Home Education Dual Enrollment Agreement

This Home Education Dual Enrollment Agreement (Agreement) is made by and between Hillsborough Community College (HCC) and the Home Education Program Official on behalf of the student attending HCC. By signing the signature page of this Agreement, the Home Education Program Official acknowledges that he/she has read and understands the Home Education Dual Enrollment Agreement and its requirements and agrees to abide by the policies and procedures outlined in this Agreement.

Whereas, the purpose of this Agreement is to provide opportunities for secondary students attending a home education program to increase the depth of study, broaden educational opportunities, and to shorten the time necessary for a student to complete the requirements of a postsecondary degree and high school diploma by participating in the Dual Enrollment Program at HCC; and

Whereas, students whose parents choose to teach and direct the education of their children at home, pursuant to F.S. 1002.01(1), and who meet the eligibility requirements for dual enrollment as specified in F.S. 1007.271(13), and are in compliance with F.S. 1002.41 and F.S. 1003.21 shall be permitted to enroll in dual enrollment coursework at Hillsborough Community College.

1. Dual Enrollment Program Description

The Dual Enrollment Program is an acceleration program that allows for the enrollment of eligible secondary students in a postsecondary course creditable toward a high school diploma and an associate or baccalaureate degree or a career and technical education certificate. The purpose of this program is to shorten the time necessary for a student to complete the requirements associated with the conference of a degree, broaden the scope of curricular options available to students, and increase the depth of study available for a particular subject. Students participating in dual enrollment will not be assessed application fees, tuition, or laboratory fees.

Early admission is a form of dual enrollment which eligible students can enroll at HCC on a full-time basis in courses that are creditable toward the high school diploma and the associate or baccalaureate degree. Students accepted for Early Admissions will not be assessed application fees, tuition, or laboratory fees for a maximum of two (2) academic semesters.

2. Courses Available to Home-Schooled Students

Students shall be permitted to enroll in classes which appear on the regular HCC schedule of credit classes and will be applied toward a high school diploma and the associate degree. The current Dual Enrollment Course Equivalency List identifies courses meeting high school graduation requirements.. Any course not on this list is considered an elective course. These courses may include all courses offered by HCC with the exception of physical education, college preparatory courses and courses less than three credit hours unless they are co-requisites for other courses, the IDS 2891 Connections course, two-credit hour music or dance courses, or one-credit hour courses that are part of an Associate in Science (A.S.) Degree Program. Students are required to meet the established course prerequisite and co-requisite requirements as identified in the course descriptions in the current HCC catalog.

Dual enrollment students may enroll in up to 10 credit hours of instruction per term. Early admission students attend classes on the college campus on a full time basis. They must enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours per term, and they may not exceed 15 credit hours per term.

Dual enrollment students, including home education students, are exempt from the payment of tuition and fees.

3. Student Eligibility Criteria

To meet eligibility requirements for participation in the Dual Enrollment Program at HCC, home education students shall meet the following criteria:

a. Provide proof of enrollment in a Hillsborough County Home Education Program, pursuant to F.S. 1002.41;

b. Be responsible for his or her own transportation;

c. Be enrolled in grades 6-12;

d. Demonstrate acceptable placement test scores on the PERT, SAT or ACT (not more than two (2) years old) for entrance into college level courses.

*MAC 1105 requires a score of 123 for PERT, 27.0 for SAT, and 21 for ACT. 

Placement scores are subject to change.

e. A student who passes Reading and English may still enroll in a course for which math is not a requirement. A student who passes the Math but not the Reading and/or English portion may still enroll in a Math course. Upon completion of twelve (12) college credit hours, the student must pass all sections of the PERT, SAT, or ACT to remain eligible for the Dual Enrollment Program.

f. To qualify for Early Admissions, students must have completed all coursework equivalents for the freshman, sophomore, and junior years of high school and test at college level on all sections of the PERT, SAT, or ACT. Students considered for Early Admission are limited to two (2) consecutive semesters, fall and spring, (which would be defined as the senior year). Upon completion of the second semester of Early Admission, dual enrollment eligibility would end, at which point, students must matriculate to regular degree seeking status.

