Dear Parents/Guardians:

Transcription

1 Dear Parents/Guardians: College Credit Plus provides an exciting and valuable opportunity for eligible students in grades 7-12 to take college courses and to earn both high school and college credit (dual credit) for those courses. If the student takes courses through a public college or university, there is no charge to the family; the cost of tuition, fees, and textbooks is covered by the school district and the college or university. With careful selection of courses, students can earn college credits that can count toward a degree when they later enroll in college as freshmen. Even if a student later attends a different college or university than the one where credit was earned through College Credit Plus, the college credit earned in secondary school may transfer to the new college. The state of Ohio has arrangements among all its public colleges and universities to help with transfer of credit. In fact, high school students can earn as much as a full semester or even a full year or more of college credit for free through College Credit Plus, allowing them later to earn a college degree in less than four years. With tuition at Ohio public colleges running between $6,000 and $1,000 a year, College Credit Plus can save a student both in terms of financial costs and time to complete a degree. Furthermore, College Credit Plus gives secondary students a taste of real college coursework, enabling them to develop timemanagement and study skills they will need in college. Taking college courses before high school graduation offers a lot of benefits, but there are cautions to consider too in deciding whether College Credit Plus is right for your child. One of those cautions to consider is if a student is unsuccessful in the college course they fail or do not complete, receiving the grade of F their college transcript will be negatively impacted and their opportunity to earn financial aid scholarships or grants could be significantly curtailed. You child s associate school held a mandatory parent-meeting which detailed this information and the cautions. If you did not attend that meeting, we are happy to share information to help you make this decision. Please contact your child s Butler Tech Principal or Counselor to make an appointment to discuss. At that meeting you will receive the rules of College Credit Plus.

2 College Credit Plus, Parent Letter Page 2 The state of Ohio requires all students who participate in College Credit Plus and their parents/guardians to meet with school staff to get this important information on College Credit Plus and the responsibilities of participating in the program. Please contact your child s Butler Tech Principal or Counselor to make an appointment to discuss. If you would like your child to participate in College Credit Plus, you must complete the enclosed Intent to Participate form and turn it in to your school s principal by Wednesday, April 1. Even if you are not 100% sure your student will participate but you think s/he might, turn in the form by April 1 to preserve your student s eligibility to participate. The only way to participate if a form is turned in after April 1 is with special permission from the principal. If you child is accepted into and enrolls into a Butler Tech Stand-Alone School program after April 1, please contact Butler Tech Principal or Counselor to discuss options. Please read the enclosed Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about College Credit Plus. Make a list of your questions and bring them to your appointment. Sincerely, Michael Parry Executive Director, Secondary Education

3 Frequently Asked Questions What is required for me to participate in College Credit Plus? 1. With a parent or guardian, attend an information/counseling session and sign a form stating that you have received counseling about the program and understand your responsibilities under College Credit Plus. 2. Turn in the completed Intent to Participate form by April 1.. Apply to the college(s) whose courses you plan to take by the deadlines set by the college(s). Complete any additional requirements imposed by the college, such as taking a placement test to determine which courses you are ready for and attending an orientation meeting before classes begin. Which College Credit Plus courses can I take at the high school? Butler Technology and Career Development School is a Career Technical School District. We provide unique opportunities for student to have specific studies in career pathways and take unique career-technical courses. Consequently, Butler Tech campuses will offer a myriad opportunities for students to earn college credit in both academics and in career tech courses, tailoring a pathway to a student s particular area of study. Butler Tech has partnered with Sinclair Community College to offer the following academic courses in a blended learning format at each of its campuses: English Composition. ENG 1101 English Comp. I () ENG 1201 English Comp. II () Math MAT 1470 College Algebra (4) 4 MAT 1450 Introduction to Statistics 4 Social Science PSY 1100 General Psychology SOC 1101 Intro to Sociology () Natural Science** (one lab course required) Other BIO 1121 Anatomy & Physiology I COM 2211 Effective Public Speaking () BIO General Biology I with BIO 1117 Lab PHI 2206 Intro To Ethics Credits Please find more information in the Sinclair College Credit Plus program at:

