A. These Regulations for Dual Enrollment are promulgated pursuant to authority conferred under R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-100-3(a) and are established for the purpose of adopting a statewide dual enrollment policy that allows students to enroll in public postsecondary education courses to satisfy academic coursework requirements in high school and earn credits at a public postsecondary institution. These regulations are intended to expand student access to postsecondary coursework and are not intended to preempt existing agreements or to prevent future agreements between Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Rhode Island’s public postsecondary institutions.

B. In accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-100-3(b), a workgroup was convened to consider a dual enrollment policy and provide advice to the Board of Education. The workgroup’s findings included the beliefs that a dual enrollment policy would accomplish the following:

1. Expand early college access for all qualified Rhode Island students, particularly traditionally underrepresented students.

2. Maximize the recognition of rigorous postsecondary coursework for purposes of meeting high school graduation requirements.

3. Reduce the amount of time and expense required to obtain a college degree.

4. Promote the partnership between elementary and secondary education and public postsecondary institutions.

C. These regulations are therefore adopted to fulfill the purpose of R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-100-3 and the objectives envisioned by the workgroup.

A. Wherever used in this Part, the terms listed below shall be construed as follows:

1. “Career development course” means a postsecondary course that assists students in preparing for employment.

2. “College success course” means a postsecondary course that assists in a student’s transition to college by offering instruction and strategies for success in college and life-long learning.

3. “Dual enrollment” means that a student is enrolled in a secondary school while simultaneously enrolled part-time or full-time as a non-matriculating student at a postsecondary institution, such as a community college, college or university.

4. “Concurrent enrollment” means a student is enrolled in a dual enrollment course that is offered at the secondary school and taught by a secondary school teacher who is approved by the postsecondary institutions.

5. “Graduation coursework requirements” means the coursework requirements set forth in § 20-10-2.3.1 of this Title (Secondary Design: Middle and High School Learning Environments and the Rhode Island Diploma System).

6. “Secondary schools” means schools in all Rhode Island school districts, charter public schools, career and technical centers, approved private day and residential schools, and collaborative schools granted the authority by the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education ("RIDE") to offer a high school diploma.

7. “Specific course equivalencies” means courses offered by a postsecondary educational institution that can be transferred to another postsecondary institution for approved credit.

8. “Postsecondary institution” means all Rhode Island public institutions of higher education.

1.3.1 Academic

A. Students enrolled in Rhode Island secondary schools shall be allowed to enroll in postsecondary education courses to satisfy academic coursework requirements in the secondary school and earn credits at public postsecondary institutions.

B. Dual and concurrent enrollment coursework shall include

1. General education courses, elective courses, and specific course equivalencies;

2. Career and technical education (vocational training) courses; and

3. College-success and career-development courses.

C. Dual enrollment courses shall have the same educational outcomes and academic policies as other courses taught at the postsecondary institution.

D. Concurrent enrollment courses shall have the same educational outcomes as their counterpart postsecondary courses.

E. To be approved by the Board of Education as a concurrent enrollment course, the institution of higher education shall demonstrate that the course meets the requirements defined in §§ 1.3.1(A) through (D) of this Part.

F. The grade and credits earned in a dual or concurrent enrollment course shall be recorded on a postsecondary transcript. The transferability of credits is determined in accordance with Postsecondary Council transfer and articulation policy.

G. Dual enrollment courses shall count toward a student’s secondary school coursework graduation requirements if the student complies with the postsecondary institution’s grading, attendance, and behavioral polices and successfully completes the course. Concurrent enrollment courses shall count toward the student’s high school coursework graduation requirements if the student, pursuant to the secondary school’s grading, behavioral, and attendance policies, successfully completes the course. The secondary school may give a dual or concurrent enrollment course extra weight in calculating a high school grade point average (GPA). Generally, a three or four credit college course shall be equivalent to one credit of high school course work.

