(a) ACCEL program -a lottery-funded dual enrollment program administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) that under rules promulgated by the GSFC provides for eligible juniors and seniors to take certain courses from postsecondary institutions that count for high school graduation credit and postsecondary credit.

(b) Approved courses - courses identified by the Georgia Department of Education that are eligible to be taken under dual enrollment programs.

(c) Articulate Credit - Certain Technical Education courses taken at the secondary level may be exempted through Lanier Technical College's articulation agreements with our service area high schools. If a student has graduated from high school within the last 24 months and passed any of the courses listed on the "Request for articulation form", the student is eligible to take the validation exam for the course at no cost. The student MUST pass the validation exam with 80% in order to exempt the Lanier Tech course. Look over the "How to claim articulated credit form" for the process and contact Jeff Fitzpatrick (jfitzpatrick@laniertech.edu or 770-531-5590) for further information.

(d) Course - instruction for which credit is awarded.

(e) Credit - units or portions of units earned and applied toward high school graduation and credit hours earned toward the completion of a postsecondary program of study.

(f) Dual Enrollment - The process through which high school students take courses from a state public or private postsecondary institution while still enrolled as a high school student and receive credit BOTH at the high school and at the postsecondary institution.

(g) Early College - a program jointly operated by the State Board of Education and the Board of Regents that allows identified students to participate in a dual enrollment program prior to the 11th grade.

(h) Eligible student - a student who is accepted by a state public or private postsecondary institution and GSFC as meeting the requirements for participation in the lottery-funded joint or dual enrollment program.

(i) Gateway to College - a program jointly operated by the State Board of Education and the Board of Regents that allows identified students to participate in a dual enrollment program prior to the 11th grade.

(j) Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) - the Georgia state government agency that administers postsecondary financial aid.

(k) HOPE Grant - the funding mechanism administered by the GSFC that under rules promulgated by the GSFC provides for eligible students to participate in diploma or certificate programs at public postsecondary institutions.

(l) Joint Enrollment - a process through which high school students take courses at a state public or private postsecondary institution while still enrolled as a high school student and receive credit only at the postsecondary institution. GSFC only provides funding for joint enrollment diploma or certificate courses taken at public postsecondary institutions through a Hope Grant.

(m) Lottery-funded Dual Enrollment Programs - programs that are provided to eligible high school students who are taking courses at state public or private postsecondary institutions paid for through lottery funds. These include the ACCEL program for college level coursework and HOPE Grant program for certificate or diploma coursework.

(a) Students who participate in this joint or dual enrollment program shall adhere to the funding guidelines as developed by the GSFC.

(b) Programmatic guidelines for this program shall be developed by the Georgia Department of Education with consideration of input from the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education.

(c) Courses shall be chosen by eligible students from the list approved by the Georgia Department of Education developed with consideration of input from the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education.

(a) Students accepted into Early College or Gateway to College or who participate in one of the full-time dual enrollment programs administered by the Department and the Board of Regents shall abide by the guidelines developed for those programs.

(b) Courses for special dual enrollment programs shall be chosen by eligible students from lists developed by the Georgia Department of Education for such programs with consideration of input from the Georgia Board of Regents.

(a) Students who are not accepted by GSFC for participation in lottery-funded dual or joint enrollment programs but who have been accepted by a state public or private postsecondary institution are eligible to take the same courses identified for lottery-funded programs.

(b) The student or the student's parent/guardian is responsible for all costs related to participation in a non-lottery-funded dual or joint enrollment program.

(a) Local school systems shall accept toward state and local high school graduation requirements and subject area requirements of the State Board of Education the postsecondary credit of a student who successfully completes an approved course at an eligible institution and shall apply the provisions of Rule 160-5-1-.18 COMPETITIVE INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES IN GRADES 9-12: NO PASS/NO PARTICIPATE to students enrolled in this program.

(b) The grades and amount of credit for each approved course for students who participate in approved dual enrollment programs shall be placed on high school transcripts and shall be used in computing grade point averages.

(c) Semester hour credit shall be converted to high school unit credit at a five to one ratio: 5 semester hours = 1 unit; 4 semester hours = .8 unit; 3 semester hours = .6 unit; 2 semester hours = .4 unit; 1 semester hour = .2 unit.

(d) Quarter hour credit shall be converted to high school unit credit at a 7.5 to one ratio: 8 quarter hours = 1.06 units; 7 quarter hours = .92 unit; 6 quarter hours = .79 unit; 5 quarter hours = .66 unit; 4 quarter hours = .53 unit; 3 quarter hours = .4 unit; 2 quarter hours = .26 unit; 1 quarter hour = .13 unit.

(a) The local school system shall:

1. Require eligible students to meet state assessment requirements as referenced in State Board of Education Rule 160-3-1-.07 TESTING PROGRAMS - STUDENT ASSESSMENT.
2. Develop policies on dual and joint enrollment programs that:

(i) Provide for the assignment of high school classes to students who do not participate in the program after they have enrolled.

(ii) Provide students information concerning the opportunity of dual and joint enrollment programs as part of the development of their plan of study. By April 1 of each school year or prior to enrollment in an eligible institution, school systems shall provide general information about lottery-funded program dual and joint enrollment programs to all eligible students.

(iii) For any student who indicates an interest, provide advisement information to the student and parent(s) or guardian(s) which shall include:

(I) The names of eligible institutions, approved courses, information about approved academic transferable credit and local and state high school graduation requirements.

(II) The name of a contact person at each eligible institution for information concerning the program.

(III) Procedures for scheduling approved courses between the high school and the eligible institutions.

(IV) The potential effect of the program on a student completing a course and completing required high school graduation requirements.

(V) Consequences of course incompletion, course failure and the possible delay of high school graduation.

(VI) Eligibility information for participating in extracurricular activities.

(VII) The academic and social responsibilities of the student and parent(s) or guardian(s), including continuing responsibilities to obey the rules of both the eligible institution and the high school.

(iv) Prior to enrolling, require parent(s)/guardian(s) and the student who elects to participate to sign a form stating that they have received the advisement services specified and that they understand the responsibilities and possible consequences.

Authority: O. C. G. A. § 20-2-240.

Adopted: April 14, 2005 Effective: May 10, 2005