Frequently Asked Questions on High School Options
1. Your right to take advanced courses
2a. Testing Out
2b. Planning on Dual Enrollment? (first you...)
3. Smart tips your counselor never told you
4. Scholarship info (free)
5. Keep a running resume
6. Learning online takes learning online
7. Advanced Placement Incentive Program
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1. YOUR RIGHT TO TAKE ADVANCED COURSES
The following is a quote from a letter mailed on August 31, 1999, to EVERY Local and Intermediate School District Superintendent in Michigan from Arthur E. Ellis, Michigan's Superintendent of Public Instruction:
"Since 1991, high school students in Michigan have had the opportunity to dual enroll in college courses at Michigan post-secondary institutions when certain criteria are met. High school students need to be continually challenged in order to maintain their academic interests and such challenges must include rigorous academic pursuits. [gee, we could say that about elementary too] Providing a wider variety of options to students by encouraging and enabling them to dual enroll assures new and exciting academic challenges."
In other words, if your school does not provide the next more advanced class in the area you are pursuing or nothing in the way of sociology or psychology or the foreign language you want, you may research and arrange to take such a course in lieu of one of your high school scheduled hours. You are eligible for tuition and fee support which equals the percentage of the day that you were not in the high school (they pay the college directly).
This does require MUCH preparation during the SUMMER, because colleges and community colleges usually start BEFORE public schools. Every situation is different and so you must do the footwork if you want to dual enroll. Details can be found in the Michigan State School Aid Act No. 336, Public Acts of 1993 (Enrolled House Bill No. 5123)-- Dual Enrollment Legislation.
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2a. TESTING OUT.
..for details go to http://www.state.mi.us/mde/off/eocc/#talent by scrolling down to "Testing Out".
WHEN YOU KNOW THE MATERIAL IN A CLASS BEFORE YOU TAKE THE CLASS--
this is when you need to be TESTING OUT of the class. Common courses that this happens in: A basic Freshman science course (unless scheduling allows you to take an advanced course your Freshman year INSTEAD), a Freshman English course if you wish to take more advanced options in your high school years, a foreign language you already know. If you think a class will be moving miserably slow for your learning capabilities, then examine "testing out" as an option. It will give you more time to take the courses you want.
TESTING OUT (a cut and paste from the Michigan Department of Education's site):
High school students may "test out" or be given credit for a high school course that they are not enrolled in by exhibiting a certain level of mastery in the course. The student must receive a grade of not less than a C+ on a final exam, or other means of basic assessment, in order to receive credit. For more information please review the following resources (you will need to go on line to MDE's site listed above to link to these pieces of information):
1993 Public Act 335, Section 1279b
1993 Public Act 335, Section 1279e
Testing Out Frequently Asked Questions
ANOTHER OPTION TO TESTING OUT when you are capable of learning faster...is to take accelerated courses at universities like Purdue and Northwestern or at your nearest Math/Science centers (ATYP programs). Check with your local county ISD/ESA.
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2b. PLANNING ON DUAL ENROLLMENT? (taking college & public school courses at the same time). Please go to: http://www.state.mi.us/mde/off/eocc/#talent
DUAL ENROLLMENT (this is a cut and paste from MDE's site):
Post-secondary Enrollment Options Act Effective April 1, 1996, Public Act 160 (HB4643) creates the Post-secondary Enrollment Options Act (PSEO), also commonly known as "Dual Enrollment." The bill modifies and expands on current provisions in Section 21b of the State School Aid Act providing for the participation of high school students in dual enrollment or
post-secondary enrollment options. The bill is tie barred to Public Acts 159 (HB4640) and 161 (HB4642), effective July 1, 1996, which amend the School Code and the State School Aid Act to require that the board of a school district or public school academy ensure that each student in eighth grade or higher be given information about college level equivalent or Advanced
Placement courses; and permit students in tenth grade to take the MEAP High School Test to qualify to take post-secondary courses. Language regarding eligible charges and required payments for dual enrollment will now be in both the State School Aid Act and the Post-secondary Enrollment Options Act.
Information Available (you will need to go on line to site http://www.state.mi.us/mde/off/eocc/#talent in order to link to these options):
Post-secondary Options Frequently Asked Questions
Post-secondary Enrollment Options Act Update for Fall of 2000
1999 Post-secondary Enrollment Option Act and Pupil Accounting Update
1998 Post-secondary Enrollment Option Act and Pupil Accounting Update
Dual Enrollment Memo
Sample Letter to notify parents about options [for schools to use]
Sample Memo to parents to confirm eligibility
Guidelines for Calculating the foundation allowance
Worksheet for calculating the foundation allowance [for schools to use]
NOTE: On taking the High School MEAPs-- if you do it in the 10TH GRADE, it helps to move along these opportunities, so that you are ready when the time is right. It is not a requirement. Districts have the right to support you in dual enrollment even if you have missed the opportunity to take the MEAP (illness, just moving in state, etc) or you are in 9th or 10th grade. Dual enrollment is open to those who qualify in other states, i.e., the New York Regents exam, etc. Content areas for which there are no MEAP endorsements, such as philosophy, religion, psychology, sociology, or anthropology, should be treated the same as computer science or foreign languages.
