Interested students must speak to their counselor before March 31 in order to be eligible for this program.

Post-secondary Enrollment Options Program

Mariemont High School

I. Definition and Purpose

The Post-secondary Enrollment Options Program has been established to permit high school students to earn college and high school graduation credit through the successful completion of college courses. The program is intended to provide expanded opportunities for appropriately qualified high school students to experience coursework at the college or university level. Any high school student admitted to a course by an institution of higher education will be expected and required to perform at the same level as the institution’s regular students. College courses should either contribute to or supplement the broad academic preparation needed by high school students. Credit for highly specialized content college courses generally should not substitute for important broader content college preparatory courses.

II. Enrollment Options

3. Notification

1. By March 1, school districts must have notified students and parents of the program and options. This will be accomplished by a section in the Course Registration Guide and/or by newsletter.

2. By March 30, students must have indicated to the school their intent to participate. Failure to do so would make them ineligible without the superintendent's permission.

C. Colleges and universities must notify student, school, and superintendent that a student has been accepted in PSEO within ten days of acceptance and include course(s) and hours of enrollment and option selected.

4. Eligibility

A. Student must have passed all five parts of the 9th grade proficiency test.

B. To be eligible for athletic participation, postsecondary options program students must meet the rules established by the Ohio High School Athletic Association and the Mariemont City School district for all athletic eligibility.

3. Students must apply to and meet the eligibility requirements of the post-secondary institution. The requirements vary between institutions.

4. College and high school graduation credit

A. The Board of Education will award a student appropriate credit toward high school graduation when the student chooses Option B and the student successfully completes the course(s) in which he/she is enrolled under the following guidelines:

1. If most of the content of the college course is comparable to one offered by the district, the Board will award subject area requirement credit.

2. If the district offers no comparable course, the Board will grant an appropriate number of credits as electives.

3. If there is a dispute between the Board and the student regarding high school credits granted for a course, the student may appeal the Board’s decision to the State Board of Education. The State Board’s decision regarding any high school credits is final.

B. College courses may be substituted for courses required for high school graduation based upon comparability of content and without regard to instruction time. The credits awarded may be the same as if the comparable course(s) were taught at Mariemont High School, with fractional credits awarded proportionately:

7.5 qtr. hrs. = 1 credit

5 qtr. hrs. = .666 credit

4 qtr. hrs. = .533 credit

3 qtr. hrs. = .400 credit

2 qtr. hrs. = .266 credit

5 sem. hrs. = 1 credit

4 sem. hrs. = .8 credit

3 sem. hrs. = .6 credit

2 sem. hrs. = .4 credit

C. Evidence of successful completion of each course and the high school credits awarded by the district shall be included in the student’s cumulative record. The record shall indicate that the credits were earned as a participant of the post-secondary enrollment options program, which shall include the name of the college at which the credits were earned. (For example: "PSEO UNIV CINTI" or "PSEO XAVR UNIV").

D. Because the grading terms (starting and ending dates) of Mariemont High School and postsecondary institutions are different, student GPA’s and class rank will be determined only at the end of the school year in which the student participates in the program.

E. If a student is taking a college course for high school credit and that credit is required for graduation, the following guidelines will be observed:

1. Since the college course will not likely be completed by the time high school graduation is scheduled, Mariemont High School will allow the student to participate in the ceremony, but receive the diploma only after official notification that the course is satisfactorily completed.

2. This will be allowed only if the student has previously proven herself/himself to be successful in previous post-secondary coursework.

F. If a college course is offered as a graded course (letter grades awarded), a high school student may not choose to take the course for pass/fail.

 

5. Limits to Enrollment

The student’s total combined schedule between Mariemont High School and the participating institution cannot exceed seven classes (the number of classes available in a school day).

Information and counseling must take place to inform students and parents of possible risks and consequences of participating in the program. These are listed below, along with the number of the applicable rule from the Ohio State Board of Education "Rules for Post-Secondary Enrollment Options," Chapter 3301-44.

-- Program eligibility (rule 3301-44-03)

-- Process for granting credit (rule 3301-44-06)

-- Financial arrangements, tuition, books, materials, fees (rule 3301-44-08)

-- Transportation (criteria for aid) (rule 3301-44-08)

-- Available support services

-- Scheduling (rule 3301-44-06)

-- Scheduling courses upon return to Mariemont during a grading term

-- Consequences of failing and of dropping a course

-- Graduation requirements

-- Academic and social responsibilities of students and parents/guardians for participation

-- Use of college counseling services

 

6. Financial responsibilities

A. For those students enrolled in college courses for college credit exclusively (Option A) the college will notify the student about payment of tuition and fees in the customary manner.

B. For those students enrolled in college courses for college and high school graduation credit (Option B), the college will be reimbursed for tuition, fees, materials, and textbooks in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code 3365.07. Funds normally allotted to Mariemont High School from the State of Ohio will be routed to the college according to a prescribed formula.

C. Students choosing either option will be responsible for their own transportation to and from the college. A student may only be reimbursed for transportation costs if the student is eligible for financial assistance according to federal guidelines for lunch assistance.

D. It is the responsibility of the participating college to notify the student, parent, and Mariemont High School of a student’s failure to complete the course(s) as a result of dropping a class after the "no penalty" drop period or failure to attend classes regularly.

E. All textbooks acquired under Option B belong to the college and must be returned there at the end of the course. If a student wishes to purchase the book, payment should be made to the college office.

F. All post-secondary options students will be responsible for purchasing and maintaining parking passes at the college

7. Possible Risks and Consequences

A. Impressionable high school students will be in a non-structured setting on the college campus with students who are 19 to 23 years old or older.

B. The difference in academic competition among students on the high school versus the college campus may have a negative effect on the high school student’s grade point average.

3. The inconsistency among college curricula could affect the instruction and services students receive.

D. No college courses will be counted as weighted courses in computing a student’s grade point average.

E. The scheduling of college and high school courses may mean that large blocks of time will be free during the regular school hours. The student may spend a disproportionate amount of time traveling, increasing liability and risk.

F. For most students, transportation will not be available to the college site.

G. Access to instructors on the college campus may be much more restrictive than at Mariemont High School.

H. Students may miss the many social, academic, sports, fine arts activities and other services available to them on the high school campus.