PSEO Information Guide

What is PSEO?

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO): The PSEO program is a dual credit program that allows high school students to simultaneously earn high school and college credit through enrollment in and successful completion of college-level courses on a college campus or online. Students may take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis. The PSEO program provides students with a greater variety of class offerings as well as the opportunity to pursue more challenging coursework than may be available at the high school. The tuition, fees and required textbooks are at no cost to students.

Who can do PSEO?

Postsecondary institutions determine admission standards to participate in specific PSEO programs and courses. School districts do not make this determination. The postsecondary institution also determines the eligibility of a PSEO student to continue in the program if his/her grade(s) falls below a certain threshold.

Generally, students in grades 11 and 12 can participate in PSEO if they have a 2.5 GPA or higher, are in the top half of their class, meet required scores on the Accuplacer (placement test used by colleges to determine student’s abilities in math, reading, and writing.) and have at least one open period in their high school course schedule.

Interested and eligible 11th- and 12th-grade students should contact the postsecondary institution to find out their eligibility requirements, which courses are offered and what the application process is at that institution. This information can typically be found on the college or university’s website.

Postsecondary institutions determine the number of postsecondary courses a student can take. This could be one or more courses as allowed by the postsecondary institution.

School districts must allow students to enroll in high school courses in addition to any number of postsecondary courses. High school students are always eligible to enroll in high school courses in addition to any number of postsecondary courses as long as the student has at least one free period at the high school. Refer to the Participation Limits section for additional information.

School districts cannot set a minimum number of high school classes as a prerequisite for participating in PSEO. The high school sets the graduation requirements; however, a school district cannot require a student to take a certain number of courses at the high school in order to take a PSEO class.

School districts cannot set a minimum OR limit the number of PSEO courses the student can take. The district receives aid based on the number of credit-bearing class hours a student takes at the high school, not how many courses a student takes at the college.

How much does PSEO cost?

PSEO is FREE to high school students. The cost of tuition and books is paid for by the state. Students are only responsible to pay for their general supplies (i.e. paper, pencils, etc.) and their transportation.

PSEO students may be charged fees for the following:

· Equipment. If the equipment required for a course becomes the property of the pupil after the course has ended, the post-secondary institution may charge the student for this equipment.

·Not returning textbooks or materials. Each pupil is required to return all textbooks and materials to the post-secondary institution after the course has ended. Post-secondary institutions may charge the student a fee for the late return or no return of textbooks or materials. Textbooks or materials not returned may be charged to the student at the used price.

·Placement retest. Depending on a post-secondary institution’s policy for placement testing, a student may be charged for retesting.

How do the Credits Work?

Students can earn both high school and college credit in PSEO. At the end of each semester the college will mail student grades to STEP. Once verified, the PSEO Coordinator will put these credits into the students’ high school transcript. PSEO students’ must meet the high school credit requirements for graduation. Students must meet with the PSEO Coordinator to complete a credit check and a course plan prior to registering each semester to ensure they are taking courses that will meet graduation requirements and are on track to graduate on time.

Credit Equivalents: College credits and STEP credits are NOT calculated the same way. The conversion of post-secondary college credits to high school credits has to be at least a 4:1 ratio, not any less. Whatever is considered one year of high school credit in a district for a subject area is equivalent to at least four college credits.

STEP Credit College Credit

0.25 ( 1 Quarter) 1

0.5 (1 Semester or 2 Quarters) 2

0.75 3

1.0 (2 Semester or Yearlong Course) 4

If students take a course that is 3 credits they will only earn 0.75 at STEP and will need to take another course in that subject area to fulfill the 1.0 credit requirement.

What are the Graduation Credit Requirements?

To see which courses fulfill these requirements please go to the specific college from the options at the top of this web-page, using the drop-down menu select courses.

Required number of credits for each subject area, including specific courses that are required in that specific subject.

English Language Arts= 4 credits

Social Studies= 3.5 credits (STEP Academy embeds the Human Geography standards into the current social studies courses and requires a full year of Civics.)

    • Civics- 0.5 credit
    • Human Geography- 0.5 credit
    • United State History- 1 credit
    • World History- 1 credit
    • Economics- 0.5 credit

Math= 3 credits

  • Algebra II- 1 credit
  • Geometry- 1 credit
  • College Algebra or Algebra III or another higher level math course- 1 credit

Science= 3 credits (PSEO students are not required to take physics, but are required to take a 4th year of science. Please see school course guide to identify which courses will fulfill the 4th science credit requirement)

  • Physical Science- 1 credit
  • Biology- 1 credit
  • Chemistry- 1 credit -OR- Physics- 1 credit

Physical Education= 0.5 credits

Health= 0.5 Credits

ART/STEM= 2 credits

Foreign Language= 2 credits

Electives= 4.5 credits

Choosing to Participate

The decision to participate in PSEO is an important one, and students should start planning early. The student will be expected to be a responsible, self-starting independent learner. Students and parents should seek out additional information and counseling at the high school and at the post-secondary institution to ensure that they are making the best educational choice.