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3. SMART TIPS YOUR COUNSELOR NEVER TOLD YOU (maybe):
A. Copies of practice ACT and SAT I exams are in the counseling office of every high school. They change every year. You can PRACTICE them at home even in middle school--even those years you are not participating in Midwest Talent Search. Hopefully you DID participate though just to get the feel of real testing situations.
B. Practice the SAT I (better as part of Midwest Talent Search) BEFORE the 10th grade. Take the PSAT-NMSQUAT [a shortened version of the SAT I used for Nation Merit Scholar Qualifying Achievement Test]. Take this as a 10th grader if you can but for sure as an 11th grader. It is early in the fall. Check with counseling in September for the date given at your own high school. Home-schoolers can call local counseling office to sign up). Normally 11th graders take PSAT-NMSQUAT. As a 10th grader you are getting great practice and they send you a letter with your results saying "congratulations", good job!
C. When you fill out an application (such as ACT or SAT I), they ask you what career or areas of studies you expect to pursue. NAME SOMETHING! It doesn't matter that you change your mind in Freshman year. If you do not name something ("I do not know") then they do not look at you as a serious student and therefore scholarships will just pass you by. And so for scholarship opportunities, look seriously at the career options and try to narrow it down to what you MIGHT be interested in, or what your current high school course work indicates you would do well in. You don't have to be sure. You are bound to change your mind a couple of times--as well as changing your job at least 7 times after you graduate. Be flexible--that's life!
D. As a junior and senior, take BOTH the ACT and SAT I, unless you have predetermined the school you will definitely attend and that school only looks at one of the tests. All kinds of colleges and universities will mail you lots and lots of appealing brochures and even videos to entice you to go there.
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4. SCHOLARSHIP INFO:
FREE search for scholarships as well as other information on getting ready for college. Site is: www.salliemae.com and click on CASHE scholarship search. There is a link to the CASHE scholarship form...that should be one you can update later as things change...there's even scholarships for LEFT HANDED PEOPLE!!! Think also in terms of what organizations you or your immediate family are connected to. This application for scholarships is also a way to realize how you have to keep a running RESUME, and what to include. Yes, start that resume in middle school, if not sooner. Have fun!
OTHER SCHOLARSHIP SITES posted a couple years ago...may not all work.
BUT REMEMBER ONE THING--NEVER PAY for a scholarship search..there are too many that do not charge you.
THE STATE OF MICHIGAN... www.mde.state.mi.us has much information about financing education, including scholarships and grants.
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5. KEEP A RUNNING RESUME ON THE COMPUTER FOR EACH CHILD. See above for some information. Keep a complete one with ALL the clubs, groups, service oriented activities, sports, arts connected, whatever. From this information you can duplicate and trim for specific purposes, i.e., pertinent information needed for a summer job at the local landscapers (they probably don't need to know your musical background).
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6. LEARNING ONLINE TAKES LEARNING ONLINE -- from WJR's Gary Baker
Say what? That's right...you may need to take a class in how to learn online. If online learning is the wave of the future, then you better get on the wave of the present. This is easier than you think, but you will need to look at this...
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/10/cyber/education/06education.html
LEARNING ONLINE...can be done now through Michigan's own Virtual University (go to MDE's site). Midwest Talent Search, Center for Talent Development (MTS/CTD) offers many online courses through Letter Links, including Latin, advanced math (through calculus), English courses and more!
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7. ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND A.P. INCENTIVE PROGRAM & MDE info about AP courses ONLINE!
Verify current policies and offerings at the MDE site:
http://www.state.mi.us/mde/off/eocc/#talent
Advanced Placement courses are college level curriculum courses offered at many high schools. Student may receive college credit by taking the AP exam usually in early May. Low income students (students receiving free or reduced lunch) have been able to receive assistance in paying for the fees (was $78) needed to take AP exams for the courses they are enrolled in. High schools must identify eligible students, notify them, and verify that they wish to take the AP exams and then complete the necessary forms. This is due to a Federal grant to pay a portion of the fee (was $22) and the local districts are expected to forgo the (was) $7.00 rebate. The College Board will receive the remaining cost (was $46) from the grant received by the Michigan Department of Education.
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For further information, please contact (in this order) your high school counselor or principal [REMEMBER TO BE A POSITIVE ADVOCATE], or your County ISD/ESA gifted consultant, or in Lansing, David Mills, Director of Talent Development in the Office of Education Options, 517-373-4213, mailto:[email protected] or Marie Brucker (who will connect you with someone on the Michigan Alliance board who can answer your question).