H. Full-time dual enrolled students must enroll at the community college. The commissioner of postsecondary education may provide a waiver to a student to enroll at Rhode Island College or the University of Rhode Island. The Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner (OPC) shall establish procedures related to the waiver process.

1.3.2 Instructors

A. Postsecondary instructors of dual and concurrent enrollment courses shall ensure that these courses have the same educational outcomes as their corresponding postsecondary courses.

B. Instructors of concurrent enrollment courses at the secondary public school shall be approved by the postsecondary credit-granting institution and possess similar qualifications as instructors teaching the corresponding course at the postsecondary institution. Secondary school teachers shall hold the certification required by the Council for Elementary and Secondary Education for the course that is being taught.

C. The postsecondary institution shall assign staff to coordinate and oversee the selection and delivery of dual and concurrent enrollment courses in partnership with K-12 stakeholders such as school superintendents, high school principals, and counselors.

D. The postsecondary institution shall provide the appropriate orientation to instructors of dual enrollment courses.

E. Public secondary school teachers shall be evaluated by their employer pursuant to the educator evaluation system approved by the RIDE and in accordance with Rhode Island law and applicable regulations.

1.3.3 Costs

A. Dual enrollment and concurrent enrollment course costs will vary by course and delivery method. Concurrent enrollment course offerings and course costs shall be annually established by postsecondary institutions and approved by the Board of Education. Qualified secondary students shall have access to each postsecondary institution’s full course catalog through dual enrollment. Dual enrollment coursework is subject to each respective institution’s scheduling policy. In the event that funding is dedicated to support dual enrollment partnerships for all qualified public high school students, the postsecondary commissioner will allocate funding within the parameters established by a memorandum of understanding between the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner and the public institutions of higher education. If program participation outpaces dedicated funding, the postsecondary commissioner will determine, at their discretion, how to allocate available funding to postsecondary institutions. The approach of the postsecondary commissioner will take into account program costs, program outcomes and other factors. Funding limitations may change institutional policies as to the courses offered but that access will not otherwise be limited.

B. LEAs shall support the cost of students who enroll in the full-time dual enrollment program at the community college as a part of their high school experience. LEA support shall be based on the higher education institution’s tuition and mandatory fee rates and will not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the core instructional per pupil amount of state and local education aid as determined by RIDE, not to exceed the cost of full-time enrollment at the institution. LEAs shall remit the tuition and fees to the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner upon notice.

C. No low-income student, as defined by the RIDE, shall be denied access to dual or concurrent enrollment coursework on their inability to pay course related tuition and fees.

D. Part-time dual enrolled students funded by state funding will be ineligible to enroll in physical education courses at an institution of higher education

1.3.4 Student Eligibility Criteria

A. Secondary school students may take dual and concurrent enrollment coursework upon the approval of their principal, director or head of school, in accordance with local enrollment criteria. The criteria shall be based on the student’s academic, behavioral, and attendance record and, if applicable, the student’s results on an ACT, SAT, ACCUPLACER, PSAT, EXPLORE or state standardized assessments. Student age will not be a determiner of enrollment. Postsecondary institutions shall establish eligibility criteria and, if applicable, assessment standards to determine college readiness.

B. In the case of career and technical education dual and concurrent enrollment coursework, secondary school students must meet the course-specific eligibility requirements.

C. Secondary school students shall not be denied access to dual and concurrent enrollment coursework provided they meet the local enrollment criteria and there is space available in the course.

D. Students with disabilities or students who are English Language Learners shall receive the protections, services and accommodations as prescribed by federal and state law in accordance with the policies and procedures of the postsecondary institution in the case of dual enrollment or the secondary school in the case of concurrent enrollment.

