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THECB Rules & DCCCD Policies

DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGES’ GUIDELINES FOR
DUAL CREDIT COURSES AND REMEDIAL COURSES OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2019-2020 Academic Year

The following guidelines reflect current Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) rules and regulations (Chapter 4, Subchapter D) and Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) policies and procedures. THECB rules and regulations and DCCCD policies and procedures are subject to change with the new changes taking precedence.

While THECB defines four types of partnerships with high schools, these guidelines do not address partnerships where only high school credit is granted for articulated agreements. They do address course credit where instruction is provided to high school students for the immediate award of both high school and college certificate and associate degree credit. Thus, called dual credit. They also address remedial instruction provided to high school students for either remedial work to prepare students to pass the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test(s) or other state designated instrument(s) to prepare students to pass the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) test(s).

  1. For any instructional partnerships between a Texas public secondary school(s), a charter school, a private school or a home school and a college of the DCCCD, a dual credit agreement must be approved by the governing boards or designated authorities of both the secondary school and the DCCCD prior to the offering of courses. Students who are enrolled in public, private, charter, or non-accredited secondary schools or who are home schooled must meet the same standards outlined below. This agreement must address the following:
    1. Student eligibility requirement to enroll in academic approved dual credit courses
    1. The student must be in high school.
    2. The dual credit student may enroll in more than one dual credit course per semester, and may enroll in dual credit coursework with freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior high school standing.
    3. The student must complete a pre-assessment activity (PAA) and practice test prior to taking the official Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) battery of tests.
    4. Institutions will use the TSIA Assessment scores and diagnostic results when addressing the educational and training needs of the student.
    5. College shall assess each student for readiness to engage in any college-level curriculum offered for college credit prior to the student’s enrollment in such curriculum.
    6. After assessment, the High School, using guidelines established by the College, shall determine what forms of assistance and remediation, if any, are necessary prior to a student’s enrollment in any college-level curriculum based on the results of the assessment and other indicators of student readiness.
    7. A student must meet the college prerequisites designed for a course.
    8. A student demonstrates TSI exempt for college readiness and dual credit eligibility by achieving the following minimum passing standards under the provisions of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) relating to Texas College and Career Readiness Standards on relevant section(s) of the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) OR other appropriate state approved test scores (see below SAT, ACT, STAAR score requirements for TSI). TSI score requirements can be altered by the THECB with currently approved scores being used for eligibility and course placement purposes.  TSI Assessment results are valid for five (5) years from date of testing.
    9. TSI Assessment with minimum of 351 on reading; 350 on math; and 340 with an essay score of at least 4 on writing. Another demonstration of writing college readiness includes a placement score of less than 340 and an ABE Diagnostic level of at least 4 and an essay score of at least 5.
    10. Institutions will use the TSIA Assessment scores and diagnostic results in their consideration of courses addressing the educational and training needs of the student.
      • SAT – For SAT Scores prior to March 5, 2016, a combined critical reading and math score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on critical reading test (student shall be exempt for both the reading and writing), and/or a minimum of 500 on the math test (student shall be exempt for math).
      • SAT – For SAT Scores on or after March 5, 2016: a minimum score of 480 on the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) test shall be exempt for both reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment; a minimum score of 530 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment. There is no combined score.
      • Mixing or combining scores from the SAT administered prior to March 5, 2016 and the SAT administered on or after March 5, 2016 is not allowable. The newly approved SAT scores became effective on August 10, 2016.
      • ACT – a student with a composite of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English test shall be exempt for both the reading and writing sections, and/or 19 on the math test (student shall be exempt for the math section)
      • A Level 2 final recommended score of 4000 or higher on the Algebra II STAAR EOC
      • A Level 2 final recommended score of 2000 or higher on the English III Reading STAAR EOC exam (scores prior to 2014)
      • A Level 2 final recommended score of 2000 or higher on the English III Writing STAAR EOC (scores prior to 2014)
      • A Level 2 final recommended score of 4000 or higher on the English III Combined Writing and Reading (scores in 2014 and thereafter)
    11. The student is eligible to enroll in academic dual credit courses with the following scores. Such scores will not make the student TSI exempt.
