343.45

START COLLEGE NOW TECHNICAL COLLEGE PROGRAM

Appleton Area School District high school students in 11th or 12th grade who meet the eligibility requirements defined in applicable State Statutes, regulations and District policies, and who submit timely and complete applications and notices, may be permitted to enroll in one or more courses at a Wisconsin Technical College through the Start College Now technical college course program.

The Assistant Superintendent of Assessment, Curriculum and Instruction (ACI) or administrative-level designee shall be responsible for (1) ensuring that the District appropriately processes requests/applications related to the Start College Now technical college course program; and (2) except for refusal of permission to take a course that is based on an undue financial burden, determine whether the District will approve individual applications, and pay for specific courses based on the criteria established in State law, any applicable State regulations, and applicable District policies and procedures.

The authority of the program administrator(s) includes, but is not limited to, the authority to make or approve the following determinations on behalf of the District:

1. Whether a student meets the minimum eligibility criteria established in State law;
2. Whether a proposed course is comparable to a course already offered in the District;
3. Whether the student will be eligible to receive high school credit for the successful completion of a proposed course; and
4. Whether the proposed course and any resulting credit meets any of the District’s high school graduation requirements.

The District may refuse to allow a student with a disability to attend a technical college through the Start College Now technical college course program if the costs related to any special services required for the student would impose an undue financial burden on the District. The determination of an undue financial burden shall be made by the Assistant Superintendent of Pupil/Student Services.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR COSTS; LIMITATIONS ON DISTRICT PAYMENTS

To the extent required by State law, the District shall pay the costs associated with students’ enrollment in a technical college under this policy if the course is taken for high school credit and the course is not comparable to a course offered in the District. Limitations on the District’s responsibility for payment include the following:

1. The District shall pay only such tuition, fees and course material costs as are required by law. If the District is required to pay the technical college for the cost of book(s) or similar resource(s) that is not a one-time use item(s), the student shall be required to return the resource(s) to the District upon completion of the course.
2. The District shall pay for no more than the equivalent of a combined total of 18 postsecondary semester credits per student for any courses that are taken through the Start College Now technical college course Program. Courses that the District paid for under the former Youth or Course Options Programs count toward this credit limit. However, the limitation on 18 District paid credits does not prohibit a student from (1) taking other courses through a technical college where the District has authorized the coursework under a separate program or separate source of authority; or (2) taking other high school courses offered by the District that may result in eligibility for post-secondary credit(s).
3. The District shall only pay for courses that are successfully completed. If a student receives a failing grade in a course or fails to complete the course, the student’s parent or guardian or the student, if an adult, is responsible for reimbursing the District for the tuition, fees, and other costs paid by the District. If this reimbursement is not made upon request, the student is ineligible for any further participation in the Start College Now technical college course program.
4. Unless otherwise required by law, the District is not responsible for providing transportation to technical college courses taken under this policy nor paying for transportation-related costs.

GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING

Solely for purposes of determining a student’s eligibility to enroll in a course at a technical college under this policy, “good academic standing” in the District means that the student has a cumulative high school grade point average of at least 2.0 at the time of the determination.

COURSE COMPARABILITY

For purposes of determining whether a course that a student wishes to take through the Start College Now technical college course program is comparable to a course offered by the District, and pending the development of any new State regulations applicable to the Start College Now technical college course program or the adoption of other specific local standards for determining course comparability, the District shall apply the standards found in PI 40.07(1m) of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, as such standards were in effect as of December 31, 2017.

RECONSIDERATION AND APPEALS

A student or his/her parent or guardian may submit a written request to the District Superintendent to reconsider a District decision related to a student’s participation in the Start College Now technical college course program, except for any decisions made directly by the Board. In addition, if an applicant for the program disagrees with a District decision regarding comparability of courses or the satisfaction of high school graduation requirements, State law provides that the applicant may appeal the District’s decision to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction within 30 days after the District’s decision.

 

Cross References:
Equal Opportunity, 411
Student Nondiscrimination, 411.2
School Entrance Ages and Early Admission, 421 and 421-Rule
Student Attendance, 430 and 430-Rule
Early College Credit Program 343.46 and 343.46-Rule
WIAA Transfer Rules and Regulations

Legal References:
Wisconsin Statutes 38.12(14); 115.385(4); 118.15(1) (b) and (d); 118.153(a); 118.33; 118.55; 118.57
Administrative Rule PI40

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Adoption Date: February 27, 2018

Amended Dates: February 24, 2020; January 25, 2021, April 25, 2022

 

 

