Dual enrollment for middle schoolers

[TwoEdgedSword]

Does anyone have their middle schooler dual enrolled at the local middle school taking coummity college classes? Does your middle school pay for this?

[8filltheheart]

Can you share more information? Most ps will not pay for DE unless every course option they offer has been completed. For example, a student having completed cal BC might have the only option be statistics, not multivariable or linear. Some states offer free CC prior to college. Some don't. Some CCs have age restrictions. Some don't.

[TwoEdgedSword]

I think our area says if it's a class the school doesn't offer than they would consider it. I don't have any more info yet.

[8filltheheart]

W/o more info, I would suspect they won't pay for any classes for students under 16.

[Dmmetler]

In my area, paid DE doesn't happen before high school, and usually only the last two years, but it is possible for a capable middle school age student to apply and be accepted as a non-degree student and be able to take classes that way as long as they can demonstrate the prerequisites. It takes SAT or ACT scores and a recommendation from the school that states the student is capable and that the class is not offered at said school. I have no clue how the school would work the physical logistics-I suspect one reason why it's largely limited to juniors and seniors is that usually they can drive themselves there and back.

[SebastianCat]

Locally, one CC only offers DE to students who are 16. Another CC allows students to take classes in 10th grade. I don't know of any programs where younger students can take college courses except on a case-by-case basis.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Well here DE is only paid for for 11th/12th graders and it is a small selection of courses.  And it's still not free.  The discount is significant though. 

 

My middle schooler (homeschooled) is taking a course at the CC.  I had to pay for it though.  So some colleges allow it. 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2016 by SparklyUnicorn

[SparklyUnicorn]

To add, there was no prerequisite per se, but he had to take a placement exam to take the course he is in because it required a prerequisite (that was given at the school).  They don't expect something like the ACT or SAT. 

[Arcadia]

I think our area says if it's a class the school doesn't offer than they would consider it. I don't have any more info yet.

Only for full time public school kids when they are in 8th grade by special permission (no other option scenario) because the district pays for it.

 

We don't have dual enroll public school kids in my district though, only full time ones or those on independent study while on medical leave.

[MEmama]

I think here it's not uncommon to send middle students to the high school if they need a higher level class than the ms offers. IMO that makes more sense than going the CC route, assuming you aren't opposed to public school options and have a decent high school.

 

Our CC accepts junior and seniors. I'm not sure how strict they are on that though; I doubt it's challenged often here.

[Lori D.]

Policies on dual enrollment vary with every school. You will have to research the specific university or community college you are interested, as each school will have its own policies on:

- minimum age for dual enrollment

- limit/no limit on how many credits may be taken as dual enrollment per semester

- free tuition, tuition break, or no tuition helps for dual enrollment

 

In case you are just interested in gathering info for comparison on what options other homeschoolers have as far as dual enrollment, here are the details for our local community college:

 

- minimum age of 16 -- but with a few extra parental paperwork hoops jumped, students may start as young as 14

- no limit on how many credits may be taken for dual enrollment

- only specific courses in specific vocational degree areas in a special program at the CC are free (things like Early Childcare; Cosmetology; Emergency Services; Construction and Skilled Trades; etc) -- traditional academic courses such as Writing, Science, Math, Social Science, etc. are not free

 

Only one of our state's public universities offers a limited dual ("concurrent") enrollment program; it is for high school juniors or seniors who are working at an advanced level and the next level is not offered at their school. There is no break in tuition cost. Two of the private universities offer a more extensive dual enrollment program, but also only for 11th and 12th graders -- one school offers the courses at a reduced tuition cost.

 

 

As you research your local options, you would also want to take into consideration:

- dual enrollment grades are a permanent part of the student's college transcript

- transferability -- or not! -- of the dual enrollment courses to future 4-year universities

- the suitability of the course material for a middle schooler

(Psych, Anthropology, Sociology, and some Lit. for Writing classes use mature/adult materials and discuss as topics)

- maturity level of the middle school student to be working alongside young college adults in the classroom

- ability of the student to keep up the faster pace

 

 

BEST of luck as you research! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

Edited February 28, 2016 by Lori D.

[Targhee]

In our state I know that DE paid for by the public schools is limited to two years, and sometimes specific credits (eg nothing remedial -below freshman 100 level- and not anymore than 1.2 FTE when you combine classes at high school and at college, etc). They also say 16 years old. BUT, I have heard of exceptions for younger students. My guess is that it varies by the college and the high school guidance counselor's judgement.

 

I would become familiar with the policies, and then talk to people in person about granting exception if needed.

 

What courses would you like your middle schooler to do DE?

[umsami]

I assumed it was only for 11th and 12th graders in Florida, but according to this, it's for 6th-12th.

 

http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7480/urlt/0082773-dualenrollmentfaq.pdf

[Melissa B]

I assumed it was only for 11th and 12th graders in Florida, but according to this, it's for 6th-12th.

 

http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7480/urlt/0082773-dualenrollmentfaq.pdf

 

Each college/university in Florida is also allowed to set its own additional stipulations. Most do not take middle school students.

