School offers jump on college credit
Posted on Saturday, March 22, 2008
SILOAM SPRINGS — For years, Siloam Springs High School students have been jumping on the bandwagon of taking college courses while still in high school. The local high school offers a variety of Advanced Placement classes equivalent to college courses, including language and composition, U. S. history, geography, biology, math and art. Students gain both high-school and transferable college credit upon meeting grade requirements and attendance policies required of the rigorous courses.
An announcement at this month’s school board meeting made it considerably easier for students to enroll in university-level classes and earn early credit. With unanimous approval of the school board, the Arkansas Early College High School Program was accepted into the district to begin in the 2009-2010 school year.
The AECHS Program offers the free college courses across Arkansas and has more than 20 accredited universities participating statewide.
Students will be taught via a video screen in the classroom and work closely with a university instructor and a high-school facilitator, said Jody Wiggins, program coordinator. The students will have live interaction with the instructors through twoway cameras and will e-mail homework assignments.
As in the past, students will still be offered classes through Northwest Arkansas Community College for which they pay a discounted tuition, but the new program and curriculum is fully funded by grants and virtually free to students, Wiggins said.
Upon accepting the program, the high school accepts responsibility for paying AECHS $ 50 for each student who drops a course after enrollment paperwork is received. When students register for the courses, they will be required to sign contracts stating that they will incur the drop fee if they decide not to take the class.
The district will provide the classroom facilitator, Tammy Chastain, with a salary, materials, supplies and other scholastic necessities. The district will also be required to pay for textbooks, Wiggins said.
There are strict guidelines for students enrolled in AECHS. To receive the transferable college credit, students may not miss more than eight full or partial days of class. According to the AECHS Web site, in special cases, students may remain in the course for high-school credit.
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