Happy new year and welcome to 2020! We know district and campus leaders will soon be reviewing their course offerings, assessing instructional strategies, and digging deeper into school report cards. In this edition, we will review a few key concepts related to your A–F Accountability:
Goals of your dual credit programs
Resources that support district dual credit implementation
How an effective school counseling program supports student achievement
Accountability Knowledge: Dual Credit Programs
Across the state, we’ve seen significant growth in the number of students taking dual credit or dual enrollment courses while in high school. Dual credit coursework is used as a college, career, and military readiness (CCMR) indicator in 2019 accountability calculations across all three domains. Students who complete three college credit hours in English language arts or mathematics, or nine college credit hours in any subject area, earn CCMR credit.
When monitoring the CCMR progress of your students, especially dual credit completion, ensure that you are aware of the following points:
PEIMS dual credit courses should be coded and documented on the Academic Achievement Record with Special Explanation Code "D."
2020 accountability and distinction designation calculations will evaluate 2019 annual graduates and look back four years to determine whether they met the criteria prior to graduation. See 2019 Accountability Manual, Appendix H for further details.
The nine hours include ANY subject area (core, fine arts, CTE, etc.)
House Bill 1638 (85th Legislature) requires that all ISDs have a memorandum of understanding (MOU) detailing the dual credit partnership between the institute of higher education (IHE) and the ISD. Also any new, revised, or renewed dual credit MOU or articulation agreement must be publicly posted and include the following:
A description of how the goals of the dual credit program align with statewide goals
A course equivalency crosswalk that identifies the number of credits that may be earned for each course completed through the dual credit program
A description of the academic support and guidance that will be provided to students participating in the dual credit program
A description of the ISD and IHE's respective roles and responsibilities in ensuring the quality and instructional rigor of the dual credit program
A description of the sources of funding for dual credit courses offered under the program including tuition, transportation, and any required fees or textbooks for students who participate
To read more about House Bill 1638, read the To the Administrator Addressed letter from TEA. Earning college credit while in high school can be complex. Students, families, and educators need adequate information to consider the many options. Common dual credit questions include:
How do dual credits transfer from one institution to another?
How is a student eligible to enroll in dual credit?
What is the cost of dual credit?
What dual credit courses should students take?
These and others are answered in an overview from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. TEA's Dual Credit Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) also includes answers to common questions received from students, parents and guardians, teachers, and administrators. It has been revised to include new rules established as a result of the most recent legislative session. If you're unable to find the answer you're looking for, please submit your questions to advancedacademics@tea.texas.gov.
College, Career, and Military Readiness Strategies
With more students each year earning college credit through dual credit and dual enrollment programs such as our sister initiative OnRamps, there is a strong need to help educators feel equipped to advise students on all the different factors that go into taking college courses in high school. Here are some strategies:
Support your staff with free, quality professional development
Build information on dual credit programs and earning college credit into professional development plans for you and your staff. Educators can gain knowledge on these topics using the College Credits and TSIA learning modules within the Texas OnCourse Academy. These modules cover the differences in dual credit, dual enrollment, advanced placement, comparing college credit programs, and more.
Explore the early college high school model
Are you working on transforming your campus into an early college high school (ECHS)? The number of these schools has significantly increased in the last couple of years. According to the Texas Education Agency, the ECHS model:
Provides dual credit at no cost to students
Offers rigorous instruction and accelerated courses
Provides academic and social support services to help students succeed
Texas law states that “a school counselor shall work with the school faculty and staff, students, parents, and the community to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive school counseling program that conforms to the most recent edition of the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs developed by the Texas Counseling Association."
When students meet individually with professional school counselors, they are supported and provided with the knowledge and resources to make informed, quality postsecondary decisions.
Advising students on the variety of academic and career options available to them begins early. This is an immense task for professional school counselors, who, in addition to social-emotional support, course scheduling, and other responsibilities, must understand and educate students and their parents/guardians on advanced academics, CTE courses and new programs of study, college preparatory assessments, career opportunities, scholarships, financial aid, and more. Creating a comprehensive school counseling program as described in statute ensures that we give students all they need to achieve their desired outcomes and goals.
This month, US News and World Report published How High School Counselors Can Help Students, Parents. We all realize the impact that counselors can have on the lives of our students. This article asks the age-old question: What does a school counselor do? The short answer: school counselors aim to help students thrive academically, personally, and socially and assist them in exploring their options after high school.
A special offer for subscribers to the College and Career Strategist! During this free webinar, we will dig into distinction designations and campus and district comparison groups with experts from the Austin area’s Region 13 Accountability Team. We will also cover using a handy district data tool for tracking CCMR outcomes for your students.
