604.06 – Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)

The District offers a variety of courses through the Senior Year Plus legislation.  The law allows students to take courses through a post-secondary institution that promotes rigorous academic pursuits and provides a wider variety of options to enhance the high school experience.  There are a variety of mechanisms a District uses to provide students access to Senior Year Plus programming.

This policy is meant to address only the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (hereinafter PSEO). A course is ineligible to be offered through PSEO if the school district has a contractual agreement with an eligible postsecondary institution to provide a concurrent enrollment program. Only in rare circumstances (e.g., a district without any concurrent enrollment agreement) is enrollment in a community college course through PSEO permissible.

The District does have a contractual agreement in place with Des Moines Area Community College to allow for students in grades 9-12 that meet the eligibility requirements during the normal school to enroll in concurrent enrollment or contracted courses in order to receive credits that may count toward graduation as well toward post-secondary education. 

A school district may continue to enroll students through PSEO in coursework offered by other eligible post-secondary institutions, including Iowa’s public universities, private colleges and universities, and eligible proprietary institutions with district approval.

Eligibility: Students must demonstrate eligibility AND meet the permissible course eligibility criterion:

  1. A resident of the state of Iowa; and
  2. Student or guardian will provide transportation; and
  3. An eleventh or twelfth-grade student; or
  4. A ninth or tenth-grade student identified and gifted and talented pursuant to Iowa Code 257.43; or
  5. A student that meets criterion and is under competent private instruction or a student in an accredited non-public within the resident school district

Permissible courses: The following factors are considered in the Board’s determination of whether a student will receive academic or vocational-technical credit toward the graduation requirements set out by the Board for a course at a post-secondary educational institution:

  • the course is taken from an accredited public or private post-secondary educational institution; and
  • a comparable course is not offered in the District (or in the non-public)  A comparable course is one in which the subject matter or the purposes and objectives of the course are similar, in the judgment of the Board, to a course offered in the District; and
  • the course is in the discipline areas of mathematics, science, social sciences, humanities, career technical education, or a course offered in the professional studies program at the community college. the course does not replace a minimum requirement of the District.; and
  • the course is a credit-bearing course that leads to a degree; and  
  • the course’s perquisites or standards have been met; and
  • the course is not religious or sectarian; and
  • the course meets any other requirements set out by the Board 

Summer Coursework: Students who have completed the eleventh grade but who have not completed the graduation requirements set out by the Board may take up to seven semester hours of credit at a post-secondary educational institution during the summer months when regular school is not in session if the student pays for the courses.  Students will be responsible for the full cost of tuition, books, and transportation. These courses may not supplant the offerings of the District. Upon successful completion of these summer courses, the students will receive academic or vocational-technical credit toward the graduation requirements set out by the Board. Successful completion of the course is determined by the post-secondary educational institution. The Board will have complete discretion to determine the academic credit to be awarded to the student for the summer courses.

Reimbursement: The District will pay for the cost of the course or $250 whichever is lower for eligible students.  (See eligibility criterion above) .Students who fail the course and fail to receive credit will reimburse the District for all costs directly related to the course. Prior to registering for the course, students under age eighteen will have a parent sign a form indicating that the parent is responsible for the costs of the course should the student fail the course and fail to receive credit for the course. Students who fail the course and fail to receive credit for the course for reasons beyond their control, including, but not limited to, the student’s incapacity, death in the family, or a move to another district, may not be responsible for the costs of the course. The Board may waive reimbursement of costs to the District for the previously listed reasons. Students dissatisfied with a Board’s decision may appeal to the Area Education Agency (AEA) for a waiver of reimbursement.

The Superintendent/designee is responsible for annually notifying students and parents of the opportunity to take courses at post-secondary educational institutions in accordance with this policy. The Superintendent/designee will also be responsible for developing the appropriate forms and procedures for implementing this policy.

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 256.11, .11A; 261C; 279.8; 280.3, .14; 257.43; 279.61; 281 I.A.C. 12, 22.2(1); 22.14-23; Senior Year Plus Legislation 2008  DE Guidance 2016

Cross Reference: 505.02 Student Retention and Promotion; 600.00 Statement of Guiding Principles; 604.03 Program for Talented and Gifted Students

Date of Approval: September 20, 1993

Reviewed & Revised: February 21, 2000; January  19, 2009; March 21, 2016; June 17, 2019