campus with appropriate parental permission.
    6. PGCPS will communicate to eligible students the opportunity to participate in the program.
  2. Accuplacer College Placement Exam – PGCPS works in partnership with PGCC to administer the Accuplacer exam.
    1. Students may take the exam during the Spring semester of 10th grade year, Fall or Spring of 11th grade, and/or Fall of 12th grade.
    2. Students must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative high school GPA to qualify to take the exam.
    3. Students will take the exam during the school day at their assigned high school. Dual enrollment students are not permitted to test at college sites.
    4. Students may only take the exam once each semester.
  3. Registration Process – All documents referenced can be obtained online from the Office of College Readiness at www.pgcps.org/dualenrollment or from the student’s professional school counselor. Students are required to:
    1. Submit completed registration information for dual enrollment and other documents for the application. The form must be signed by the parent/guardian, student, professional school counselor/designee and principal/designee.
    2. Complete the application forms for the college of interest on the college’s website. Required documents vary per college/university. Dual enrollment students returning to the same college/university must apply each semester.
    3. Attend required new student orientation at the college, if applicable.
    4. Students receiving accommodations through a Section 504 Plan or Individualized Educational Program (IEP) must reach out to the college’s Disability Support Services directly to receive accommodations at least one month prior to the start of the college course. Additional documentation may be requested by the college.
  4. Course Selection
    1. Students are permitted to take any college course they qualify for, based on college placement test scores. Not all college courses meet the requirements for high school graduation credit. The Office of College Readiness maintains the list of courses that have been approved for high school graduation credit (dual credit).

      Please note this list  is updated annually and can be found at http://www.pgcps.org/dualenrollment/.
    2. PGCPS will not pay for developmental college courses.
    3. Students must take at least one (1) credit bearing course at their high school during both the fall and spring semesters of their senior year. (Please see Administrative Procedure 6150 for a list of complete graduation requirements.)
    4. Dual credit courses taken during the Spring Semester of the senior year will not appear on the student’s high school transcript nor can they be used for graduation requirements. Certification for high school graduation occurs before grades are retrieved from the colleges/universities.
    5. Students are permitted to take more than one course per semester; however, the number of courses per semester may be limited based on the student’s success in the dual enrollment courses.
    6. Students enrolled in PGCPS may take college courses during Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.
  5. Course Grades
    1.  
      1. The final letter grade for courses that have been approved by PGCPS for dual credit will appear on the student’s high school transcript and will be reflected in the appropriate GPA regardless of grade earned. For pre-approved dual credit courses, if a student receives an “F”, meaning Failure or “FX”, meaning Failure due to ceased attendance and participation, in their college course, a grade of “E”, meaning Failure, will be the grade earned for the high school course and will appear on the student’s official high school transcript. If a student receives a “W”, meaning Withdrawal or “NA” meaning not attended, in their college course, a “W” will be the grade earned for the high school course and will appear on the student’s official high school transcript.
      2. During the semester, dual credit courses will appear on the student’s high school schedule and report card; however, a grade of “UC” will appear until the final grade is received from the college or university. “UC” denotes university/college. Please contact the Office of College Readiness for the pre- approved list of dual credit courses.
    2. If students are participating in Dual Enrollment at an institution where PGCPS does not have a MOU, students must complete the appropriate form (Dual Credit Request form found at www.pgcps.org/offices/dual-enrollment), and attach the syllabus for the course at least 30 days prior to the start of the course for potential approval as dual credit. If approved, an official transcript with final grades must be submitted to their professional school counselor to be reviewed and to be added to the high school transcript. Only requests from public, accredited, non-profit colleges/universities in Maryland should be submitted.
    3. The course and grade earned will not appear on the high school transcript if the courses are not on the pre-approved dual credit course list or if the student has not complied with the pre-approval process referenced above in Section V. E. 2.
      1. If a parent would not like a dual credit course to appear on the high school transcript, they must submit the request in writing to the Office of College Readiness within the first two weeks of the start of the course.
      2. PGCPS reserves the right to charge students for 90% of tuition paid, and to not pay for future courses, if the student receives a grade of an “E”, “FX” or “F” or “NA” in a course or withdraws “W” from a course. If a student earns a failing grade in a course, i.e. “E”, “FX” or “F”, the student may retake the course and the parent/guardian is responsible for the cost of tuition and any associated fees.
    5. Students who take a dual credit course and a similar course in their high school, for example Honors Biology and Biology DE (dual enrollment) will have both courses represented on the high school transcript and both courses will be calculated in the student’s GPA.
    6. Students who begin taking courses in the summer will have the dual credit courses reflected on the transcript for the upcoming school year. For example, courses taken during the summer of 2021 will appear on their high school transcript for the school year 2021-2022.
  6. Payment
    1. PGCPS will pay tuition for all eligible PGCPS dual enrollment students enrolled in a Maryland public university or college who follow the PGCPS timeline and protocol for enrollment.
    2. PGCPS will also pay all fees and textbook expenses for students who are eligible for free and reduced meals (FARMS).
    3. Students who are not eligible for free and reduced meals are responsible for payment of all fees and textbooks.  
  7. Students Not Attending a PGCPS High School
    1. PGCPS students receiving services from the Nonpublic Office in the Department of Special Education are eligible to participate in the dual enrollment program.
    2. Students who are homeschooled or attend private school are not eligible for the PGCPS Dual Enrollment Program.
  8. Specialty Programs (e.g., International Baccalaureate, Science and Technology and Visual and Performing Arts)
    1. Students in specialty programs are required to take the necessary courses for completion. Students may choose to take the equivalent courses for dual enrollment that will also meet the specialty program requirements.
    2. Specialty Dual Enrollment Programs such as 3D Scholars, Talent Ready, Information Technology Early College (ITEC), Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-Tech) and the Academy of Health Sciences (AHS) may include separate and additional guidelines.
    3. Underage TAG Program-Students are able to take college courses once they complete the 7th grade if they meet both of the following criteria:
      1. Identified as Talented and Gifted (TAG) by a Local School System (LSS); and
      2. Meet standardized testing benchmark as defined by Maryland Code and the college admissions policies.
      3. Families are responsible for tuition, fees, textbooks and transportation. If a student would like dual credit, they must submit an official transcript from their college (PGCC or Bowie State University (BSU)) to their Professional School Counselor and Specialty Program Coordinator (if applicable) each semester. It will be evaluated based on the approved dual credit list for that school year.  

VI. Monitoring and Compliance

The Office of College Readiness will monitor:

  1. Student success in dual enrollment courses; and
  2. Implementation of eligibility

VII. Related Policies and Procedures

VIII. Legal References

  • Maryland Code, Education Article §§ 18-14A-01 & 05
  • COMAR 13A.02.06.03
  • COMAR 13A.03.02
  • COMAR 13A.03.02.04
  • COMAR 13B.07.02.01

IX. Maintenance and Update of These Procedures

This administrative procedure originates with the Department of Student Services and will be updated as needed.

X. Cancellations and Supersedures

This administrative procedure cancels and supersedes the version dated February 27, 2019.

XI. Effective Date

October 24, 2022

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