MADISON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL PSEO POLICY
1. PSEO is not guaranteed to any student.
2. Must sign and return intent to participate in PSEO program. Any forms turned in after this date will not be accepted and you will not be able to participate in PSEO.
3. Student must apply and be accepted to college of choice to enter into PSEO.
4. Students must attend first orientation that college provides. Attending later orientations may result in State funding problems.
5. Students must apply and take Fall quarter classes at their college of choice in order to participate in PSEO.
6. There are two options to choose from for PSEO. Option A permits eligible students to enroll in college courses for college credit. Students electing this option will be required to pay all costs incurred, including tuition, books, material, and fees. Option B permits students to enroll in college courses for college and high school graduation credit. Students electing this option will not be required to pay for tuition, books, materials, or fees associated with such courses unless the State Board of Education runs out of money. The State puts aside a certain amount of money each year for private schools that now includes home school students.
7. Once you bring your acceptance letter to the high school your intent can be sent to the state for funding. Acceptance letters will be sent as they come to the school counselor or principal. The sooner this is done the better your chances for the funds to be available to pay for the class.
8. If you are unable or unwilling to attend PSEO classes, you must notify the college before your class starts. You must also notify the high school before fall classes start.
9. You may leave school after 4th period (as long as you are taking 4 full credit classes) to attend PSEO classes with a parents consent. If you are attending PSEO, parents will only be responsible for 2/3 tuition.
10. We strongly suggest when not in PSEO that you stay for a full day of classes. If parents allow students to leave early in the day for any other reason they will be charged full tuition.
POST-SECONDARY ENROLLMENT
OPTIONS PROGRAM
(PSEOP)
If you are a ninth, tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade student, the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program (PSEO) provides you with an opportunity, not a guarantee, to take classes at eligible post-secondary institutions. These institutions include community colleges, post-secondary vocational technical institutions, state universities, and many private colleges and universities.
The purpose of the program is to promote rigorous academic pursuits and to provide a wider variety of options to high school students.
You and your parents may have questions about this program. This guide can help answer some of them. For more help in deciding whether this opportunity is right for you, check with your guidance counselor or principal.
1. You may enroll in post-secondary, nonreligious courses under this program if you are an eligible Ohio ninth, tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade student. If you are a ninth grader with a 4.0 grade point average, you may enroll for up to twelve quarters, eight semesters, or the equivalent of four academic years. If you are a tenth grader with a 3.8 grade point average, you may enroll for up to nine quarters, six semesters, or the equivalent of three academic years. If you are an eleventh grader with a 3.0 grade point average, you may enroll for up to six quarters, four semesters, or the equivalent of two academic years. If you are a twelfth grader with a 2.7 grade point average, you may enroll for up to three quarters, two semesters, or the equivalent of one academic year. If you are in the middle of a year, your eligibility will be prorated.
2. There are two options related to the type of credit that you elect at the time of your enrollment in a college course. Option "A" allows you to choose to receive post-secondary (college) credit only. Option "B" allows you to choose to receive high school credit and post-secondary (college) credit.
3. By March 1, in the years that you are an eighth, ninth, tenth, or eleventh grade student, Madison Christian High School will provide you and your parents with general information about the program during the scheduling process.
4. You and your parents should ask the high school for counseling assistance.
5. By March 30th, you must notify your high school if you intend to participate in the PSEO Program in the following school year. If, for some reason, you change your decision about participating after March 30th, you must notify your high school counselor or principal immediately in order to revise your high school class schedule. PSEO forms received after the March 30th deadline will not be accepted.
6. Before you enroll in any PSEO courses, you and your parents must sign a statement indicating that you received information about the program and are aware of your responsibilities regarding the program.
7. In order to participate full or part time in the program, you must apply to and be admitted to an eligible post-secondary institution. The post-secondary institution you want to attend may have special entrance requirements that must be met before you can take courses there.
8. There are two options related to the type of credit that you may earn as a post-secondary options student. You will have to decide whether to take each course under Option A or Option B. If you take more than one course, you may take some under Option A and some under Option B if you wish.
a. Option A allows you to choose to receive post-secondary (college)
credit only. If you choose to take a course under Option A, you are
responsible for the cost of tuition, textbooks, materials and fees.
b. Option B allows you to receive high school credit and post-secondary
(college) credit. If you choose to take a course under Option B, the
cost of tuition, textbooks, materials and fees will be paid for you by
the State Department of Education UNLESS the funds are exhausted. At that point, you would be responsible for the entire cost. Since both home school students and non-public chartered schools are funded by the state, funding is done on a first-come, first-serve basis until the funds are exhausted. In 2004-05, funds were exhausted for the first time, leaving parents responsible for the cost of tuition, textbooks, materials and fees. The other alternative was to withdraw the student from the course/courses without any credit. Post-secondary forms will be filed individually as they are received to help avoid this dilemma.
Under Option B, you may need to pay for equipment which you keep, such as tools or calculators. You will receive post-secondary credit from the institution where you take the courses. If you decide to enroll in another post-secondary institution, your credit may or may not transfer to the receiving institution.
c. You must decide whether to take a course for post-secondary (college)
credit only (Option A) or for both secondary (high school) and post-
secondary (college) credit (Option B).
9. Madison Christian School determines the number of high school credits you
receive for post-secondary courses taken for secondary credit. A formula
established by the Ohio Department of Education sets the guideline for
credits given.
10. Students/parents must attend the first orientation that the college provides.
Attending later orientations may result in state funding not being provided.
