High School Connections

Take Classes at Your School

The high school instructor must have the same qualifications of an on-campus faculty member. The course must provide the same content, course materials and outcomes as a Southwestern course. When these requirements are met the course is considered "articulated" with a Southwestern course students can earn college credit.

Enhanced Options are college course taught by a Southwestern faculty on a high school campus through a partnership between the high school and Southwestern. There is no tuition cost to the student for participating. A school district may or may not cover the cost of textbooks or other fees. 

Dual Credit Opportunities & Advantages

Credits: The college credits earned during high school are almost always transferable to any Oregon community college program and many four-year higher education institutions. Credits are placed on high school and college transcripts.

High Standards: The coordination of curriculum and course content between high school and Southwestern faculty ensures that students meet college standards.

Admission & Registration Instructions

• Complete and submit a High School Student Record Registration for your Dual Credit course. These forms are administered by Southwestern staff or your high school instructor. 
• Take the online New Student Orientation. Failure to complete the orientation will prevent a student from earning the college credits. 

Take Classes at Southwestern

The Expanded Options program provides eligible high school students early entry into post-secondary education. The Expanded Options program is a great way for high school juniors or seniors to take a college classes on the Southwestern campus or online. These college classes might also fulfill high school course requirements. Costs for tuition, fees and books are determined by the individual school district. Talk with your high school counselor or principal for more information.

• Have additional options to continue or complete their education;
• Earn concurrent high school and college credits;
• Gain early entry into post-secondary education.

Admission & Registration Instructions

1. Discuss options with your high school counselor
2. Contact Kyle Helland for an appointment.
3. Complete and submit an Expanded Options High School Partnership Agreement
4. Take the online New Student Orientation. Failure to complete the orientation will prevent a student from earning the college credit

Who is an eligible student?

• Someone enrolled in an Oregon public school, in grade 11 or 12; or is 16 years old or older at the time of enrollment in a course.
• A student who has completed course requirements for graduation, but who has not received a diploma.
• An eligible student who enrolls in the Expanded Options Program may not enroll in eligible post-secondary courses for more than the equivalent of two academic years.
  

Homeschool Students

Homeschooled high school students are approved to take courses at Southwestern just as any other high school student.  Resulting courses and grades will become part of the student's transcript and it is the responsibility of the student/parent to ensure such classes will meet and apply to homeschool/high school diploma requirements per state requirements. Homeschooled students are responsible for all course costs (there is currently not a discount). Homeschooled students seeking financial help are encouraged to contact a participating high school to determine eligibility and how the high school might be able assist with funding a part-time of full-time student in taking \classes at Southwestern.

State Info

For more information visit the Oregon Department of Education's page about Expanded Options.

PowerPoint Presentation

Download a presentation detailing the Expanded Options Program

Underage Students (14 or 15 years old)

Southwestern looks forward to having you on campus; however, we want you to understand that we have a varied student body who brings their own experiences and ways of interacting. We want you and your parents/guardians to understand you are about to enter a college environment. You will encounter adult level material and students of all ages and backgrounds.

Underage students must meet with a licensed counselor at Southwestern to determine readiness for the college environment and complete the Underage Student Agreement. Contact the Office of Student Services to schedule an appointment. 

College Now Calendar

SPRING Term 

Instructors & Administrators

Articulation Process

The College Now course approval is a multi-institution process granted by the individual departments/divisions at Southwestern. The process requires both Instructor Approval and Course Alignment.

High School Process

• High school administrator completes Articulation Request Form.
• High School administrator sends Articulation Request Form, college transcript of high school instructor, the instructor’s most recent resume, and the Dual Credit Instructor Approval Request in order to start the articulation process.

Southwestern Process

• Copy of file is delivered to appropriate Office of Instruction Dean.
• Office of Instruction staff and faculty determine approval of high school teacher.
• Office of Instruction notifies College Now office and discusses logistics for implementation. Notice of approval/disapproval provided by College Now Office.

