04:09:01:00 DSCC Dual Credit Policy

Purpose:

The purpose of this policy is to establish expectations and procedures for dual credit at Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC).

Scope:

This policy applies to all credit bearing courses and programs offered at DSCC.

Policy:

Overview:
Local Dual Credit (Credit by Assessment) opportunities at Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC, “The College”) are made available to high schools in the DSCC service area. In partnership with DSCC, these high schools offer their students opportunities to earn college credit. DSCC’s mission is to provide future students with an easy transition from secondary to postsecondary education, continuing into the workplace, as well as to prepare students with the highest quality training and education.

The Process:
To receive DSCC dual credit, high school students must successfully complete a high school course that has been articulated with a DSCC course. Following completion of the articulated course, students must successfully complete a DSCC-prepared online examination in the College’s eLearn platform in the subject area. Within two years of high school graduation, students must enroll at DSCC to receive the college credit for the articulated high school course. Credit will be awarded on the census date of the term the student enrolls.

Dual Credit saves high school students both time and money as they pursue a college certificate or degree and provides the area workforce with highly-trained professionals. Dual Credit also allows high school students the opportunity to pursue Early Post-Secondary Opportunities (EPSOs). Through articulation, Dual Credit is an opportunity available to recent high school graduates (within two years of graduation) to receive credit and/or advanced placement at DSCC for specific courses completed in high school. Students who receive a minimum score of 70% on the respective end-of-course assessment(s) can receive dual credit at DSCC, in accordance with Early Postsecondary Opportunities Policy 2:01:00:05.

Dual credit students shall be provided with one online attempt at the end-of-course assessment in a given College semester term. If the student is absent on the day that the end-of-course assessment is administered, he or she will be allowed to “make up” the attempt during a subsequent testing session.

Responsibilities of the student: The Dual Credit process begins while the student is enrolled in high school and culminates after the student graduates from high school and enrolls at DSCC.

To apply for Dual Credit, a high school student must adhere to the following procedures:

  1. The student will complete a high school course that aligns with a DSCC course
  2. The student will complete a free local dual credit application.
  3. The student will receive approval for the application of dual credit by obtaining signatures of the following:
  1. Applicable high school instructor/counselor to verify eligibility to attempt exam and that parent or legal guardian has approved the student taking the exam.
  2. The student will submit the completed application to the appropriate high school administrator (it is recommended that the student make a copy for their own records) and provide a school or government issued form of identification at the time of assessment.
  3. The student must earn a minimum of 70% on the dual credit exam to be eligible to receive DSCC credit.

Following high school graduation:

  1. Within two years of high school graduation, the student should enroll as a degree-seeking student at DSCC. The student must be admitted to the College through the normal admission and registration processes.
  2. Students eligible for DSCC credit must pay a $25 transcription fee prior to the census date to have the credit posted to the DSCC transcript.
  3. After the census date, credit for the articulated course will be posted to the DSCC transcript.


Responsibilities of the High School:

  1. The High School will provide DSCC with the completed dual credit application. The High School is responsible for verifying all information on the dual credit applications submitted to the appropriate High School administrator. Incomplete applications will be returned to the High School without being processed by DSCC.
  2. The High School will provide the testing date at the time dual credit applications are submitted to DSCC. A 10 day processing window is required and the test date must be a minimum of 10 days from the time the High School submits all completed applications to DSCC and officially verifies in writing that all dual credit applications have been submitted to DSCC and the applications are ready for processing. Processing of applications will not begin until official written communication has been received from a High School official.
  3. The High School will arrange the physical space for testing (this should be in a room with 1:1 computers for the number of students who are testing).
  4. The High School will assist the DSCC testing proctor during the exam (when needed). The proctor must be an active DSCC employee approved by DSCC prior to testing.
  5. The High School will be responsible for the appropriate distribution of information regarding the exam results within the parameters of DSCC and High School policy.

Responsibilities of the College:

  1. The College faculty will be responsible for creating, administering, and assessing the dual credit end-of-course assessment. Dual credit exams will be administered online in the College’s eLearn platform.
  2. The College, upon receipt of written confirmation that applications and are ready for processing, will confirm the High Schools proposed testing date and assign a proctor.
  3. The College will be responsible for relaying testing information (passwords, etc.) to the proctor prior to the test date.
  4. The College will provide an applicable standard course syllabus and ancillary information that may be helpful in the exam attempt.
  5. The College will be responsible for the entry of data related to dual credit.
  6. The College will be responsible for the grading of dual credit exams and properly recording the results.
  7. The College will provide a copy of the student grade report to the appropriate High School administrator within 15 days after the scheduled test date.

General Notes:

Course credit will be awarded upon being officially admitted and completing at least one course at Dyersburg State Community College. The college course, credit hours and a grade of “Pass” will be shown on the College transcript. Transfer of this dual credit to other institutions is at the discretion of the receiving institution.

Both the High School and the College shall comply with all applicable State and Federal laws and regulations including, without limitation, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), and College policies and guidelines in the performance of this agreement.

Articulated dual credit applications will be held for two years after the student has graduated from high school.

Reference to other DSCC Policies:
• DSCC Prior Learning Assessment Policy (03:06:00:00)

Compliance:

All DSCC faculty and staff will adhere to this policy

Definitions:

Dual Credit: (Credit by Assessment) opportunities at Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC, “The College”) are made available to high schools in the DSCC service area. In partnership with DSCC, these high schools offer their students opportunities to earn college credit. DSCC’s mission is to provide future students with an easy transition from secondary to postsecondary education, continuing into the workplace, as well as to prepare students with the highest quality training and education.

Revision History:

Approved by Administrative Council on 1/31/2020. Policy Updated and approved 11/2021 by Admin Council.

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