Concurrent Enrollment Information

Concurrent enrollment allows high school students the opportunity to enroll in college level courses while continuing their high school courses and activities. Many options are open to high school students.

• CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT - PCCUA's concurrent enrollment program is accredited by the National Alliance for Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) and is available for high school students eligible to enroll in college courses. These classes are typically taught on the high school campus, by a high school instructor, for college credit.
  
• PCCUA CAREER & TECHNICAL CENTER - Offers programs to local high school students under the auspices of the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education. Often referred to as the Secondary Center, courses offered through this program are taught on all three PCCUA Campuses. Programs on each campus are listed: DeWitt Campus--Advanced Manufacturing, Agriculture, Criminal Justice, Medical Professions Education, and Welding. Helena-West Helena Campus--Advanced Manufacturing, Computer Engineering, Criminal Justice and Medical Professions Education. Stuttgart Campus--Criminal Justice and Medical Professions Education.
  
• DUAL ENROLLMENT - High school students enroll in college classes at PCCUA. They are registered in classes with other college students.
  
• COMBINATIONS - Students may enroll in a combination of two or three programs as concurrent, Secondary Center, and dual enrolled status. All high school enrollment classes are college level courses available to high school students. Students may receive high school and college credit simultaneously.
  

• GEAR UP - Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs is a grant funded by the United States Department of Education. The program is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. GEAR UP offers a variety of services and early intervention programs to help make college possible for everyone.

STUDENTS:

• Experience college level course work while in high school
• Students enter college with credit earned while in high school  which enables them to enter a college or university with one or two semesters of course work completed
• College credit in high school can reduce the time it takes to complete a degree and decrease the expense of college
• PCCUA general education courses are easily transferable to other Arkansas colleges and universities

INSTRUCTORS:

• Instructors work with PCCUA department faculty members
• Instructors network with other adjunct instructors teaching on the high school campus
• Access to PCCUA library, computer labs, computer accounts, and other classroom resources
• Adjunct instructors are eligible to receive certain PCCUA instructor privileges

TO SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS:

• Offering college level courses elevates student and parent expectations for college curriculum opportunities
• Professional development opportunities are available instructors
• All schools can benefit from collaboration with PCCUA

High School Student Responsibilities:

• If required, purchase textbooks and materials;
• Take ACT or NG ACCUPLACER placement tests if needed;
• Read over course payment, refund, drop, and withdraw deadlines;
• Discuss enrollment options with ISU advisors and/or high school counselor;
• Register online; and
• Submit registration request and payment to the office of Financial Services.

Fee Payment:

Fee payment is submitted to PCCUA financial services. All high school counseling offices and high school instructors teaching PCCUA classes will be supplied with business reply envelopes for student use in submitting payment.

Secondary Area Career and Technical Centers (SACTC) are education agencies approved by the Arkansas Department of Career Education (ACE) and the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) to offer career education programs of studies to high schools in order to help them meet the state required minimum number of programs. In addition to high school credit, students affiliated with the PCCUA SACTC receive college credit for the classes they attend, and many earn certificates of proficiency in the areas in which they participate. Any 10th, 11th, or 12th grade student who attends a high school that has an agreement with the Center and meets the criteria for the class can attend the SACTC.

The following programs are offered on the PCCUA SACTC campuses:

DeWitt:  

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Criminal Justice
• Welding
• Agribusiness Systems/Plant Systems-Horticulture
• Medical Professions Education

Helena-West Helena: 

• Criminal Justice
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Medical Professions Education
• Computer Engineering

Stuttgart: 

• Medical Professions Education
• Education and Training
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Criminal Justice

Establishing a PCCUA Course on Your High School Campus
The appropriate academic departments must annually approve all PCCUA courses offered on a high school campus. High school instructors must meet the same adjunct qualifications as those met by all PCCUA adjuncts within the academic department. Academic departments require adjuncts to hold at least a Master’s degree in the subject area. Some departments have outlined other specific requirements.

High School Student Qualifications
PCCUA enrollment procedures follow guidelines set forth by the Arkansas Department of Education regarding high school dual/concurrent enrollment. High school students must have a 19 ACT composite score(for students taking academic courses). High school students must be at least 14 years old (at start of semester), or must have successfully completed at least one-half of the high school graduation requirements as certified by the high school. High school students must have a signature from both a parent and a high school principal or counselor recommending enrollment in college level course work. If a student does not meet the above criteria, a student may request that the College make an exception. If after reviewing the request, the College approves the request, the student can enroll.

High School Classroom Qualifications
Whenever possible, it is recommended that only high school students registered for the PCCUA course attend the class. While a mixed classroom population is acceptable, PCCUA academic departments are committed to providing students enrolled in PCCUA courses on the high school campus with an educational experience that approximates, as closely as possible, the experience they would have if taking the same courses on PCCUA’s campus. It is especially important for all students in a class to have the appropriate prerequisite skills. Students lacking those skills not only do poorly but affect the focus of the class, to the detriment of those who are prepared to learn the higher-level material. PCCUA's minimum and maximum class limits must be followed. Generally, a minimum of 5 students is required for any PCCUA course offered on a high school campus. The Concurrent Enrollment Program and/or the academic department will inform instructors teaching course(s) with an established class maximum.

Fee Payment
Fee payment is submitted to PCCUA financial services. All high school counseling offices and high school instructors teaching PCCUA classes will be supplied with business reply envelopes for student use in submitting payment.

High School Instructor Responsibilities:

• Attend PCCUA New Faculty Orientation;
• Work with assigned academic department liaison;
• If teaching an English or math course, instructors must arrange for students to take the ACT or NG ACCUPLACER placement test(s);
• Submit ACT or NG ACCUPLACER scores to the Registrar’s office;
• Facilitate PCCUA registration and fee payment;
• Distribute parent approval signature form and collect from students;
• Print payment, refund, drop, and withdraw deadlines on the course syllabus;
• Inform students of mid-term "D "and "F" grades;
• Submit final student grades to the PCCUA Office of Registration and Records;
• Distribute course and instructor evaluations at the end of the semester; and
• Complete the Concurrent Enrollment Program evaluation form.

High School Administrator Responsibilities:

• Support Concurrent Enrollment program within the school;
  
• Act as a liaison between high school students, parents, instructors, Early College program and the community;
  
• Recommend courses and qualified instructors;
  
• Support high school instructors also serving as PCCUA adjunct instructors;
  
• Oversee PCCUA courses offered, including guidelines on textbook purchasing, course enrollment and completion of registration forms for any required placement testing; and.
  
• Collaborate with the Concurrent Enrollment program to resolve any questions or concerns.
  

Fee Payment:
Fee payment is submitted to PCCUA financial services. All high school counseling offices and high school instructors teaching PCCUA classes will be supplied with business reply envelopes for student use in submitting payment.

PCCUA  Responsibilities:

• Provide curriculum and instructor support;
• Provide instructor stipend pay;
• Advise students regarding course selection, admissions, and transfer;
• Facilitate course registration and fee payment; and
• Assign a faculty member to serve as a liaison to the academic department.