Applying to Teach a College Now Course

College Now instructors must be approved for every course, in every discipline, and by individual departments. This discipline specific endorsement ensures that instructors have been trained, prepared, and mentored by college faculty in the discipline in which they will be teaching. This ensures that students will be held to the same standards as their on-campus counterparts. The following process, qualifications, and timelines apply to new College Now instructors. Instructor Requirements In order to establish an articulation agreement, the high school instructor must “qualify” to teach at the community college level, and the high school course must “articulate” to the Southwestern course. For Career & Technical Education (CTE) instructors, the high school instructor would have to “qualify” as a college CTE instructor, with a combination of education and related work experience(s). The table below details the different criteria a CTE instructor would need in order to qualify.Career & Technical Education

• Professional certifications or an AAS degree in a subject area closely related to that in which the instructor will be teaching; AND a minimum of 3 years significant and related experience. 
• A Bachelor's degree or higher is preferred.

For Lower Division Transfer (LDT) instructors, the high school instructor would have to “qualify” as a college instructor. They must have a Master’s degree in the subject area or related area. For example, a Mathematics instructor needs to have a Master’s degree in Mathematics or related area such as Engineering with 12 graduate credits in Math. The table below details the different criteria a Lower Division Transfer instructor would need to qualify.

• Lower Division Transfer
• Master’s degree in a subject area
• Master’s degree in related area plus 12 quarter hours graduate credits in related subject area (does not include pedagogy).

Course Evaluation

Once a teacher is approved, a Collegiate Partner is assigned. The College NOW instructor is provided a copy of the appropriate Southwestern course syllabi and a copy of the Southwestern Syllabus Template

• College NOW instructors must submit a copy of the revised syllabus to the College NOW office and their Collegiate Partners.
• Southwestern departments/divisions will review submitted syllabi to determine if the high school course meets the same standards and content and reflects the pedagogical, theoretical, and philosophical orientation of the on-campus course.
• Collegiate Partner and College NOW instructor are required to meet to discuss goals, grading, outcomes, student placement, etc.
• (Dis)Approval will be communicated to the high school instructor within 45 days.
• Requests for further clarification will be communicated to the high school instructor within 45 days, thus potentially delaying (dis)approval for a reasonable amount of time. The College NOW office will keep the instructor informed.
• Once a course is approved AND the instructor is certified to teach that class, the articulated course will be added to the High School Articulation Agreement which is then forwarded to the high school for signatures prior to the end of the school year.

Support

• The College NOW office serves as the link between Southwestern and high schools.
• It is recommended that instructors use the same textbook as the on-site class. However, recognizing school district budgetary issues and textbook costs, it is not required for all courses. Work with the High School Relations Coordinator to verify text selection.
• Textbook purchases may be facilitated through the Southwestern Bookstore Credit Logistics
• Students meet class outcomes through agreed upon performance measure(s).
• Students fill out and sign the appropriate registration form that is also signed by the instructor.
• The high school teacher returns the Southwestern registration form to: 
  College NOW & High School Relations Coordinator 
  1988 Newmark Avenue 
  Coos Bay, OR 97420 The Articulation Agreement signifies the high school’s intent to provide a Dual Credit course(s) during an academic school year and should be processed during the previous academic year. The Articulation Agreement contains the Southwestern course name, course number and high school equivalent course. Each instructor must sign the agreement acknowledging their commitment to teach the Dual Credit course. It must also be signed by the high school principal. If a high school instructor is considering teaching a new course or a course that he/she has not been approved to teach, he/she must go through the teacher and course evaluation process. Teachers should contact the High School Relations Coordinator and inform him/her of the proposed course. He/She will arrange a meeting with the Director of Workforce Development and a subject area specific Southwestern faculty member to discuss and go over the course proposal. The high school teacher member does not have to resubmit his/her official transcripts if the teacher has been previously approved, as the documents are kept on file. The teacher must meet the same requirements for the new planned course.

Counselor's Tool Box

Preparing for Dual Credit

• Many Dual Credit courses require placement testing, so it’s best to get students tested coming into their junior and senior years for writing, reading, and math;
• Students must complete the front AND BACK of the High School Student Record & Registration Form
• If the student needs to drop the course they must follow college guidelines to drop the course and it is imperative that they speak to their counselor and the teacher. It is possible to remain in the class without getting college credit.

