2011-12 CTE Dual Fall 2012 TBHS Dual Credit Enrollment Packet
Grayson College Dual Credit information. Dual Enrollment Drop Withdraw Form Steps to Dual Enrollment Dual Credit Guidelines Listed Below.
Tom Bean High School
P.O. Box 128 Tom Bean, Texas 75489 (903) 5466319 www.tombeanisd.org
Dual Credit Student Guidelines
Tom Bean High School/Grayson County College
What is dual credit/concurrent enrollment?
Dual credit refers to the opportunity and agreement through which a student may earn high school credit for successfully completing a college course that covers all the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) of any specified high school course. Courses may be taken on the high school campus via Interactive Video Conferencing (ITV) and taught by a member of the college faculty or courses may be taken on the college campus itself.
Who takes dual credit courses?
Students that are ready for the challenge of the college course are mature, self-disciplined, and self-motivated. Students must be prepared to attend all scheduled classes and follow the Grayson County College attendance policy. Attendance is a must in order to pass the college course and receive credit for the high school course. All college courses are taught through the college and not the high school itself. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor if he/she will not be in attendance for the class and to obtain all notes or assignments.
Are dual credit courses right for me???
Many students find dual credit courses a challenging and rewarding educational experience that allows them to get a “head start” on their college career. However, taking dual credit courses via ITV instruction is not for everyone. Depending on their emotional and intellectual maturity level, learning styles, and work habits, some students may need the face-to-face contact and instructor proximity found in the traditional classroom. Students must also meet the following criteria as set in the student handbook: No grade below a 70 on any six-week grade while in high school, 90+ overall grade average for high school course work, 80-89 grade average requires recommendation by English and history teacher.
Characteristics of a successful dual credit student…
*Be self-directed
*Be resourceful
*Be assertive-If you don’t know something-ask! Communicate and participate
*Be respectful of the other sites/students
*Be comfortable with the various technologies used
*Meet the necessary technical requirements and be comfortable with the equipment
*Have the time and resources to dedicate to college-level coursework-If you have a job, it is not an acceptable excuse for not completing your college coursework.
*Be prepared when you come to class-Have all materials and copies needed prior to the start of class. Making copies of lecture notes during the class period is prohibited.
*Be comfortable with the written word and use of e-mail as a communication form. – If in doubt-ask!!!
*Be able to prioritize responsibilities and work independently
*Ask for assistance when needed to build academic and social support systems-Contact your college instructor with any questions you may have. If you find your self struggling or need help-ASK!!!
May any student enroll in college courses for dual credit?
No. Dual credit students must have the approval of the high school principal or other official designated by the school district, must meet the entrance requirements of the participating institution of higher learning (as set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board), and must be in the 12th grade or summer prior to the 12th grade. Additionally, college students must demonstrate college readiness.
What is college readiness?
In order to take any college level courses, students must meet the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) ready standards. Students must take the THEA or other exam such as the Compass. High school student may be exempt from the THEA if the meet the following standards on the 11th grade exit-level TAKS exam, or SAT/ACT scores. The standards are:
*TAKS ( 11th grade exit-level exam) – 2200 in English/Language ARTS with
a sub-score of 3 or higher to be exempt from the TSI reading/writing.
2200 in Math to be exempt in TSI math.
*SAT-Composite score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on the verbal
(critical reading) section and a minimum of 500 on the math section
*ACT-Composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 in the math section and
a minimum of 19 on the English section.
TAKS scores are valid for 3 years from the date of testing. SAT/ACT scores are valid for 5 years from the date of testing.
If not exempt: Students must pass the portion of the test that correlates with the dual credit college course. Students must register with on the THEA website at http://www.thea.nesinc.com/ or may register at Grayson College. Students may also register to take the Compass at Grayson County College. Remember-time is of the essence. Test early!!! There is a mandatory waiting period between testing. If the student needs to re-take a portion of the exam, allot time. If the student waits too late, they will be ineligible to take college courses.
What is Interactive Videoconferencing (ITV)?
In an ITV college course, you will be using television equipment such as cameras, microphones and monitors. It is very likely that you will also be working with computers. You may need to learn new computer applications like WebCT or Blackboard for assignments that need to be submitted electronically.
