The Dual Credit Phenomenon!
Challenging Secondary School
Students Across 50 States
Hans A. Andrews, Ph.D.
What is Dual Credit?
• Also called concurrent enrollment, dual credit
was designed:
• to smooth the transition from high school to
college
• Shorten the time needed to earn an
undergraduate degree;
• Improve the study habits, general academic
readiness and academic options for collegebound students.
Why Dual Credit?
• Students earn letter grades recorded at an
accredited university.
• Courses taught by master instructors
mentored by university faculty.
• Class syllabi ensure a broad, subject-based
curriculum.
• University partner is directly accountable to
uphold state and national standards
NACEP
National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment
Partnerships
•
•
A national network of educators, advocates and champions of student success K20
Serves as a national accrediting body for programs by providing standards of
excellence, current research and national trends
15 academically-driven standards—expectations that programs are expected to
practice in the areas of
Curriculum alignment
Faculty Development
Student Assessment
Student Services
Program evaluation
In addition…..
• Eleven (11) states have adopted legislation
that looks like this:
All postsecondary institutions and campuses offering dual credit courses on a
high school campus, taught by high school instructors, must be a a fullyaccredited member of NACEP in order that those courses be considered for
transfer to state institutions of higher education.
Beginning in the fiscal year 2011, only secondary school districts with NACEPaccredited higher education partners are eligible for state aid.
The Dual Credit Task Force Report to the General Assembly recommends
“requiring all institutions offering dual credit programs to comply with
added criteria adapted from those used by the NACEP for accrediting dual
credit programs.”
National Supporting Research*
• Jobs for the Future
• Institute for Higher Education Policy
• National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools &
Teaching, Columbia University
• Center for Science, Technology & Public Policy
• Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
• Pew Foundation
• Bill & Melinda Gates Early College Initiative
• Published Research from 17 NACEP-accredited institutions
*WARNING—”Reading may cause other advance placement
programs to become obsolete!”
Harlan Cotter, IL Superintendent
• “If our students are to be prepared academically and financially for postsecondary experiences, dual-credit opportunities must be made more
available. . .”
What is available at UMKC for
students at Smithville
High School?
A Nationally Accredited Higher
Education Partner
“As the world continues to shrink to one global
village, the future will belong to the educated.
The leading schools will be those that take full
advantage of high school and college
resources and have the courage to use those
resources by implementing dual credit
partnerships”
University of Missouri-Kansas City
High School/College Partnerships
Celebrating Thirty Years
of Course Integrity
and Student Success
www.umkc.edu/hscp
Frequently
Asked
Questions
When is UMKC’s tuition due?
On the 20th of each month
Do We have to pay tuition all at
once?
No, but pay the amount you have budgeted by the due date to
avoid late fees and carrying charges.
1. Students will outstanding balances for a previous semester
will not be allowed to register for courses in a new semester.
2. Transcripts will not be released if students have unpaid
balances on their accounts.
How is credit issued/recorded?
Students earn credit for UMKC coursework in a 3-step
process:
1. Gain Admission to UMKC (on-line app posted each
semester on the HSCP web site)
2. Complete the instructor’s “Application to Register
for a UMKC course for dual credit”
3. Complete the class. Grades are recorded on the
student’s “transcript” at UMKC and may be viewed
by students in the UMKC Pathway system at any
time.
How many credits does my child
receive?
Credit attributes for each course is shown on the
registration form for the course; for example:
History 101: American Survey to 1877 (3 credit
hours)
Chemistry 211/211L: General Chemistry
I/Experimental General Chemistry Lab (5 credit
hours)
What is a credit in college?
Most 4-year institutions require 120 credits in
the student-selected major to complete a
baccalaureate (BA or BS) degree.
Will UMKC credits transfer?
“Credits” don’t transfer; “Courses” do.
1. Check the equivalency tables at the receiving university for
courses that transfer.
2. Before meeting with the academic advisor at the receiving
university, request that your university transcript be sent to
avoid repeating coursework.
3. Learn the language, “Does ABC honor UM System courses in
transfer?” not “Do you accept dual credit courses?”
4. KEEP A PORTFOLIO OF UNIVERSITY COURSEWORK!!!!!!!!!
5. Advocate for yourself and be prepared to demonstrate proof
of mastery—university-provided official transcript; studentprovided course syllabus, course description, course
portfolio.
“What is the benefit of me paying for this now when I
can get it for free next year using A+?”
What is “what?”
What is A+?
What is your academic plan? What degree do you
seek?
What remedial courses will you need in order to be
accepted into the post-secondary institution of
choice?
What fees will the student be responsible for paying in
an A+ program—textbooks?
What does AP mean?
• A designator for a course whose curriculum
has been approved by the College Board.
• At the conclusion of the course, the CB’s
standardized AP test is given.
• AP courses are given attention in national
media such as “Newsweek” to be the most
rigorous classes in US high schools today.
Why Advanced Placement?
• Gives students an advantage in selection pool
at competitive colleges/universities
• Preparation for the AP Exams teach students
how to prepare for college-level courses
• AP Exams demand college-level writing
Is AP credit better than dual
credit? What’s the difference?
• It is not possible to make a comparison—two
very different options.
• Smithville High School’s course offerings
combine two highly advantageous programs.
– Dual Credit through partnership with UMKC
– Potential for additional credit to be earned on AP
exam
Other Questions & Concerns