g. The early admission student must NOT have completed sufficient course work to qualify for the completion of the Home Education Program, as dual enrollment course work must apply toward meeting Home Education requirements.

h. To maintain eligibly in the Dual Enrollment Program, students must maintain a cumulative 2.0 grade point average for courses taken at HCC, which will be recorded on the student’s permanent record. Students are not eligible for dual enrollment status and fee exemption during the term immediately following the completion of their home education program, even if the registration period or college classes begin prior to the actual completion date.

i. Students who complete their Home Education Program are no longer eligible for dual enrollment.

4. Procedures for Provision of College Level Instruction

a. The Home School Official will be responsible for obtaining dual enrollment or early admission applications and forms and submitting the completed forms to the HCC District Dual Enrollment Office by the established deadline each term. Once a graduation date is established on the admissions application, that date cannot be changed, and at that point, students must matriculate to a regular degree seeking status to continue taking classes at HCC.

b. The required forms necessary for participation in dual enrollment include the following:

i. Hillsborough Community College Application;

ii. Home Education Dual Enrollment Agreement;

iii. Home Education Approval Form (required each term);

iv. Home Education Transcript and Educational Plan that clearly delineates courses taken through the home school, and courses to be taken at HCC and through the home school for completion of the home education program;

v. Proof of registration with the Hillsborough County Home Education Office (required annually);

vi. Documentation of PERT, SAT, or ACT test scores (not more than two (2) years old).

c. Following the submission of the appropriate forms and test results, a final determination will be made as to the student’s eligibility for dual enrollment.

5. Transferability of Credits

a. The Dual Enrollment Transfer Guarantees document is duplicated below and is available online.

DUAL ENROLLMENT TRANSFER GUARANTEES

The dual enrollment program is an opportunity to take challenging courses and accelerate education opportunities. With hundreds of dual enrollment courses available, there is great potential to further engage and motivate students to pursue academically rigorous courses that capture their interests. Successful completion of dual enrollment courses allows eligible high school students to simultaneously earn high school core or elective credit and postsecondary credit toward a career certificate, an associate degree, or a baccalaureate degree.

Dual enrollment courses will receive the same weighting for the high school grade point average as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) courses. In addition, dual enrollment courses that meet core state university admission requirements in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, or World Languages shall receive the same weighting as AP, IB, and AICE courses in the calculation of the high school grade point average used for admission decisions.

Students should understand, however, that dual enrollment courses are college‐level courses, and the amount of work and rigor of content in dual enrollment courses may be much greater than in high school courses. In addition, dual enrollment course grades become a part of a student’s permanent college transcript and are calculated into the student’s permanent postsecondary grade point average. Poor performance in dual enrollment courses may affect university admissions and financial aid. It is important to do well in these courses to realize the benefits of dual enrollment.

Course selection is important for the dual enrollment student since different programs at a college require different courses to complete the certificate or degree. By choosing courses wisely, students can reduce the time it takes to complete a program after high school graduation. Some students are even able to complete their college certificate or degree at the same time they graduate from high school. Students who don’t know what they want to study in college should consult with an advisor to consider focusing on completing general education requirements in communications, mathematics, social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. All degree programs require general education coursework and, while there is some variation from institution to institution, there are general education courses that are common among most, if not all, institutions.

Florida dual enrollment college credit will transfer to any Florida public college or university offering the Statewide Course Numbering System course number, and must be treated as though taken at the receiving institution. However, if students do not attend the same college or university where they earned the dual enrollment credit the application of transfer credit to general education, prerequisite, and degree programs may vary at the receiving institution. Private and out‐of‐state colleges and universities may or may not grant college credit for courses taken through dual enrollment.