*Students and parents should consider the following:

· High School Graduation Requirements: Students should meet with their high school PSEO Coordinator and review the courses needed to graduate. Enrollment in an incorrect PSEO class could result in delayed high school graduation, so careful planning and communication with the high school is very important. STEP Academy PSEO students focus on completing required graduation credits during their junior year of PSEO. Senior year, the first semester is used to finish any required high school credits. Second semester the student works on completing their associate degree or takes courses that are required for their chosen major.

· Academic Ability: Is the student ready for college-level course work? College courses are more independent and students will do the majority of the work outside of regular class time as most classes are dedicated to full lectures and discussions.

· Maturity: Is the student mature, responsible and self-disciplined enough to be successful in a college setting? Some courses include online course work and it is the responsibility of the student to check the online portal to locate, and complete many course assignments and tests.

· Scheduling and Transportation: Will the student be able to manage schedules at two locations if they are not taking all of their courses at the college and have the transportation means to get to each location?

o STEP Academy does not provide transportation to students who are taking courses at STEP and at a college. Students taking courses at STEP must leave once they are done with their STEP Academy courses for the day. Students are not allowed to stay at STEP Academy to do school work or wait for the bus at the end of the day.

o Students who are in PSEO may NOT come to STEP unless they have a pre-arranged meeting with the PSEO coordinator or a specific staff member or are coming for a club/activity meeting. Coming to hang out or see friends is not allowed. All students in the building must be assigned to a teacher for attendance purposes should an emergency occur and a student needs to be located. Thus having students in the building who are not taking courses at STEP are not permitted to be in the building.

o Students can make appointments with the PSEO coordinator using the STEP Academy website under the Students tab, Counselor link.

How to Apply:

Students and parents should attend the STEP Academy PSEO information session.

At this session, information on enrolling, course planning, graduation requirements, supporting student success as a PSEO student, and other key details will be presented. 10th grade AVID students will also be covering this information and outlining their course plans as a potential PSEO student for the following school year.

Talk to the high school PSEO Coordinator. Students should consult with their high school PSEO Coordinator about their interest in postsecondary courses and which requirements are still needed for graduation. The PSEO Coordinator will help students come up with a plan.

Be aware of post-secondary admissions requirements and deadlines. It is the postsecondary institution that determines admissions requirements into their postsecondary courses – not the high school. Postsecondary institutions also set their own application deadlines and timelines for admission. For example, fall semester application deadlines range from April-June the previous academic year, while spring semester application deadlines range from October-December.

Students MUST submit a notice of registration form to the STEP Academy PSEO Coordinator for EACH SEMESTER they participate in PSEO. This form can be found on the PSEO page of the STEP Academy website and a paper copy can be obtained from the PSEO Coordinator’s office.

Many postsecondary institutions create admissions guidelines for PSEO students based on class rank, GPA and/or specific score minimum on a nationally standardized, norm-referenced test (like the ACT, PSAT or SAT). See page 9 of this packet for specific requirements by school.

Most schools allow an appellate process for students who do not meet those criteria; in general, students must provide documentation or proof of their readiness and ability to perform college-level work, as determined by the postsecondary institution. In addition to program admissions requirements, students need to meet the college course prerequisites.

Discuss and determine transportation options.

Districts are not obligated to provide transportation for PSEO students between the high school and the postsecondary institution. If requested by the parents or guardians, school districts must reimburse low-income families for certain transportation costs incurred traveling to and from courses held on college campuses. The PSEO Coordinator will help students configure schedules to support carpooling when possible. Parents who are able, are encouraged to create a carpool plan to help transport students, especially those who are attending STEP in the morning for a math or science class. Students who take courses at STEP part-time are required to leave immediately after their classes. PSEO students are not allowed to stay at STEP unless they are enrolled in a course for credit. PSEO students are also not allowed to be at STEP to “visit” friends or teachers. PSEO students are only to be at STEP for a course they are enrolled in or to meet with the PSEO coordinator.

Decide where to enroll – and which courses to take.

There is no list of available PSEO courses available across the state. Students should locate the list of PSEO courses offered by the post-secondary institution where they would like to enroll. Refer to the list of PSEO Participating Institutions approved to offer PSEO in Minnesota. A PSEO course registration guide is provided on page 6. These courses have been pre-approved by the STEP Academy PSEO coordinator and will cover required graduation requirements. Students should use this guide when registering for courses.

Most post-secondary institutions on the list have their own PSEO webpage and contact information for PSEO coordinators on the college campus. These contacts can help families navigate the admissions process, find or explain classes and schedules, and provide general information. Many colleges offer PSEO orientation nights or informational sessions. Participation in PSEO is based on space availability in the desired course. See page 5 for school contact information.

Notify your district of your intent to enroll in PSEO by May 30. PSEO law states that students should notify their district of their intent to enroll in PSEO courses during the following school year by May 30.

Testing:

All PSEO students are required to take state standardized tests given at their grade level. Students are responsible for reporting to STEP on the days the tests are given. If for any reason a student cannot report for testing on the day it is given by STEP Academy, they must make an appointment with Mrs. Tholen to make up the test during the testing window. The testing schedule can be found on the STEP Academy website.

11th grade tests:

· MCA Math

· MCA Science if currently taking biology for the first time.

· ACT

12th grade tests:

· MCA Science if currently taking biology for the first time.

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) Reference Guide [PDF]. (2017, August 01). Roseville: Minnesota Department of Education.