1.3.5 Student Supports

A. Local school committees shall adopt a dual and concurrent enrollment policy and provide students and their families with information about dual and concurrent enrollment coursework requirements and the potential benefits and consequences of dual and concurrent enrollment prior to approving a request for dual and concurrent enrollment. RIDE will provide this consolidated information to LEAs to ease dissemination. This information shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Student eligibility criteria;

2. Conditions warranting removal from enrollment;

3. The requirements of the dual and concurrent enrollment course and the consequences of failing or not completing a course, including the effect on the student's ability to complete the secondary school's proficiency-based graduation requirements;

4. The process for granting dual and concurrent enrollment academic credit at both the postsecondary institution and the secondary school;

5. The benefits to the student of successfully completing a dual or concurrent enrollment course, including the potential reduction of the overall cost of, and the amount of time required, for obtaining a college degree;

6. Available educational support services at the secondary school and the postsecondary institution;

7. The student’s academic, attendance and conduct responsibilities;

8. Scheduling and transportation, which shall be the student’s and/or family’s responsibility, for dual enrollment coursework at a postsecondary institution; and

9. A fact sheet generated by the postsecondary institution detailing requirements outlined in § 1.3.5(B) of this Part.

B. Rhode Island public postsecondary institutions must provide information to secondary school counselors, school leaders and other designated secondary school personnel about the concurrent and dual enrollment coursework program including, but not limited to, course content, grading policies, attendance requirements, course completion requirements, performance standards, graduation requirements and the ability to award degrees/certificates in Rhode Island (if applicable).

C. Secondary school students taking a dual enrollment course at the postsecondary institution shall have access to the same educational support services that are available to students enrolled at the postsecondary institution.

D. The parent and LEA shall determine how to approach any courses offered by public postsecondary institutions that are not on the list of available courses or are provided by private postsecondary institutions.

1.3.6 Information Access and Management

A. The Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner shall annually obtain information from Rhode Island postsecondary institutions about possible dual and concurrent enrollment courses and provide to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education a list of available concurrent enrollment courses that may be taught at secondary schools by qualified instructors.

B. Each year, the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE) and the Office of Postsecondary Commissioner will enter into a mutually agreed upon memorandum of agreement no later than December 1st detailing the catalog of concurrent enrollment courses and the costs for each respective course.

C. Secondary schools shall provide all students and their families with the available course and program information at the time of course selection for the subsequent school year.

D. The Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE), and the postsecondary institutions shall enter into an agreement determining business practices and data sharing. The agreement shall include, but is not limited to, deadlines for reporting, data sharing, and invoicing. The agreement may be revised on an annual basis as needed.

E. Information about the concurrent and dual enrollment courses available at public postsecondary institutions will be published on the RIDE website.

1.3.7 Reporting

A. The Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE) shall establish data reporting requirements for Rhode Island public postsecondary institutions and secondary schools, respectively. The reported data from Rhode Island’s postsecondary institutions and secondary school shall form the basis of an annual joint report by the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE) to the legislature.

B. The joint report shall include, but not be limited to:

1. The number of secondary school students participating in dual and concurrent enrollment programs;

2. Participant demographics;

3. Credits earned at each of the postsecondary institutions; and

4. The number of high school instructors, by course and by affiliated postsecondary institution, teaching concurrent enrollment courses.

1.3.8 Program Quality

A. The secondary schools, the public postsecondary education institutions, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE) and the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner will work collaboratively to ensure the quality of the Rhode Island dual enrollment program.

B. To provide a realistic college experience and to maintain academic rigor, concurrent enrollment courses must duplicate the identical course offering delivered on-campus to matriculated students.

C. The public institutions of higher education are encouraged, but not required, to seek and obtain accredited status by the National Alliance on Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). However, the postsecondary institutions are required to adopt and adhere to current NACEP Standards (http://www.nacep.org/accreditation/standards/).

D. Every three (3) years the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner (with input from the RIDE) may request a self-study of institutional policies and practices regarding dual and concurrent enrollment based on NACEP standards and may conduct a site visit to confirm compliance with NACEP standards and quality programming.