Earn College Credit - Early College Credit Program and Start College Now

The 2017 Wisconsin Act 59 eliminated the Youth Options program and replaced it with the Early College Credit Program (ECCP). This statute allows Wisconsin public and private high school students (Grade 9-12) to take one or more courses at an institution of higher education within Wisconsin for high school and college credit.

While technical colleges are not eligible institutions under ECCP, students who have completed 10th grade have the option to take courses at technical colleges through Start College Now (SCN) program.

The School District’s responsibility to pay for tuition, fees, books and other necessary materials shall be limited to eighteen (18) postsecondary credits per student. Students and families will be required to reimburse the district if a student fails a course or withdraws after the course begins.

High school credits earned through the ECCP or SCN programs will not be weighted*. Courses taken at an institute of higher education for high school credit will only be accepted through the ECCP or SCN programs. Transcribing of grades earned through the ECCP or SCN programs will follow District practice for transcribing grades earned through District courses.

The Superintendent shall establish administrative guidelines to ensure that the District’s ECCP or SCN programs complies with applicable State law and the administrative rules of the Department of Public Instruction. Information on enrolling in the ECCP or SCN programs is communicated to all students in grades 9-11 during course selection process through the course guide and district website.

*ECCP and SCN courses will be given weight for the course in instances where the student has previously taken the AP course in that subject area and scored a 3 or higher on the AP exam. Financial support for an AP exam will be provided to students who qualify for free and reduced lunch and/or have been identified as indigent, commensurate with the established Business Office fee schedule.

The ECCP or SCN programs have been separated into the two components because there are different expectations for each component.

Early College Credit Program (ECCP) - Additional Information

• Allows 11th and 12th grade students to enroll in one or more nonsectarian courses by taking up to but no more than 18 total credits at a UW campus or center, or a private non-profit college located in the state.

• Allows the student to attend courses in this program during the fall, spring and summer semesters.

• Provides that if the course(s) is/are taken for postsecondary credit only, the student is responsible for the tuition and fees.

• Provides that if the course is taken for high school credit or dual credit (high school credit as well as college credit), the district will pay the cost of tuition and some of the other course costs if the course(s) are not offered by the district.

• Provides that postsecondary admittance at the college be contingent on meeting the entrance requirements and availability of space.

• Requires the school district to determine whether the course, if different from those offered in the district, satisfies state graduation requirements and what, if any, high school credits are to be awarded to the student. Students may appeal the district’s determination to the State Superintendent.

• Requires a student application and notification process so that school district and postsecondary planning reporting may take place.

• Applications for enrollment for high school credit courses at postsecondary institutions must be made by February 1, 2022, for the Summer session of 2022, March 1, 2022 for the Fall semester of the 2022-2023 school year, and by October 1, 2022, for the spring semester of the 2022-2023 school year. These due dates are firm. Applications signed and turned in after the due will automatically be denied.

• Postsecondary courses taken for high school credit require the school district to pay the actual cost of tuition of courses taken at a UW campus or center. If the student attends a private college the school district must pay the lesser of: the actual cost of tuition, or an amount determined by multiplying the statewide shared cost per high school credit as computed by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) by the number of high school credits taken at the private college.

• Textbook fees for approved courses will be paid by the district who will then collect the textbooks after the course is completed. If the student wants to keep the textbooks then the student pays for them. 

• Other fees may be paid for by the district that are directly related to the course. This does not include paper, pencils, zip drives etc. These fees are reviewed on an individual course basis.

• Transportation costs may be reimbursed for low-income families by applying to the ECCP Supervisor at the Department of Public Instruction in Madison. 

Start College Now (SCN) - Additional Information

• Requires that the student has completed the 10th grade, be in good academic standing and have no record of disciplinary problems to attend a technical college.

• Provides for attendance at a technical college during fall and spring semesters only.

• Requires a student application and notification process. Applications for enrollment must be made by March 1, 2022 for the Fall semester of the 2022-2023 school year and by October 1, 2022 for the spring semester of the 2022-2023 school year. These due dates are firm. Applications signed and turned in after the due will automatically be denied. Note- Start College Now does not include a summer session.

• Provides that if the course is taken for postsecondary credit only, the student is responsible for the tuition and fees.

• Provides that if the course is not a comparable course and is taken for high school credit, the district will pay for the tuition and fees.

• Textbook fees for approved courses will be paid by the district who will then collect the textbooks after the course is completed. If the student wants to keep the textbooks, then the student pays for them.

• Other fees may be paid for by the district that are directly related to the course. This does not include paper, pencils, etc. These fees are reviewed on an individual course basis.

• Requires the district to determine whether the course, if different from those offered in the district, satisfies state graduation requirements and what high school credits are to be awarded to the student. Students may appeal the district's determination to the State Superintendent.

• Requires a technical college to admit a student who meets the requirements and prerequisites of the course or courses, but does not require the technical college to admit the student into a program.

• The school board may refuse to permit a pupil with EEN to attend a technical college if the cost would impose an undue financial burden on the school district.

• Student/parent responsible for any transportation costs for attending course(s).