4 College Credit Plus, Frequently Asked Questions Page 2 Can I take any other courses besides those offered at the high school? Yes. Once you are accepted at a college or at multiple colleges--you may take any course offered by the college(s) for which you are qualified and in which there is space. You may take courses at the high school, courses on the college campus, courses offered online by the college, courses offered at other locations run by the college, or any combination of these. To find a college s full list of course offerings, go to the college website and type course catalog into the search box. Note that not all courses listed in the catalog are offered every semester or even every year. To find the available courses for an upcoming semester, type course schedule or schedule of classes into the search box on the college website. For more help finding courses, call the college s registrar s office or the college s College Credit Plus contact person. Some courses have prerequisites, which are requirements any student must meet before taking the course. Prerequisites might include a minimum score on a placement test or completion of another course. (For example, a student may have to complete Calculus I before taking Calculus II.) Can I take courses at more than one college or university? Yes. You may take courses though multiple colleges or universities, even in the same term. Be sure to apply by the colleges application deadlines to all colleges or universities whose courses you think you may take, as only accepted students may enroll in College Credit Plus courses. Through which colleges and universities can I take courses? You can take on-campus and online courses through any college or university that participates in the College Credit Plus program. All public colleges and public universities in Ohio must participate. Private colleges and universities both in and outside Ohio may choose to participate. To find out if a private college or university participates, type College Credit Plus into the search box on the college website, or call the college s admissions office. Which courses are free for students? Any courses taken through a public Ohio college or university. Public colleges and universities cannot charge students any fees in order to participate in College Credit Plus, and required textbooks and materials will be provided at no cost to students. All public colleges and universities in Ohio must participate in College Credit Plus. What about private colleges? Private colleges choose whether or not to participate in College Credit Plus. If you take a course through a participating private college, you may have to pay a tuition cost. The charge could be as low as $ per credit hour or even less. However, the charge could be as high as $15 per credit hour, which is the maximum charge. These charges include fees and textbooks. Students whose households qualify for free or reduced-price lunch or other certain programs cannot be charged. How do I get accepted to a college or university that participates in College Credit Plus? You must complete that institution s special College Credit Plus application by that institution s deadline. Colleges set College Credit Plus application deadlines as early as April 15, and applications may require several parts and signatures from several people, so be sure to start early on your application(s). Colleges cannot charge an application fee.

5 College Credit Plus, Frequently Asked Questions Page How do I get started with College Credit Plus at Sinclair Community College 1. Meet with their high school guidance counselor to discuss participation in the CCP program and complete the required Intent to Participate form by April 1, After April 1, students will need permission from the Butler Tech Superintendent/CEO or his designee to participate. 2. Complete the online Sinclair Community College CCP Application: Butler Tech will certify that the student has met the course eligibility requirements with high school transcripts or recommend the student to complete the Accuplacer placement testing at Sinclair.. Once accepted, you will receive acceptance letter with instructions for attending the CCP MANDATORY Orientation and registration process. 4. Meet with you Butler Tech guidance counselor to assure that student meets academic eligibility for class choices and that choices meet high school graduation requirements.

6 Letter of Intent to Participate Date: Butler Tech Campus (select 1): Bioscience Center Options Academy Wokini D. Russel Lee Career Technology Center School of the Arts Natural Science Center Student Name: Student ID: Student Grade Level during : I intend to participate in the CCP Program during I intend to take the following number of college/dual credit courses in the CCP Program: 1-2 Courses -4 courses More I have read the rules of the College Credit Plus Program, including but not limited to potential repayment under Ohio Revised Code (ORC) I have received counseling regarding these rules. I accept and agree to abide by them. I understand that my student s participation in CCP is completely dependent upon acceptance as a student at a participating institution of higher education. I also understand that it is the responsibility of the student/parents to apply for acceptance into the participating institution of higher education and to abide by all of that institution s deadlines and requirements regarding the CCP program. Parent: Student Signature: Counselor/Administrator: Butler Tech Principal: