Dual Credit Programs are instructional partnerships that are offered between a public secondary school, a charter school, a private school, an Early College High School, or a home school and the college with an officially signed Agreement. Course credit is provided to high school students for both high school and college credit. College credit may be for certificate or associate degree programs. College courses offered for dual credit must be college-level academic courses in the current edition of the Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) or as college-level workforce education courses in the current edition of the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM). The dual credit courses are to be defined sequences of courses, where applicable. College may offer Core , career/technical and foreign language courses for dual credit.
Public colleges may not offer remedial and developmental courses for dual credit.
Student Eligibility Requirements for Dual Credit
Student must first complete a pre-assessment activity and practice test prior to taking the official Texas Success Initiative (TSI) tests.
To be eligible for enrollment in a dual credit course offered by a public college, student must meet all of the college’s regular prerequisite requirements designated for that course (e.g., minimum score on a specified placement test, minimum grade in a specified previous course, etc.)
A high school student is eligible to enroll in academic dual credit courses if the student: · Demonstrates college readiness by achieving the minimum passing standards for Texas Success Initiative (TSI) on relevant sections of the Texas Success Initiative Assessment TSIA2 · Demonstrates that he or she is TSI exempt or waived or dual credit eligible
A high school student is eligible to enroll in academic dual credit courses if the student:
Dual Credit Eligibility:
A high school student is eligible to enroll in dual credit courses with the following test scores. Once the student passes the college-level course with C or better, the student will be TSI met within appropriate content area(s) of reading, writing, and/or math based on the course pre-requisite.
A high school student is eligible to enroll in academic dual credit course(s) that require demonstration of TSI college readiness in reading and/or writing by achieving:
- Passing Scores for TSIA2
A. College Level Ready for Reading and Writing
a. TSIA2.ELAR - 945 or higher AND TSIA2.ES - 5 or higher
b. TSIA2.ELAR - 944 or lower AND TSIA2.DELA 5 or higher AND TSIA2.ES - 5 or higher
B. College Level Ready for MATH
a. TSIA2.MA - 950 or higher
b. TSIA2.MA - 949 or lower AND TSIA2.DM 6
2. Eligibility Scores for PSAT/NMSQT
A. Minimum score of 460 on the evidence-based reading and writing (EBRW) test for ELAR eligibility.
B. Minimum score of 510 on the mathematics test for math eligibility.
3. Eligibility Scores for STAAR
A. Score of 4000 or above on the English II STAAR EOC for ELAR eligibility
B. Score of 4000 or above on the Algebra I STAAR EOC and a final grade of C or higher in the high school Algebra II course for math eligibility
A high school student is eligible to enroll in workforce education dual credit courses contained in a Level-One Certificate program, or a program leading to a credential of less than a Level-One Certificate, at a public junior college or public technical institute and shall not be required to provide demonstration of college readiness or dual credit enrollment eligibility.
A high school student enrolled in a Level-One Certificate is exempt from TSI. If student takes dual credit courses that are not included in the Level-One Certificate, the student is no longer exempt from TSI.
Score requirements are determined by and may be altered by the THECB.
The THECB provisions do not require institutions of higher education to offer dual credit courses for high school students.
Students who do not acquire the necessary test score(s) for eligibility purposes should discuss their options with the campus Dual Credit Coordinator/Administrator.
Eligibility for continued participation in the Dual Credit program requires satisfactory academic performance at the high school; earned grades of A, B, or C in all college courses; and parental and school approval for each subsequent semester of enrollment. A student who earns grades of W, D and/or F may not be eligible for future dual credit courses or may have restrictions.
Students must discuss with their high school counselor if they wish to withdraw from their college course(s). Students who decide to withdraw must submit the required withdrawal form to the campus Dual Credit/Concurrent Enrollment Coordinator or campus Registrar by the published deadline.
Academic freedom is practiced at Dallas College and appropriate and essential discipline-specific terminology, concepts and principles are utilized as needed in the classroom setting, including within dual credit classes.
Early College High Schools
Early College Highs Schools (ECHS) provide outreach, curricula, and student learning and support programs that enable participating students to combine high school courses and college-level courses to attain their high school diploma and earn up to 60 semester credit hours toward an associate or baccalaureate degree by the fifth anniversary of the student’s first day of high school.
Students participating in an ECHS must meet eligibility requirements. An ECHS shall assess each student for readiness to engage in any college-level curriculum offered for college credit prior to the student’s enrollment in such curriculum. For this assessment, an ECHS may use any instrument otherwise approved for Texas Success Initiative purposes.
Early College High School students who do not acquire the necessary test score(s) for eligibility purposes should discuss their options with the campus ECHS and/or Dual Credit Coordinator/Administrator.
The Dual Credit and/or Early College High School student must meet all admissions criteria of the college. In addition, students may be withdrawn from pre-registered course(s) for subsequent semesters or terms if the student withdraws from a course or makes a grade of D or F. Students may be refused re-enrollment unless the student and the parent(s)/guardian(s) agree to abide by written conditions from the college designed to increase the potential for success.
Financial Aid Implications of Dual Credit
Students may not be eligible for state or federal financial aid while enrolled in high school. However, because they are recorded on the college transcript, grades earned for dual credit courses can impact a student’s future financial aid .
Financial aid is limited to those who have either graduated from high school or have a G.E.D.
Important Notice
Students should take care when selecting additional courses to be transferred toward a Baccalaureate degree. Excessive Hours (House Bill 1172) allows an institution to charge the equivalent of out of state tuition for credit hours taken beyond the state limits.
State limits are:
- For students entering public Texas institutions Fall 1999 - Summer 2006 who attempt 45 hours beyond what is required for Baccalaureate degree (120 hours).
- For students entering Fall 2006 and thereafter who attempt 30 hours beyond the hours required for a Baccalaureate degree.
It is recommended that students take minimal hours beyond degree requirements to avoid possible higher tuition charges at the institution to which they are transferring.
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