[Kassia]

Here in Ohio, DE is for 7th-12th grade.  It is fully paid for if you are a public school student.  There is very limited funding for homeschoolers, so most expenses (or all) are paid for by the family which is really unfair.  Admission to the college/university is by ACT/SAT or placement exam.  My daughter is in 8th grade and just took the placement exam and did well.  She may start classes this summer (Spanish).  

 

Erica

[TwoEdgedSword]

Thanks everyone. Spanish is a course he'd like to take. In our area, the CC classes are also offered online.

[madteaparty]

My DS good friend did this and is graduating at 14 with an Associates degree. I gather it is extremely unusual and it was in our paper etc. This child is extremely hard working.

[Lori D.]

Thanks everyone. Spanish is a course he'd like to take. In our area, the CC classes are also offered online.

 

Hmmm… Well, unless DS already has a good background in Spanish, I do NOT recommend Foreign Language as an online class -- esp. if DS is young, and has not done dual enrollment before. I know several college students who attempted online classes for foreign language (one had 1-2 years of high school foreign language of that language), and had to drop -- it was just too difficult to keep up and figure things out without the live interactions, hearing the language, practice of conversation, and direct instruction of a live class.

 

Also of concern is doing foreign language as the first dual enrollment, even if it is a live class, esp. if there is no previous experience with the language. For example, a homeschooling friend's older high school student started with a live in-person class of Spanish as his first dual enrollment course and bombed it. The coursework just moved too quickly for him, plus he was having trouble grasping the very new-to-him concepts of verb conjugation and noun gender. He also did not realize that as soon as he was starting to not "get it", he needed to go for the free tutoring at the library to keep from falling further behind. He also didn't realize he could have withdrawn from the class and only had a "W" on the permanent transcript, rather than a "D". :(

 

Not at all saying I think those things will happen to your DS, but it is a possibility, esp. if there's no previous experience with the language, or online classes, or dual enrollment.

 

Here's a thought:

What about going with the free DuoLingo Spanish at home during middle school, and get a good introduction to the language. Then start with the 101 semester of Spanish as dual enrollment in 9th grade. The pre-exposure of Spanish in middle school will make doing "the real deal" for credit (and a high grade for the GPA!) the following year easier, and allow your student to focus on transitioning into how to "do" dual enrollment and keep up with a college level course.

 

BEST of luck, whatever you decide! :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Lori D.

[TwoEdgedSword]

Thanks Lori D.! You are always so helpful!

[Arcadia]

Spanish is a course he'd like to take. In our area, the CC classes are also offered online.

Is your child a heritage speaker of Spanish or have done years of lessons?

 

Have you taken a look at the textbook and workbook? If it is not listed on the web, the CC bookstore usually knows.

 

The pace for the writing portion of a CC class might be too fast though.

[8filltheheart]

Thanks everyone. Spanish is a course he'd like to take. In our area, the CC classes are also offered online.

 

It is doubtful the school system would pay for courses available through them  Typically when school systems pay for courses it is when students have surpassed the ps offerings.  For example, if a student has completed math through cal BC and that is the highest level math offered, the school system might pay for the student to enroll in MV or diffEQ, etc.  Or if they already had taken AP Spanish and they wanted to continue Spanish.  

 

If it is an entry level Spanish course, you're more than likely going to have to pay for it yourself.  (And I agree about the pace of a college course.  Many middle schoolers struggle with keeping up with a high school pace.)

Edited February 29, 2016 by 8FillTheHeart

[Dmmetler]

Another option is to look at what is offered continuing education. My CC offers a conversational Spanish course in continuing Ed that's designed for working adults, and would be a good intro for a middle schooler, and the instructor also teaches the college level Spanish, so it would be a chance to see if the instructor is a good match (and how receptive the instructor is to a young student) without it counting on the transcript.

 

FWIW, the CC here won't talk to a middle schooler-but the 4 year university will!

[shawthorne44]

...FWIW, the CC here won't talk to a middle schooler-but the 4 year university will!

 

Yeah, I know my large state school will.   Years ago a professor's 11-year-old son wanted to take a college class.  His father thought he was ready, so he worked the system from the inside.  They changed the rules from never under a certain age, to extra hoops.  The boy did really well in every class he took.   After the gates were opened, other kids under the previous age took classes and did well.  

 

I pay attention to this at my school because my parents still live 3 miles away.  

 

[EmilyGF]

I went to the CC for math in 8th grade. I would not recommend this route to anyone. First of all, I covered a year's worth of math in 10 weeks. Non-ideal, though I did do two years' worth of math that year. It wasn't done deeply - basically what someone needed who was getting general required credits out of the way before getting that piece of paper that would allow them to advance. I was scared of the other students, who were in their late 20s/early 30s. (I did night classes.) I never interacted with the teacher outside of class. The other students assumed it was my mom taking the class, not me, and remarked how nice it was that she was including her kids in her learning experience. :-/

 

I also remember having to hang around at night after class on the days it got out late because my parents lived 20 minutes away and had to come pick me up. The classes were 3 hours, once a week. Maybe day classes would be better. I did night classes because I was in school full time but my school didn't have any way for me to take appropriate classes.

 

Man, I wish internet classes had existed back then.

 

Emily

 

ETA: I took classes at two different CCs; these are some of the best CCs in CA.

Edited March 2, 2016 by EmilyGF