July 2012

b. Course credit earned during dual enrollment or early admission will apply toward the completion of an associate degree or certificate at Hillsborough Community College. Students transferring to other colleges and universities prior to earning a degree at HCC should consult the school they are entering as to how HCC credits will be transferred. In addition the following college course-level expectations, including, but not limited to the following:

i. Any letter grade below a “C” will not count toward satisfaction of the requirement in Rule 6A-10.030, F.A.C.; however, all grades are calculated in a student’s GPA and will appear on their college transcript.

ii. All grades, including “W” for withdrawal, become a part of the student’s permanent college transcript and may affect subsequent postsecondary admission.

iii. While appropriate for college-level student, course materials and class discussions may reflect topics not typically included in secondary courses which some parents may object to for minors. Courses will not be modified to accommodate variations in student age and/or maturity.

iv. Students should select courses to meet degree requirements, including approved program common prerequisite courses, in order to minimize student and state costs for excess hours.

6. Students with Disabilities

Hillsborough Community College enjoys a very diverse student population which includes students with disabilities. HCC makes every effort to assist students with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations to ensure access to all academic programs, campus organizations, services and activities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and all state and federal laws protecting individuals with disabilities.

Students are eligible to receive services at HCC if they have been diagnosed with a disability including, but not limited to the following: Learning Disability, Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment, Physical Impairment, ADD/ADHD, Alcohol/Drug Abuse, AIDS, Speech/Language Impairment, Psychiatric Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorders, or TBI.

A student or prospective student requesting academic accommodations must self-identify and provide appropriate documentation of their disability to the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. Students should contact an HCC Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities to discuss documentation guidelines.

Some of the academic accommodations that the College provides to students with disabilities may include but are not limited to the following: Accessible furniture, Testing Accommodations, Note takers, Assistive equipment, Assistive technology software, Alternate format materials, Scribes and readers, Sign language interpreters/captionist. For more information, students should access the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities.

7. Communications with the Home Education Program Official

a. A student who seeks to enroll as Home Education Dual Enrollment student must be approved as to their eligibility and compliance with the requirements as defined in F.S. 1002.41.

b. The Home Education Program Official and the designated HCC official will share the responsibly for the academic monitoring and academic advising of such students.

c. The Home Education Program Official pursuing Home Education Dual Enrollment will certify that the student is meeting the requirements of the Home Education Program.

d. HCC staff will consult with the Home Education Program official on matters related to the student regarding his/her educational progress.

8. Communication between Hillsborough Community College and the Home Education Student

a. The student will receive verification of their admission to Hillsborough Community College.

b. HCC academic and career advising services are available to all home education dual enrollment students. Prior to registration, the student must meet with an HCC counselor/advisor who will provide information about HCC academic programs, course selection and registration procedures. Dual enrollment students must register for classes in person. HCC does not advise on classes needed for high school completion or Florida Bright Futures eligibility. The Home Education Official should work directly with the School District office and the Bright Futures office to determine the student’s eligibility.

c. The student is responsible for understanding the HCC withdrawal policy and its potential effect on the student’s academic transcript. Withdrawal dates are listed on the student’s schedule of classes.

d. While enrolled in dual enrollment courses, students are required to comply with all applicable HCC policies and procedures which apply to all HCC students.

9. Dual Enrollment and FERPA

FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, is a federal law that protects students’ rights to privacy regarding their student records. FERPA governs (1) the release of educational records maintained by an educational institution and (2) access to these records. All college students have rights under FERPA, even those who are younger than 18 years of age. FERPA protects the educational records of students who are attending or who have attended the institution, all educational records directly related to a student, and all educational records that are maintained by the institution. The Home Education program Official and the Home education student can learn more about FERPA and applicable state laws concerning their right to privacy with regard to student records on the HCC web page.

10. Tuition and Fees, Books and Materials, and Transportation

Pursuant to F.S. 1007.271 and F.S. 1007.271(10) (a) (2), an eligible home education dual enrollment student shall be exempt from the payment of registration, tuition and laboratory fees for each approved course. Books and other instructional materials shall be provided and paid for by HCC and shall be HCC property that must be returned to HCC at completion of each academic term. Home education students are not permitted to enroll in classes and pay for them outside of the Agreement. Transportation to and from an HCC Campus shall be the responsibility of the student.