      • By achieving a composite score of 23 on the PLAN with a 19 or higher in English or an English score of 435 on the ACT-Aspire
      • By achieving a composite score of 23 on the Plan with a 19 or higher in  mathematics or a mathematics score of 431 on the ACT-Aspire
      • By achieving a Level 2 final recommended score of 4000 or higher on the English II STAAR EOC
      • By achieving a Level 2 final recommended score of 4000 or higher on the Algebra I STAAR EOC and passing grade in the Algebra II course
      • By achieving a Level 2 final recommended score of 4000 or higher on the Algebra II STAAR EOC (THECB approves this score criteria as both dual credit eligible and TSI met in math.)
      • PSAT/NMSQT placement scores from test taken prior to October 15, 2015: By achieving a combined score of 107 with a minimum of 50 on the reading test.  By achieving a combined score of 107 with a minimum of 50 on the mathematics test.
      • PSAT/NMSQT placement scores from test taken on or after October 15, 2015: By achieving a minimum score of 460 on the evidence-based reading and writing (EBRW) test.   By achieving a minimum score of 510 on the mathematics test.
      • Mixing or combining scores from the PSAT/NMSQT administered prior to October 15, 2015 and the PSAT/NMSQT administered on or after October 15, 2015 is not allowable.
    12. Student is eligible to enroll in workforce education dual credit courses contained in a Level-1 Certificate program, or a program leading to a credential of less than a Level-1 Certificate and shall not be required to provide demonstration of college readiness or dual credit enrollment eligibility. However, if the student takes dual credit course(s) that are outside of the allowances outlined above in (9), then:
      1. The student will not be eligible for a TSI level-one certificate waiver; and
      2. The student will be required to take the TSIA unless the student presents qualifying ACT, SAT or STAAR scores to make the student exempt from TSI requirements.
    13. A high school student is eligible to enroll in workforce education dual credit courses contained in a Level 2 certificate or applied associate degree program under the following conditions:
      1. Courses that require demonstration of TSI college readiness in reading and/or writing, the student achieves a Level 2 final recommended score of 4000 on the English II STAAR EOC
      2. Courses that require demonstration of TSI college readiness in mathematics, the student achieves a Level 2 final recommended score of 4000 on the Algebra I STAAR EOC and a passing grade in Algebra II course; or
      3. the student achieves a Level 2 final recommended score of 4000 on the Algebra II STAAR EOC
      4. Courses that require demonstration of TSI college readiness in reading and/or writing, the student achieves a composite score or 23 on the PLAN with a 19 or higher in English or an English score of 435 on the ACT-Aspire
      5. Courses that require demonstration of TSI readiness in mathematics, the student achieves a composite score of 23 on the PLAN with a 19 or higher in mathematics or a mathematics score of 431 on the ACT-Aspire
      6. Courses that require demonstration of TSI college readiness, the student achieves the following PSAT/NMSQT placement scores from test taken prior to October 15, 2015: By achieving a combined score of 107 with a minimum of 50 on the reading test.  By achieving a combined score of 107 with a minimum of 50 on the mathematics test.
    14. Courses that require demonstration of TSI college readiness, the student achieves the following PSAT/NMSQT placement scores from test taken on or after October 15, 2015:  By achieving a minimum score of 460 on the evidence-based reading and writing (EBRW) test.   By achieving a minimum score of 510 on the mathematics test.
    15. Mixing or combining scores from the PSAT/NMSQT administered prior to October 15, 2015 and the PSAT/NMSQT administered on or after October 15, 2015 is not allowable.
    16. A student who is exempt from taking STAAR EOC assessments may be otherwise evaluated by an institution to determine eligibility for enrolling in workforce education dual credit courses.
    17. Students who do not acquire the necessary test score(s) for eligibility purposes should discuss their options with the college Dual Credit School Coordinator. To be eligible for enrollment in a dual credit course offered by a public college, students must meet all the college’s regular prerequisite requirements designated for that course (e.g., minimum score on a specified placement test, minimum grade in a specified previous course, etc.).
    18. Score requirements can be altered by the THECB or DCCCD with the currently approved scores being used for eligibility and course placement purposes.
    19. An institution may impose additional requirements for enrollment in courses for dual credit that do not conflict with THECB dual credit requirements.
    20. An institution is not required, under the provisions of THECB dual credit section, to offer dual credit courses for high school students.
    21. The student must meet all admissions criteria of the college. In addition, students may be withdrawn from the pre-registration course(s) for subsequent semesters or terms if the student withdraws from a course or makes a grade of D or F. Students may be refused re-enrollment unless the student and the parent(s)/guardian(s) agree to abide by written conditions from the college designed to increase the potential for success.
    22. It is important for students to maintain a good academic standing as grades could   impact a student’s admission when transferring into four-year colleges/universities.
    23. Eligibility and academic standing are reviewed for continued participation in dual credit courses, and the student is required to maintain satisfactory academic performance at the high school; earn grades of A, B or C in all college courses; and obtain and submit evidence of parental/guardian and school approval for each subsequent semester of enrollment. A student who earns grades of D or F in a dual credit course may not be eligible for future dual credit courses or may have restrictions placed on their enrollment in the Dual Credit Program. Students who earn dual credit grades of W, D and/or F on a college transcript may not be eligible for future financial aid or may have limited financial aid options beyond high school.
    24. Students must discuss with their Dual Credit Advisor/Counselor if they wish to withdraw from their college course(s). Students who decide to withdraw must submit the required withdrawal form to the Dual Credit Advisor/Counselor or College Registrar by the published deadline. Failure to submit the required withdrawal form could result in student receiving a grade of F. Section 51.907 of the Texas Education Code applies to students who enroll in a Texas public institution of higher education for the first time in fall 2007 or later. Based on this law, when you graduate from high school and continue your college education, DCCCD or any other Texas public institution of higher education may not permit students to drop more than six college level credit courses for unacceptable reasons during their entire undergraduate career without penalty. All college level courses dropped after the official drop and add period for the course are included in the six-course limit, including courses dropped at another Texas public institution of higher education, unless it qualifies as an exception.
    25. Dual Credit High Students are currently exempt from the following state requirements until they graduate from high school. Once students graduate from high school and are no longer exempt they should take care when selecting additional courses to be transferred toward a Baccalaureate degree. House Bill 1172 allows an institution to charge the equivalent of out of state tuition for credit hours taken beyond the state limits of 30 semester credit hours required for a degree program. It is recommended that students take minimal hours beyond degree requirements to avoid possible higher tuition charges at the institution to which they are transferring.
    26. Academic freedom is practiced at all DCCCD Colleges and appropriate and essential discipline-specific terminology, concepts and principles are utilized as needed in the classroom setting, including within dual credit classes.
  2. Faculty Qualifications
    1. The college must select instructors of dual credit courses. This faculty must be regularly employed faculty members of the college or must meet all criteria established for credit instruction in the DCCCD, including SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) criteria. The approval procedures used by the college to select faculty must be the same as that used for faculty teaching at the college campus.
    2. It is encouraged that high school faculty teaching dual credit classes should also teach a class on the college campus as soon and as often as practical.
    3. Faculty teaching dual credit classes will meet all expectations for adjunct instructors including attending orientations, faculty meetings, and staff development/training activities.
    4. The faculty supervision and evaluation will be the same as that for all instructors at the college. Such evaluations will be conducted by the appropriate division dean or delegate. The student survey of instruction instrument will be administered, and all normal and usual documentation will be completed.
  3. Course Curriculum, Instruction and Grading
    1. Courses offered for dual credit must be THECB approved college-level academic courses and/or THECB college-level workforce education courses and are in agreement with the current Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) guidelines for graduation requirements in the State of Texas. Students may take no more courses for dual credit than permitted by these TEA course graduation guidelines.
    2. The college shall ensure that a dual credit course and the college course offered on the college campus are equivalent with respect to curriculum, materials, instruction, and method/rigor of student evaluation.
    3. Instructors of dual credit courses should be given the opportunity to award high school only or dual credit depending upon student performance. Students in dual credit courses may withdraw from the college course by following college procedures and meeting all deadlines.
    4. Dual Credit students who retake a dual credit course or enroll in a concurrent (non- dual credit) course will pay tuition for such courses.
  4. Location of Dual Credit Classes
    1. Dual credit courses may be taught on the college campus or on the high school campus. For dual credit courses taught exclusively to high school students on the high school campus and for dual credit courses taught electronically, the college shall comply with applicable rules and procedures for offering courses at a distance in THECB Rules, Chapter 4, subchapters P and Q relating to Distance Education and Off-Campus instruction.
    2. Dual credit courses taught electronically shall comply with the THECB adopted Principles of Good Practice for Courses Offered Electronically.
    3. Colleges must comply with SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) requirements as it relates to courses taught off college location.
  5. Composition of Dual Credit Classes
    1. Dual Credit courses must be taught on the college and/or the high school campus.
    2. Dual credit classes may be composed of dual credit students only or of dual and college credit students. Combined classes, which would include high school credit-only students, as well as dual credit students, are allowed as provided within THECB rules.
  6. Student Services
    1. High school students in dual credit courses will be given access to the college library, accorded appropriate privileges, and have adequate library resources convenient for use at the site where the course is offered.
    2. High school students in dual credit courses will be provided the academic support services, including academic advising and counseling, as those on the college campus.
    3. Prior to the start of each academic year, the High School and College shall collaborate on the development and communication of procedures for the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities enrolled in Dual Credit courses (“Established Procedures”). High School and College shall provide disability services in accordance with Established Procedures and applicable law.
    4. If a student is enrolled simultaneously in college and high school in a dual credit program, the two schools may share information regarding the student. This complies with 34 CFR 99.34(b).
  7. All other services provided to college students will be provided to high school students enrolled in dual credit courses.
  8. Eligible Courses
    1. A Community College may grant a student credit for a dual credit course only if the course is offered in the college’s core curriculum; Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses that apply to any certificate or associate degree offered by the institution; and, courses with the following rubrics: ACCT, ARCH, BUSI, COSC, CRIJ, ENGR, ENGT, RNSG, BCIS, and foreign language courses.
    2. Courses to be offered must be college-level courses included in the current edition of the Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual or the Workforce Education Course Guide Manual approved by THECB. Course name and number are subject to change.
    3. Dual credit classes must be equal in quality and rigor to classes on the college campus.
    4. The syllabus will contain all elements common to the syllabi for the same course as taught at the college.
    5. Regular academic policies applicable to courses taught at the college’s main campus must also apply to dual credit courses. These policies include the appeal process for disputed grades, drop policy, the communication of grading policy to students, and the distribution of a syllabus comparable to that utilized on the college campus.
    6. Colleges will not receive formula funding from the state for PHED 1164 dual credit course. Legislation does not restrict higher education institutions from enrolling dual credit students in PHED 1164, but state funding will not be provided to the college.
  9. Transcription of Credit. Transcription of dual credit courses on a college transcript should be handled exactly as it is for other college-level courses.
  10. Funding
    1. State funding for dual credit courses will be available to Public School District and College based on the current funding rules of the State Board of Education and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
    2. The college may claim funding for students getting college credit in core curriculum, select academic courses, career and technical education, and foreign language dual credit courses approved by and in keeping with Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board policies.
  11. Tuition and Cost- By written agreement with various high schools, the College District is authorized to offer dual credit enrollment classes to high school students as permitted by Chapter 130 of the Texas Education Code.  The Chancellor or designee is authorized to enter into these agreements.
    Tuition Scholarship:

    1. In Dallas County High Schools- A signed Dual Credit Agreement between the college and the school district, charter school, private school, or home school must be on file and indicate students enrolled in dual credit courses shall not pay tuition. One tuition scholarship per dual credit course per student is allowed.  Tuition scholarship is not awarded to high school students enrolled in concurrent college courses where only college credit is awarded.  Dual Credit Agreements will be made with school districts, charter schools, private schools, or home schools located within Dallas County.  Tuition scholarship is not awarded for repeated courses.  Student and/or high school are responsible for tuition and additional costs of any repeated course(s).
    2. Out of Dallas County In-State High Schools- A signed Dual Credit Agreement may be made with a school district, charter school, private school, or home school located outside of Dallas County and within the state of Texas. Students who are attending the out-of-county school and enrolled in dual credit courses will be charged tuition at the DCCCD in-county tuition rates.   Parent is responsible for tuition in full, unless high school offers to sponsor/scholarship student tuition.  Educational institutions file Form 1098-T for each student they enroll and for whom a reportable transaction is made for dual credit courses, including online dual credit courses and repeated dual credit courses.  To the extent dual credit courses are to be offered outside of Dallas County and within the State of Texas and involve additional costs for specialized equipment or supplies, the written dual credit agreement shall specify the additional course costs associated with same.
    3. Student may take no more dual credit courses than permitted by the TEA course graduation guidelines.
  12. For the purposes of dual credit, neither the high school nor the college should charge the other any expenses associated with the use of facilities unless specified expenses are included within the Dual Credit Agreement.
  13. College may charge ISD or high school (public, private, charter or home) as specified in agreement for the cost of e-textbooks, textbooks, textbook access codes, specialized equipment, required course supplies, instructional tools and the cost of additional DCCCD personnel to assist in labs/classrooms.  Students will be responsible for the cost of               e-textbooks, textbooks, textbook access codes, required course supplies, instructional tools, and liability insurance fee when such costs are not being provided by the ISD or high school.
  14. Students may initially take all three component areas of the college’s Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) at no cost and re-test once within each of the three component areas at no cost. For additional testing, student or high school will pay for re-test costs.
    1. The college may contract with school districts as outlined above to provide remedial courses for students enrolled in a public secondary school in preparation for graduation from high school. Such courses are not eligible for state formula funding. Such courses may not be offered for dual course credit. The college may not waive tuition for remedial courses unless approved by the DCCCD Board.
    2. Sexual misconduct involving HS students and/or College faculty or students shall be addressed by both the HS and the College. The HS shall promptly report to College administration any complaints of sexual misconduct made by or against a student, employee or guest of the College to the extent such complaint relates to the dual credit agreement between the parties. All other misconduct, behavioral problems, and any disciplinary measures resulting therefrom concerning HS students while at the College/ High School are the sole responsibility of the HS. College shall report in writing such disciplinary problems to the HS Administration. College may, at its sole discretion, refuse to admit students with a history of disciplinary problems. Sexual misconduct is any act of sex/gender-based discrimination or harassment, sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual exploitation, relationship violence, sex/gender-based stalking, or any other conduct that threatens the health and safety of any person on the basis of actual, expressed or perceived gender identity.
    3. The DCCCD, in compliance with Section 51.9192 of the Texas Education Code and Section 21.613 of the Texas Administrative Code, requires the bacterial meningitis vaccination for all students under the age of 22. Dual Credit and Early College High School students taking classes in-person on any DCCCD college campus must provide proof of immunization for bacterial meningitis (or booster within the last five years) or present the appropriate exemption to the Admissions Office. Proof of immunization is: (1) certification from a physician or clinic that the student has been vaccinated during the 5-year period immediately preceding and prior to registration; or (2) an immunization record from a state or local health authority or an official record received from school officials, including a record from another state (must be within five years). The date of the vaccination or booster must be at least 10 days before the first day of class. Only the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) and meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4) are approved for this requirement.  This requirement does not apply for students who will be taking the courses at a DCCCD facility not located on a DCCCD college campus. For more information regarding the DCCCD’s Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination Requirement and DCCCD forms, please refer to https://www.dcccd.edu/apply-reg/apply/pages/meningitis.aspx.
    4. As rules and regulations are subject to change, please refer to the DCCCD web catalog at http://www.1.dcccd.edu/catalog/cattoc.cfm for updated general and academic information for your needs.