53A-15-101 - Higher education courses in the public schools -- Cooperation between public and higher education.
53A-15-101. Higher education courses in the public schools -- Cooperation betweenpublic and higher education.
(1) The State Board of Education in collaboration with the State Board of Regents shallimplement:
(a) a curriculum program and delivery system which allows students the option tocomplete high school graduation requirements and prepares them to meet college admissionrequirements at the conclusion of the eleventh grade, but does not preclude a student involved inaccelerated learning programs from graduating at an earlier time;
(b) a program of selected college credit courses in general and career and technicaleducation which would be made available in cooperation with the State Board of Regents, asresources allow, through concurrent enrollment with one or more of the state's institutions ofhigher education;
(c) a course of study for a student who decides to continue on through the twelfth gradethat would allow the student to take courses necessary to graduate from high school, and at thestudent's option, to become better prepared for the world of work, or complete selected collegelevel courses corresponding to the first and second year of course work at a university, college, orcommunity college in the state system of higher education; and
(d) a program for advanced placement which permits students to earn high school creditswhile qualifying to take advanced placement examinations for college credit.
(2) The delivery system and curriculum program shall be designed and implemented totake full advantage of the most current available educational technology.
(3) The State Board of Regents shall adopt rules to ensure the following:
(a) early high school graduates who are academically prepared and meet collegeadmission requirements may be enrolled in one of the state's institutions of higher education;
(b) college credit courses are taught in high school concurrent enrollment or advancedplacement programs by college or university faculty or public school educators under thefollowing conditions:
(i) to ensure that students are prepared for college level work, an appropriate assessmentis given:
(A) prior to participation in mathematics and English courses; and
(B) in meeting prerequisites previously established for the same campus-based course bythe sponsoring institution;
(ii) public school educators in concurrent enrollment programs must first be approved asadjunct faculty and supervised by a state institution of higher education;
(iii) teaching is done through live classroom instruction or telecommunications;
(iv) collaboration among institutions to provide opportunities for general education andhigh demand career and technical education concurrent enrollment courses to be offeredstatewide, including via technology;
(v) course content, procedures, and teaching materials in concurrent enrollment programsare approved by the appropriate department or program at an institution of higher education inorder to ensure quality and comparability with courses offered on college and universitycampuses;
(vi) concurrent enrollment may not include high school courses that are typically offeredin grades 9 or 10, except as provided under Subsection (3)(c); and
(vii) the provisions under Subsection (3)(b)(vi) do not apply to an early college high
school; and
(c) college credits obtained under this section shall be accepted for transfer of creditpurposes as if they had been obtained at any public institution of higher education within the statesystem.
(4) College-level courses taught in the high school carry the same credit hour value aswhen taught on a college or university campus and apply toward graduation on the same basis ascourses taught at an institution of higher education to which the credits are submitted.
(5) The State Board of Education shall provide students in the public schools with theoption of accelerating their educational program and graduating at the conclusion of the eleventhgrade.
(6) (a) The State Board of Education and State Board of Regents shall work in closecooperation in developing, implementing, and evaluating the program established under thissection.
(b) (i) Each high school shall receive its proportional share of concurrent enrollmentmoney appropriated or allocated pursuant to Section 53A-17a-120.5 based upon the hours ofhigher education course work undertaken by students at the school under Subsections (1)(b) and(1)(c) as compared to the state total.
(ii) School districts shall contract with institutions of higher education to provide thehigher education services required under this section.
(iii) (A) Higher education tuition and fees may not be charged for participation in thisprogram, except that each institution within the state's higher education system may charge aone-time per student per institution admissions application fee for concurrent enrollment coursecredit offered by the institution.
(B) Payment of the fee under Subsection (6)(b)(iii)(A) satisfies the general admissionsapplication fee requirement for a full-time or part-time student at an institution so that noadditional admissions application fee may be charged by the institution.
Amended by Chapter 321, 2009 General Session