343.45-RULE

START COLLEGE NOW
TECHNICAL COLLEGE PROGRAM

Procedures

A. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY TO ATTEND INDIVIDUAL COURSES AT TECHNICAL COLLEGES

1. In addition to meeting any other applicable eligibility requirements, a student who wishes to enroll in a course through a Wisconsin technical college under the Start College Now technical college course program must:
   1. Submit all required notices, parent permissions (if under 18), and college applications on a timely basis;
   2. Have completed 10th grade, have all requirements met, including a minimum of 12 high school credits completed toward graduation by the end of the high school semester in which the student gives notice of his/her intent to take a technical college course;
   3. Not be a child at risk of not graduating from high school, as defined by State law; and
   4. Be in good academic standing within the District. For purposes of this requirement, “good academic standing” in the District means that the student has a cumulative high school grade point average of at least 2.0 at the time of the determination.
2. A technical college district board may deny a high school student admission to the technical college, or registration in a specific course, for any of the reasons provided in State law, including the technical college’s determination that the student has an unacceptable record of disciplinary problems. To the extent consistent with student records laws and with the District’s student records policies and procedures, the District will certify student disciplinary information that is necessary for completing and processing a student’s application to enroll in and take a course at a technical college under the Start College Now technical college course program.
3. A student participating in the Start College Now technical college course program may attend only one technical college in any semester.
4. A student who is participating in the Start College Now technical college course program in any semester may not simultaneously participate in the Early College Credit Program.
5. The District may refuse to allow a student with a disability to attend a technical college through the Start College Now technical college course program if the costs related to any special services required for the student would impose an undue financial burden on the District.
6. Students in home-based private educational programs, residents of the District who are private school students, and nonresident students who are participating in the part-time open enrollment program are not eligible to participate in the Start College Now technical college course program through the District, even if they are taking or have taken individual courses in a District high school.
7. Students attending classes at a technical college under this program shall be responsible for their own transportation, except as otherwise required by law.

B. COURSE APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Students interested in attending individual courses at a Wisconsin technical college under the Start College Now technical college course program must do all of the following to start the application process:
   1. Submit a timely and complete written notice to the District that identifies the student’s intent to take one or more technical college courses under the Start College Now technical college course program. The student shall use the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS)-approved form when providing this written notice. A separate notification form must be completed and processed for each semester that a student applies to participate in the Start College Now technical college course program.
      • The initial notification form must be submitted to the student’s high school counseling office prior to March 1 if the student intends to enroll at the technical college in the subsequent fall semester, and prior to October 1 if the student intends to enroll in the subsequent spring semester.
      • If the student who intends to take a technical college course is a minor, the student’s parent or guardian must provide signed permission for the student to participate in the program on the student’s initial notification form.
      • Submit course descriptions and official high school transcript.
   2. To the extent required by the applicable technical college, submit a timely and complete application directly to the technical college, under any procedures and deadlines established by the technical college.
2. As soon as such information is available, the student shall further notify the student’s high school counseling office and the ACI department:
   1. That the student has been admitted to the technical college to which the student applied;
   2. That the student has successfully enrolled in and registered to attend individual courses; and
   3. If any of the course information provided on the initial notification has changed.
3. Students are required to cooperate with the District in providing any information that may be necessary to determine their eligibility for the program and process individual course requests.
4. Upon receiving a student’s written notification of intent to participate in the Start College Now technical college course program, the Assistant Superintendent of ACI or administrative-level designee shall process the student’s request, including determining the following:
   1. Whether a student meets the minimum eligibility criteria for participation in the program;
   2. Whether the student will be eligible to receive high school credit for the successful completion of a proposed course and, if so, how much high school credit;
   3. Whether a proposed course is comparable to a course already offered in the District; and
   4. Whether the proposed course and any resulting credit meets any of the District’s high school graduation requirements.
5. The Assistant Superintendent of ACI or administrative-level designee shall notify the student, in writing, of the District’s determinations regarding awarding of high school credit (including the amount of credit), course comparability, and satisfaction of high school graduation requirements. The District shall also notify the student of his/her right to appeal any negative determinations on these issues to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
   1. Provided that none of the course information provided on the student’s initial notice of intent has changed, such notice shall normally be issued by May 15 for initial notices that were received by March 1 for fall courses, and by November 15 for initial notices that were received by October 1 for spring courses.
   2. If the District determines that it is impractical to provide notice of the District’s course-related determinations in the regular timeframe identified immediately above, such notice shall, at a minimum, be issued at least 30 days before the beginning of the technical college semester in which the student will be enrolled for the course(s).
6. Appeals of District Decisions. If an applicant for the program disagrees with a District decision regarding course comparability or the satisfaction of high school graduation requirements, State law provides that the applicant may appeal the District’s decision to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction within 30 days after the District’s decision.

