The Board is committed to providing additional options to students enrolled in grades 11 and 12 to continue or complete their education, to earn concurrent high school and college credits and to gain early entry into post-secondary education. The district’s Expanded Options Program will comply with all requirements of Oregon law.
Eligible Students
Eligible students may apply to take courses at a post-secondary institution through the Expanded Options Program. A student is eligible for the Expanded Options Program if he/she: (1) is 16 years or older at the time of enrollment in a course under the Expanded Options Program; (2) is in grade 11 or 12 or has not yet completed the required credits for grade 11 or 12, but the district has allowed the student to participate in the program; (3) has developed an educational learning plan; and (4) has not successfully completed the requirements for a high school diploma. A student who has graduated from high school may not participate.
Student Notification
Prior to February 15 of each year, the district shall notify all high school students and the students' parents of the Expanded Options Program for the following school year. The district will notify a transfer high school student or a returning dropout of the Expanded options Program if the student enrolls after the district has issued the February 15 notice. The district will notify a high school student who has officially expressed an intent to participate in the Expanded Options Program, and the student’s parent or guardian, of the student’s eligibility status within 20 business days of the expression of intent.
The notice must include the following:
The definitions below:
a. Eligible Students: A student who is enrolled in an Oregon public school and who is:
(1) Sixteen years or older at the time of enrollment in a course under the Expanded Options Program;
(2) In grade 11 or 12 or who has not yet completed the required credits for grade 11 or 12, but the district has allowed the student to participate in the program;
(3) Has developed an educational learning plan as described in this policy; and
(4) Has not successfully completed four years of high school.
An eligible student does not include a foreign exchange student enrolled in a school under a cultural exchange program;
b. Eligible Post-Secondary Institution: A community college, a state institution of higher education listed in ORS 352.002 and the Oregon Health and Science University;
c. Eligible Post-Secondary Course: Any nonsectarian course or program offered through an eligible post-secondary institution if the course or program may lead to high school completion, a certificate, professional certification, associate degree or baccalaureate degree. An eligible post-secondary course does not include a duplicate course offered at the student's resident school. Eligible post-secondary courses include academic and professional technical courses and distance education courses;
Purposes of the Expanded Options Program which include the following:
a. To create a seamless education system for students enrolled in grades 11 and 12 to:
(1) Have additional options to continue or complete their education;
(2) Earn concurrent high school and college credits; and
(3) Gain early entry into post-secondary education.
b. To promote and support existing accelerated college credit programs and to support the development of new programs that are unique to a community's secondary and post-secondary relationships and resources;
c. To allow eligible students who participate in the Expanded Options Program to enroll full-time or part-time in an eligible post-secondary institution; and
d. To provide public funding to the eligible post-secondary institutions for educational services to eligible students to offset the cost of tuition, fees, textbooks, equipment and materials for students who participate in the Expanded Options Program;
Financial arrangements for tuition, textbooks, equipment and materials;
Available transportation services;
The effect of enrolling in the Expanded Options Program on the student's ability to complete high school graduation requirements;
The consequences of failing or not completing a post-secondary course;
The requirement that participation in the Expanded Options Program is contingent on acceptance by an eligible post-secondary institution;
The following information about eligibility for the Expanded Options Program:
a. Eligible students may not enroll in eligible post-secondary courses for more than the equivalent of two academic years, and eligible students who first enroll in grade 12 may not enroll in eligible post-secondary courses for more than the equivalent of one academic year;
b. A student who has graduated from high school may not participate in the Expanded Options Program;
c. An eligible student who has completed course requirements for graduation but has not received a diploma may participate;
9. Notice(s) of any other program(s), agreements(s) or plan(s) in effect that provides access for public high school students to post-secondary courses;
10. The district's responsibility for providing any required special education and related services to the student;
11. The number of quarter credit hours that may be awarded each school year to eligible students by the resident high school;
12. The board's process for selecting eligible students to participate in the Expanded Options Program if the district has not chosen to exceed the credit hour cap and has more eligible students who wish to participate than are allowed by the cap;
13. Information about program participation priority for at-risk students;
14. Exclusion of duplicate courses as determined by the district;
15. The process for a student to appeal the district's duplicate course determination to the Superintendent of Public Instruction or the Superintendent's designee;
16. Exclusion of post-secondary courses in which a student is enrolled if the student is also enrolled full time in the resident secondary school; and
17. Exclusion of foreign exchange students enrolled in a school under a cultural exchange program.
It is a priority for the district to provide information about the Expanded Options Program to high school students who have dropped out of school. The district shall establish a process to identify and provide those students with information about the program. The district shall send information about the program to the last-known address of the family of the student.
Enrollment Process
Prior to May 15 of each year, a student who is interested in participating in the Expanded Options Program shall notify the district of his/her intent to enroll in post-secondary courses during the following school year. A high school transfer student or returning dropout has 20 business days from the date of enrollment to indicate interest.
