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Dual Credit Program

Dual Credit Program

Purpose
The purpose of dual credit is to enable qualified high school students the ability to earn high school credit by successfully completing a college course, making their transition to the collegiate campus smoother and their likelihood of graduating from college greater. Dual credit courses enable high schools to offer students more academic options than are regularly available in a high school curriculum. Furthermore, dual credit workforce courses provide students with career options not available to them with high school preparation alone.

Description
Courses are offered by Midland College (MC) and include both academic and career/technical courses. While most students take basic academic core courses such as English, history, math and social science, course work may include vocational areas such as nursing, welding or diesel mechanics. The courses are agreed upon by the school district and college.

College courses offered for dual credit may be taught at the college campus or the high school campus by credentialed instructors. Courses offered for dual credit include the same content and rigor as courses taught to other college students, utilizing the same instructors, curriculum and policies. Dual credit classes may be taught by either MC faculty members or by current high school instructors hired as MC adjunct professors. Staffing depends on whether available high school instructors hold appropriate credentials to teach college courses.

Guidelines
Dual credit courses are offered at the high school campus, the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) or Midland College by agreement between MISD and MC. The counselor must pre-approve and sign the MISD Dual Credit Approval Plan. Dual credit courses that are not offered at the high school campus may be taken online or at the college campus by agreement between MISD and MC. Students must have met TSI requirements and individual course pre-requisites relevant to the course(s) to be attempted in academic coursework. The student must arrange for testing, if necessary.

Testing
Testing or proof of testing is required for registration for academic dual credit classes. Students must meet the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) for the subject area(s) that correspond to the course.

University Interscholastic League (UIL)
All dual credit courses are subject to the rules of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) and no pass no play. Dropping/withdrawing with a failing grade results in being ineligible. Students taking dual credit courses should still be eligible for such competition provided they meet all requirements for full-time high school attendance.

College Transcript
The college credit(s) students receive for successfully completing a Dual Credit course will always be part of the student’s permanent college record. Whether it is now or later in life, this credit will be useful to students as they continue with their educational endeavors.

Withdrawals
WARNING! Withdrawing from Dual Credit courses may affect high school graduation. Dual Credit students who wish to withdraw from courses taken on the Midland College campus must meet with their high school counselor to officially withdraw.

Textbooks
Textbooks for dual credit courses may be issued on the high school campus. Textbooks not issued by the high school teacher are the responsibility of the student.

Payment
Tuition and fee payments are due at registration. Failure to pay by the due date will result in the student being dropped for non-payment.

Course Availability
Dual Credit offerings are contingent upon staffing. Teachers must meet the eligibility requirements of the college.

Bacterial Meningitis Information
Pursuant to SB 1107 enacted by the State of Texas January 1, 2012, all entering students enrolling at Midland College and taking dual credit courses on the MC campus must provide proof that the Meningitis vaccination was administered at least 10 days prior to the first day of the term.

FERPA
Once the student attains the age of 18 or attends an institution of higher education, regardless of age, FERPA rights transfer from the parent to the student. Under FERPA, parents have no inherent rights of access to their students' education records. Students can give express written permission for their parents' access to their education record by downloading the form and submitting it with MC. Records may be released to parents without a signed consent from the student under certain exceptions. These include:

  • In a health or safety emergency.
  • Where the student has violated a law or the school’s policies governing alcohol or substance abuse, if the student is under 21 years old.
  • By submission of evidence that the parents declare the student as a dependent on their most recent Federal Income Tax form. Parents who wish to access their student's education records without the express written permission of the student may provide a copy of the previous year's tax form demonstrating that the student is a dependent for tax purposes to the Office of Records. Income data on the tax record can be redacted.

For parents of dual-credit students: Students who are enrolled in both high school and courses at a postsecondary institution provide a unique situation. While the rights under FERPA belong to the parents with respect to high school records, they belong to the student with respect to the postsecondary records. In this case, FERPA's provisions allowing disclosure of information to parents of students who are dependents for income tax purposes would apply, allowing the postsecondary institution to share grades and other information from the student's education records with parents upon presentation of income tax records demonstrating the student is a tax dependent.

Dual Credit Admissions Checklist
In order for students to participate and/or enroll as a dual credit student the following items must be completed and signed by a Parent/Guardian and the participating student. Go to the Midland College Dual Credit site for detailed instructions.

Meet with your High School Counselor. Complete any applicable MISD required forms and submit to counselor.

  • Complete the Online *Apply Texas Application (www.applytexas.org)
  • Create a new profile if you do not already have one.
  • Once the profile is complete, fill out the application.
  • Include your social security number in both your profile and application (Warning: Although listed as optional on the application, not providing your SSN will delay the processing of your application.)
  • Allow 3-5 working days for MC to process your application.
  • Look for your acceptance email from Midland College at the email address provided in your application profile. Don’t forget to check your spam folder.
  • Supply record of Meningitis Vaccination (if course is at ATC or MC Campus).
  • Submit Texas Success Initiative (TSI) test scores or exemption documentation from the high school counselor. Students must have met TSI requirements and individual course pre-requisites relevant to the course(s) to be attempted in academic coursework. The student must arrange for testing, if necessary.
  • A pre-assessment is required prior taking the TSI. For details, go to https://www.midland.edu/forms/testing/tsi/index.php
  • Complete the Parent/Student Agreement Form and submit it to the MC Enrollment Services Online.
  • Enroll in college course(s). Online – Campus Connect (link located on www.midland.edu website) or in person at the MC campus.
  • Pay Tuition/Fees