C. SATISFACTION OF GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS; AWARDING HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT FOR TECHNICAL COLLEGE COURSES

1. The determination of whether a course satisfies a high school graduation requirement shall be made with reference to District policies that set forth such requirements and by applying the standards and guidelines that the District applies to its own course offerings and to courses that are submitted for a similar assessment by students who are transferring into the District.
2. Pending the development of any new State regulations applicable to the Start College Now technical college course program that address the granting of high school credit for a course taken at a technical college under this policy, or the adoption of other specific local standards for such credit determinations, the District shall apply the mandatory and discretionary standards for granting credit that are found in PI 40.07(1) of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, as such standards were in effect as of December 31, 2017.
   1. The District may deny high school credit for a technical college course if any of the following apply:
      • The District offers a course that is 80% comparable.
      • The course repeats the course content for which a student has already received a passing grade and high school credit.
      • The course repeats the content of a postsecondary course that the student has already taken and failed.
   2. If credit is not denied for any of the reasons identified above, the District will grant high school credit for a technical college course if the course meets any of the District’s high school graduation requirements, as identified in the Board-approved high school graduation credit policies, and if any of the following conditions apply:
      • The course is complementary to, consistent with, or expands on a course of study or sequence of courses offered by District. 
      • The course expands an opportunity for the student to move to another level of an academic or vocational course of study. 
      • The course curriculum meets or exceeds the same standards for rigor and content as other courses approved by, but not offered by, the District for credit toward graduation.
      • The postsecondary course supports rather than prevents a student from completing high school graduation requirements.
3. In order for a student to receive high school credit for a course taken at a technical college under the Start College Now technical college course program, the student must complete the course and receive a passing grade, as determined by the technical college.
4. To the extent required by State regulations a student shall be granted 1/4 high school credit per 1 semester of conversion-eligible postsecondary credit for a course taken under the technical college course program.
5. Start College Now technical college coursework grades will be documented on the student’s official transcript; such transferred grades will not be incorporated into the student’s high school cumulative high school grade point average for purposes of determining honors, class rank, and scholarship eligibility.

D. COURSE COMPARABILITY

1. For purposes of determining whether a course that a student wishes to take through the Start College Now technical college course program is 80% comparable to a course offered by the District, and pending the development of any new State regulations applicable to the Start College Now technical college course program or the adoption of other specific local standards for determining course comparability, the District shall apply the standards found in PI 40.07(1m) of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, as such standards were in effect as of December 31, 2017. 
2. Although a student may still elect to take a technical college course that the District has determined is comparable to a District course, the District is not responsible for paying any portions of the costs related to such a course.

 

Cross References:
Equal Opportunity, 411
Student Nondiscrimination, 411.2
School Entrance Ages and Early Admission, 421 and 421-Rule
Student Attendance, 430 and 430-Rule
Early College Credit Program 343.46 and 343.46- Rule
WIAA Transfer Rules and Regulations

Legal References:
Wisconsin Statutes 38.12(14); 115.385(4); 118.15(1) (b) and (d); 118.153(a); 118.33; 118.55; 118.57
Administrative Rule PI40

 

 

Start College Now / Early College Credit

Timeline/Deadlines

March 1st – for Fall Semester/Term
October 1st – for Winter/Spring Semester/Term

STEP	STUDENT	COUNSELOR	ACI DEPARTMENT
1	Complete the following forms: Start College Now or Early College Credit Program form (found in counseling office or on AASD website) Course Request Form (internal document) Course description for each class requested Official High School transcript Send all forms PRIOR TO deadlines (above) to assigned counselor	Meet with student to make sure that course(s) fits within schedule and AASD does not already offer the course(s). Fill out and sign “School Counselor” section on Course Request Form (internal document) Run Official High School transcript Turn in all documents for student to the ACI department in hard copy/original form.	Accept all documents from counselor on behalf of the student.
2			Notify student of acceptance or denial in the Start College Now Program or Early College Credit Program by deadlines below: May 15 for Fall Semester/Fall Term (Lawrence) November 15 for Spring Semester/Winter and Spring Term (Lawrence)
3	Once approval is received: Notify Counselor of acceptance o Send Start College Now or Early College Credit Program application to college/university Complete application and other necessary documents to apply to college/university Reach out to ACI department to determine if district textbooks are available	Notify ACI department if any changes are made to student’s originally approved course(s)

 

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Adoption Date: February 26, 2018

Amended Dates: February 24, 2020, January 25, 2021, April 25, 2022