The district shall review with the student and the student's parent the student's current status toward meeting all state and district graduation requirements and the applicability of the proposed post-secondary course to the remaining graduation requirements.
A student who intends to participate in the Expanded Options Program shall develop an educational learning plan in cooperation with an advisory support team. An advisory support team may include the student, the student's parent and a teacher or a counselor. The educational learning plan may include:
The student's short-term and long-term learning goals and proposed activities; and
The relationship of the post-secondary courses proposed under the Expanded Options Program and the student's learning goals.
A student who enrolls in the Expanded Options Program may not enroll in post-secondary courses for more than the equivalent of two academic years. A student who first enrolls in the Expanded Options Program in grade 12 may not enroll in post-secondary courses for more than the equivalent of one academic year. If a student first enrolls in a post-secondary course in the middle of the school year, the time of participation shall be reduced proportionately. If a student is enrolled in a year-round program and begins each grade in the summer session, summer sessions are not counted against the time of participation.
Duplicate Courses
The district will establish a process to determine duplicate course designations. The district will notify an eligible student and the student’s parent or guardian of any course the student wishes to take that the district determines is a duplicate course within 20 business days after the student has submitted a list of intended courses.
A student may appeal a duplicate course determination to the Board based on evidence of the scope of the course. The scope of the course refers to the depth and breadth of course content as evidenced through a planned course statement, including content outlines, applicable state content standards, course goals and student outcomes. The Board will issue a decision on the appeal within 30 business days of receipt of the appeal. If the appeal is denied by the Board, the student may appeal the district’s determination to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Expanded Options Program Annual Credit Hour Cap
The number of quarter credit hours that may be awarded by a high school under the Expanded Options Program is limited to an amount equal to the number of students in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in the high school multiplied by a factor of 0.33. For example, the cap for a high school with 450 students in grades 9 through 12 would be 148.5 (450 X 0.33 = 148.5).
At the district's discretion, the district may choose to exceed both the individual high school level cap and the aggregate district level cap. If the district chooses not to exceed the cap it will establish a process for selecting eligible students for participation in the program. The process will give priority for participation to students who are "at risk." An "at-risk student" means (1) a student who qualifies for a free or reduced price lunch program; or (2) an at-risk student as defined by rules adopted by the State Board of Education if it has adopted rules to define an at-risk student.
Post-Secondary Institution Credit
Prior to beginning a post-secondary course, the district shall notify the student of the number and type of credits that the student will be granted upon successful completion of the course. If there is a dispute between the district and student regarding the number or type of credits that the district will or has granted to a student for a particular course, the student may appeal the district's decision using an appeals process adopted by the Board.
Credits granted to a student shall be counted toward high school graduation requirements and subject area requirements of the state and the district. Evidence of successful completion of each course and credits granted shall be included in the student's education record. A student shall provide the district with a copy of the student's grade in each course taken for credit under the Expanded Options Program. The student's education record shall indicate that the credits were earned at a post-secondary institution.
Financial Agreement
The district shall negotiate a financial agreement with the post-secondary institution for the payment of actual tuition, fees and other required instructional costs associated with the student’s enrollment.
Each fiscal year, the district shall expend per student participating in the Expanded Options Program a minimum of 50 percent of the district's general purpose grant per extended ADMw. Qualifying expenditures include tuition, fees, textbooks, equipment and materials required for a post-secondary course.
A district may request a waiver from the Superintendent of Public Instruction if:
Compliance would cause the district extreme financial distress; or
The district offers dual credit technical preparation programs, such as two-plus-two programs, advanced placement or International Baccalaureate programs and other accelerated college credit programs, and:
The programs offered by the district serve all qualified applicants; and
There are no charges to at-risk students.
Student Reimbursement
Students are not eligible for any state student financial aid, but students may apply to the district for reimbursement for any textbooks, fees, equipment or materials purchased by the student that are required for a post-secondary course. All textbooks, fees, equipment and materials provided to a student and paid for by the district are the property of the district.
Transportation Services
The district may provide transportation services to eligible students who attend post-secondary institutions within district boundaries.
Special Education Services
The district of a student participating in the Expanded Options Program shall be responsible for providing any required special education and related services to the student. If a post-secondary institution intends to provide special education and related services to an Expanded Options Program participant, the institution shall enter into a written contract with the district of the student. The contract shall include the following at a minimum:
Allowance for the student to remain in the program during the pendency of any special education due process hearing unless the parents and district agree otherwise;
Immediate notification to the district if the institution suspects that a student participating in the program may have a disability and requires special education or related services;
Immediate notification to the district if the student engaged in conduct that may lead to suspension or expulsion; and
Immediate notification to the district of any complaint made by the parents of the student regarding the student's participation in the program at the institution.
District Alternative Programs
The Expanded Options Program does not affect any program, agreement or plan that existed on January 1, 2006, between the district and a post-secondary institution which has been continued or renewed.
Any new program, agreement or plan that is developed after January 1, 2006, may be initiated at the discretion of the district and the post-secondary institution.
END OF POLICY