Friday, April 15, 2011

Post Secondary Enrollment Option

Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) is a unique opportunity that started in Minnesota in 1985, to give high school juniors in the top third of their class, and high school seniors in the top half of their class, the chance to go to college during high school. It is supplemented by the State of Minnesota up to a certain point.

Statute 124D.091 states, "Beginning in fiscal year 2011, districts only are eligible for aid if the college or university concurrent enrollment courses offered by the district are accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnership, in the process of being accredited, or are shown by clear evidence to be of comparable standard to accredited courses. An eligible district shall receive $150 per pupil enrolled in a concurrent enrollment course. The money must be used to defray the cost of delivering the course at the high school. The commissioner shall establish application procedures and deadlines for receipt of aid payments." The cost also covers class-specific supplies such as film for a photography class, but not notebooks, pens, and general school supplies.

Here is the statute that describes PSEO in law:
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=124D.09

It is one of many education policies established in the 1980s, to offer additional choice for students. It allows students to enroll concurrently for credit in high school and college. Typically, you are not allowed to take a class which has an equivalent in your school, such as you might have the same levels of math or languages offered in high school or college. More details are available on the MNSCU site: http://www.mnscu.edu/students/specialprograms/pseo.html

It allows for additional options for high school students, and helps gifted students to access opportunities their high schools may not have the resources to provide. It also saves money on credits for college. However, only a handful of the number of eligible students take advantage of the policy, as the Minnesota Office of Higher Education shows here:
http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/tPg.cfm?pageID=803&1534-D83A_1933715A=3a3eec265ba143de

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