The Cobb County School District (District) will work cooperatively with Georgia public colleges, universities, and technical institutions to provide eligible students with an opportunity to take approved courses, full-time or part-time at the postsecondary level. Students will receive postsecondary credit hours, high school Carnegie unit credit, and state funding.

RULE:

A. DEFINITIONS:
    1. Approved Courses:
       Approved courses are courses based on the concepts and skills included in the
       state-adopted curriculum for grades 9-12 and approved by the Georgia Department
       of Education for equivalency credit and funding.
    2. Course:
        A course is instruction for which credit is awarded.
    3. Credit:
        Carnegie units earned and applied to high school graduation and credit hours earned
        toward the completion of a postsecondary program of study.
    4. Eligible Institutions:
        Eligible institutions are any two-year or four-year degree-granting public college or
        university or public postsecondary technical institution located in Georgia.
    5. Eligible Student:
        An eligible student is any high school student enrolled in the District who is at least
        16 years of age or who is classified as a junior or senior, has not received a high
        school diploma and is eligible for enrollment in accordance with state law.
    6. Equivalency:
        Equivalency refers to the number of postsecondary credit hours or courses needed
        to equal one Carnegie unit.
    7. Accel/Dual Enrollment Program (Program):
        Program refers to the arrangement for a public high school student to enroll at a
        postsecondary institution and earn high school semester hour credit and
        postsecondary credit hours.

B. STUDENT PARTICIPATION:
    1. Eligibility:
       A student shall be eligible to participate in the program if he/she:
       a. Is enrolled in a District high school, and
       b. Has not received a high school diploma, and
       c. Is at least age 16 or is classified as a junior or senior and is eligible for enrollment
           in accordance with District Administrative Rule JF (Admissions/Withdrawals), and
       d. Meets admission requirements of the postsecondary institution, and
       e. Has been accepted by an eligible institution.
    2. Participation:
       a. A student's participation in the program is:
          (1) Limited to the remaining amount of time normally required to complete the
               high school diploma, from the time of initial participation in the program, based
               upon the ratio of 45 quarter hour or 30 semester hours equaling six Carnegie
               units.
          (2) Subject to the provisions in Rule JF.
          (3) To be continued through the end of a quarter or semester even though he or
               she may become age ineligible under Rule JF during the quarter or semester
               of enrollment.
       b. Participation in the program requires the student to:
          (1) Provide his/her own transportation unless the student's Individualized
               Education Plan calls for transportation as a related service.
          (2) Request and sign a form authorizing the postsecondary institution to notify the
               District of the student's grade in each course.
          (3) Pay for items not ordinarily included in tuition and fees, such as calculators,
               books, and specialized tools providing such items are a normal part of the
               requirements for the course and remain the property of the student.
       c. Students participating in the program shall not be required to pay any of the actual
           costs of tuition, materials, or fees directly related to the approved courses.
       d. Students are prohibited from receiving other state student financial aid.

C. DISTRICT PARTICIPATION:
    The District will:
    1. Accept toward state and local high school graduation requirements and subject area
       requirements of the Georgia Board of Education the postsecondary credit of an eligible
       student who successfully completes an approved course at an eligible institution.
    2. Require eligible students to meet state assessment requirements.
    3. Record on the student's high school transcript each approved course name, grade and
       amount of credit earned for each course.
    4. Record the student's grades on the permanent record exactly as received from the
        postsecondary institution. All postsecondary courses will carry regular weight on the
        weighted GPA scale; no extra quality points will be given except for a college/
        university course for which the prerequisite is the highest instructional level course
        available in the District’s approved curriculum. One additional quality point will be
        awarded if the preceding circumstances are met.
    5. Advise students that their plans to participate in this postsecondary program
       should be in place prior to the tenth day of the high school semester. Students
       attempting to add or drop courses at the high school after the tenth day will be
       subject to Administrative Rule IHA (Grading Systems).
    6. By April 1 of each school year or prior to enrollment in an eligible institution, provide
        general information about the postsecondary program to all eligible students.
    7. Provide counseling for interested students, and their parents/guardians, including:
        a. The names of eligible institutions, approved courses listed by the state,
            information about approved transferable credit and local and state graduation
            requirements.
        b. The address of the Director of Admissions at each eligible institution in order that
            they may obtain information concerning costs associated with tuition, books,
            materials, fees, and available support services.
        c. Informing them that they are to consult with the high school counselor for high
            school academic requirements and the Director of Admissions of the
            postsecondary institution to select courses for that institution.
        d. The potential effect of the program on a student completing a course and
            completing required high school graduation requirements.
        e. Consequences of course incompletion, course failure and the possible delay of high
            school graduation.
        f. The necessity of meeting Georgia High School Association requirements for
            participation in extracurricular activities.
        g. The student's academic responsibilities and required compliance with all District
            and local school policies, rules and procedure, as well as those of the
            eligible institution.
        h. Require parent(s)/guardian(s) and the student who elects to participate to sign
            a form stating that they have received the counseling services specified and that
            they understand the responsibilities and possible consequences.

D. PROGRAM DECLARATION:
    1. Students should declare their intent to participate in the Accel Program during the
        registration process prior to the beginning of the semester of their participation in the
        Accel Program.
    2. Students declare their intent by submitting a completed Accel Program Application
        form to their high school counselor.

E. QUALITY POINTS:
The purpose of granting extra quality points for students enrolled in the
Postsecondary Options/Dual Enrollment Program is to recognize students who enroll in a
college course because they have excelled in academic achievement.
    1. Additional quality points will be given for college/university courses after students
        have taken the highest instructional level course available at their high school.
    2. If a student has not taken the highest instructional level course available or there is
        no prerequisite course, a school committee composed of the Principal, the
        Assistant Principal for Instruction/Curriculum, the student’s high school counselor, the
        Division Chairperson and a teacher of the subject in question may waive the
        requirement and will determine whether extra quality points will be granted.
    3. If the student or the student's parent/guardian is not satisfied with the school
        committee’s decision related to quality points for college courses, they may appeal to
        a District review board. The District review board will consist of the appropriate Area
        Assistant Superintendent, the Curriculum and Instruction supervisor of the subject
        area in question, and two members appointed by the Superintendent or designee.
    4. If a student applies for the additional quality points under paragraph (2) above, both
        the school committee and the District review board will have twenty (20) school days
        to respond from the date the written request is received. If no committee decision is
        made within this time limit, the quality points will be granted.

F. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
    1. The District shall provide at no cost to the student and/or parent(s)/guardian(s) the
        services prescribed in an IEP for students with disabilities as specified by the
        Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Rules 160-4-7 (Special Education).
    2. Students shall be accommodated as necessary according to Section 504 of the
        Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Reclassified an Administrative Rule: 9/1/04
Revised: 11/8/06