Students must also apply for fall quarter classes at the college of their choice
in order to participate in PSEO.
11. Once you bring your college acceptance letter to Madison Christian School, the letter can be sent to the state for funding. Your letter will be sent as soon as the school counselor or principal receives it. Funding is limited, so it is to your advantage to bring your letter to school immediately.
12. If you are unable or unwilling to attend PSEO classes, you must notify the college BEFORE your class/classes starts. You must also notify Madison Christian High School BEFORE their classes begin.
13. You may leave school at lunch time to attend PSEO classes. A parent’s consent is required for a student to leave school early. If you are attending PSEO during regular class time, parents will be responsible for paying 2/3 of the Madison Christian School tuition. Unless students are leaving to go to PSEO classes, we strongly suggest that they remain at school for a full day of classes. If parents request early dismissal for their student/s on a regular basis for any other reason, they will still be charged full tuition.
14. You may attend a post-secondary institution whether full-time or part-time.
15. If you are eligible to graduate from high school early, you may still participate in this program for the rest of your senior year. An early graduate is a student who has completed the graduation requirements before the normal period of time.
16. You may apply to your local school district to be reimbursed for transportation expenses you incur under the program. The State Board of Education has established guidelines to determine eligibility. No funds are available for room and board.
Before you decide to participate in the program, you and your parents should consider the following points:
1. Future Plans If you plan well, this program can assist you in making future educational and career decisions and in exploring post-secondary educational opportunities.
2. High School Graduation Even if you participate in this program, you still must meet Madison Christian High School’s graduation requirements in order to earn a high school diploma. Review the requirements and your academic standing with your school counselor or principal. Make sure that the number and types of courses you take will meet local graduation requirements. You should keep in mind that the grades you earn in post-secondary courses may affect your grade point average, and may affect your eligibility to graduate and scholarship opportunities.
3. Scheduling Participating in this program on a part-time basis means that you must schedule classes at your high school and at a post-secondary institution. Yearly schedules and vacation times usually are different between the two. Sometimes it may be difficult or impossible to take courses you want at both schools because of scheduling conflicts.
4. College-level work You may find college-level classes to be more accelerated and academically challenging than high school courses. You need to be able to work without supervision and have self-discipline both academically and socially. Be sure you are ready for these responsibilities.
5. Transportation If you attend classes at both a high school and post-secondary institution, you need to think about transportation between the two schools. Be sure you can make arrangements to get to classes on time.
6. Extracurricular Activities If you take part in this program, you will not be in your high school full-time. You may not be able to participate in some high school activities as a result of your enrollment in post-secondary courses.
The program could benefit you in several ways:
1. You have the opportunity to take courses that may not be offered by your high school.
2. You have a chance to experience college-level work and college life prior to making a final decision about post-secondary education.
3. You can take classes that academically challenge you or that cover areas of particular interest to you.
4. You and your parents can use this opportunity to involve your high school counselor or principal in your education and career planning.
5. You can take college courses and receive both secondary (high school) and post-secondary (college) credits.
These are some possible disadvantages to participating in this program:
1. You will have increased responsibility for learning.
2. You could have increased financial obligations for your education if you choose Option "A" or if your college course requires special tools or equipment. Participation may decrease the time you have available for part-time employment.
3. You may have reduced opportunities or time for participating in high school activities (athletics, music, band, vacations, etc.).
4. Your grades in your college course(s) could affect your high school grade point average and class standing which could in turn affect scholarship opportunities.
5. You will need to plan for increased time to travel to and from the post-secondary institutions and increased time for study.
6. Due to different school year schedules, you may not be eligible to participate in your graduation ceremony.
7. Scope or content of the college course may differ from high school courses as well as the content of the high school proficiency tests.
8. There is no guarantee that you will get the courses that you want.
9. You may experience some social discomfort when you are with older students at social functions.
10. If you fail to withdraw from a college course, it may affect the credits you need to graduate from high school.
11. If you withdraw from a course, your parents may have to pay the costs of the course.
If you are interested in participating in the program, you must talk to your parents, your high school counselor, and a representative of the post-secondary institution you plan to attend. Do this as soon as possible. If you plan to enroll next year, you must notify your high school of your intent to participate by March 30th. You must follow this procedure each time you enroll in post-secondary courses:
1. Discuss your plans with your parents.
2. Meet with your high school guidance counselor to discuss the program and how it might enhance your educational and personal goals. If you decide to participate, you and your parents or guardian must sign a statement indicating that you have received information on the program and are aware of your responsibilities. Once you have completed and signed this form, you need to obtain an official, current high school transcript. (A transcript is a photocopy of your grades notarized by your high school). Failure to provide all the information and the required signatures might delay your registration at the post-secondary institution.
3. Meet with the post-secondary institution's admissions staff. Take your transcript with you to this meeting.
4. Complete the necessary post-secondary admission and registration forms. Be sure to contact your counselor if you made course changes from your original plan when you registered.
5. Verify the number of high school credits you will receive from post-secondary courses with your high school.
If you decide you will no longer participate in the program before the term has ended, you must file withdrawal forms with the post-secondary institution and meet with your high school counselor to develop a new course schedule. Failure to file the necessary forms may result in a failing grade. Withdrawal from the post-secondary course will result in a financial obligation for your parents.
This guide should have helped answer some of your questions about the Post-secondary Enrollment Options Program. Think carefully about the advantages that the program gives you and your decision to participate. Talk it over with your parents. If you have more questions, see your guidance counselor or principal.