An instructor will teach the college course from the “host” or “local” site, and students will be at the “remote” sites. Students can see and hear everything the instructor does and says-and, the instructor can see and hear everything students do and say. ITV students may be part of a “class” that is going on in three or four different cities or towns simultaneously. ITV rooms contain television cameras, monitors, and microphones. Classroom facilitators will be in the room during the scheduled class time.
Will I be asked to participate a lot during class?
ITV isn’t like educational television; you can’t just sit in front of the TV and “watch” the class. The key to a successful ITV course is interaction. You must get involved to fully benefit from the activities. This means you must:
*ask questions to see clarification in class
*contribute to the discussions
*complete all assignments on time
*attend every ITV session – Remember-attendance is mandatory
to receive credit for the course.
*contact the instructor outside of class if you have questions-This is a college course and you are responsible for your success in the class.
*take initiative
ITV drawbacks:
Interactive videoconferencing is the “next best thing to being there”. However, one key difference between a traditional classroom and an ITV course is the amount of instructor contact. Because the computers controlling the videoconference will end the session at the scheduled end of class time, students will not be able to stay after class to speak privately with the instructor. For questions about grading decisions, approval for a paper topic, or other individual matters, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor outside of class.
Who pays the tuition for the dual credit college courses?
Students are responsible for paying for tuition, fees, textbooks, and other expenses that may be incurred. Fee schedules for courses are printed in the schedule of classes available on the Grayson County College website at www.grayson.edu .
What services are available to dual credit high school students?
All services through the college are available to dual credit students. Students have access to such things as the library, tutoring through the college, and any other student services that are available to traditional college students. For a list of services provided through the college, please review the Grayson College Catalog under the heading of Student Services and Activities at www.grayson.edu. A listing for the college tutoring schedule is posted under “College Resources” on the Grayson website. Students also have access to any teacher on the Tom Bean High School campus if they need additional help or tutoring. Students will need to schedule appointments with these faculty members.
Key points to remember before enrolling in any
dual credit college courses:
High school graduation may be dependent on successful completion of the dual credit college courses. In other words, if you don’t pass the college course, you may not graduate from high school!
Points to remember…
1. You must pass the class with a “C” or better in order to receive high school
credit in the state of Texas. Colleges may give a grade of a “D”, but TEA
requirements stipulate a 70 or above. In order to receive an “advanced measure”
required for the Distinguished Achievement Diploma, students must earn a
grade of a “B” or higher.
2. English 1301 and 1302 are equivalent to English IV. US Government 2305 and
Economics 2301 are equivalent to US Government and Economics in high school.
These are state graduation requirements and a grade of a “C” must be made in
order to receive high school credit.
3. If, during the fall semester, you fail or drop a dual credit college course without
receiving a grade, you will not be allowed to take dual credit college courses in
the spring. The student is responsible for withdrawing from the course by the
specified date in the Grayson County College class schedule and making
making arrangements with the principal or counselor to have his/her class
schedule changed. The schedule of add/drop dates for the college is posted at
4. Grayson County Community College is the educational institution through which
the dual credit college course is taught. Students must abide by their
attendance policy in order to receive credit for the course. The attendance
policy is posted in the college catalog and may be found at www.grayson.edu .
5. Grades earned in the dual credit courses are considered “Advanced Courses” and
are counted towards class ranking. Grades earned in these college courses also
start the beginning of the college transcript and will be on the student’s
permanent college record. Internet college courses do not count towards class
ranking and are not recommended for the high school student.
6. Last, but not least- Tom Bean High School makes available the opportunity for
students to take dual credit courses through Grayson County Community College
while on the high school campus or at Grayson County College. It is a choice that
students enroll in the dual credit courses-not a must. If you or your student
isn’t yet ready for college, then the dual credit college courses may not be the
right choice at this point in time. Remember that you or your student is still a
high school student-Enjoy it! You have one opportunity to be a senior in high
school.
I’ve read the guidelines and am ready to enroll-now what?
If the option of taking the dual credit courses is for you, the next step is to complete the Dual Credit Enrollment Packet and Permission Form. Packets are available in the high school office or on the Tom Bean High School Counselor website at www.tombean-isd.org . For additional questions, please see Mrs. Royal, high school counselor or e-mail her at
Revised 4/08