Preparing for Expanded Options

• Just as with Dual Credit classes, many Expanded Options courses require placement testing, so testing is important. This can be done at your high school, or on the Southwestern campus (see information for testing times etc. below).
• Student must meet with their counselor and complete the Expanded Options High School Agreementform
  • Specific courses must be listed and agreed upon.
  • The funding section must be completed.
  • Form must be signed by the student, parent/guardian, high school counselor, and district school official.
• Student's under 16 must meet with a licensed counselor at Southwestern and complete the Underage Student Agreement
  • Form requires student and parent/guardian signatures, as well as, the high school coordinator’s signature.
  • Contact the Office of Student Services for an appointment

Testing

• Counselors: if you are testing a group of students at your campus, please inform Cindy Henry at 541-888-7371 to ensure data is entered for your school
• Testing contact information:
  Cindy Henry/Susan Anderson
  541-888-7371 or 541-888-7405
  Summer Hours: Monday through Thursday 8:15 am to 3:00 pm
  Academic Year Hours: Monday through Friday 8:15 to 3:00 pm
• First set of three tests are free – additional tests require a small fee.
• Test scores will be available upon completion of each test

Dual Credit Drop Policy

• According to Oregon State Dual Credit Standards, students may drop a Dual Credit course (taught at their high school by either a authorized high school instructor, or Southwestern instructor) until the end of the second week of class without any record. 
• Students may drop at any time after the second week until the Wednesday before finals with a "W" on their transcript. 
• Students wishing to drop a course must complete a drop form (available in the counseling office at each high school) and obtain both the teacher's and counselor's signatures to be dropped from the course. 
• All high school drop policies still apply to the high school graded portion of these courses as the students earn high school and college credit from these courses simultaneously. 
• Dual Credit Drop Form

Credits with a Purpose: Career Pathways

• Several high schools have a Career Pathway built into their high school Dual Credit/Expanded Options program. These courses build toward certificates that provide the necessary preparation to help a student obtain those vital skills necessary for employment in addition to credits that will apply toward an associate’s degree from Southwestern.
• Click here for more information about Career Pathways or contact the High School Relations Coordinator.

3.75 Scholarship

• In-district high school students who have earned a 3.75 accumulative high school GPA, who will be enrolled in Southwestern Fall Term immediately following high school, and placing into college level math and writing are eligible for the Southwestern's High School GPA Tuition Waiver.
• Student must submit a high school transcript mid-year during their senior year if they feel they will have a 3.75 GPA or close to it; and then again at the end of their senior year.
• Recipients of the 3.75 High School GPA Tuition Waiver are eligible for:
  • The scholarship amount limited to, and not to exceed, the cost of tuition (up to 15 credits) per term for the student’s first year of enrollment at Southwestern. This scholarship does not cover any related class or institutional fees.
  • Must maintain full-time status of 12-credits and maintain a 3.0 GPA to continue to receive the scholarship from term to term.
  • Student maybe eligible to extend this scholarship into their second year of attendance provided they maintain an accumulative Southwestern GPA of 3.5 or better. (Any advanced placement or College NOW credits that have been transcripted at Southwestern will apply toward this GPA requirement.)

Student Support Services (TRiO)

• Apply to the Student Support Services
  • Student Support Services (SSS) is one of the federally funded TRIO programs for education. The goals of SSS are to help students graduate from Southwestern, to encourage students to transfer to a four-year college or university and to assist with the transfer process.
  • To be eligible for SSS, students must apply to the program and meet at least one of the following criteria:
    1. Neither parent has a four-year (bachelor’s) degree
    2. Meet the federal low income requirements for TRIO programs
    3. have a documented disability (physical or learning).
  • SSS services are free and include tutoring, counseling, advising, campus visits to Oregon’s four-year schools, cultural enrichment activities and supplemental grant aid for qualified students.
• Click here for more information or call:
  Phone: 541 888-7419
  FAX: 541 888-7231
  E-Mail: [email protected]

Forms

Student Related Forms

Expanded Options High School Agreement
Underage Student Agreement
Advanced Diploma Authorization

Instructor/Administration Related Forms

Dual Credit Instructor Approval Request
Articulation Request Form
Syllabus Template 2018

Winter Term/Semester College NOW Student Survey: LINK

Explore Dual Credit Classes at Your School

Coos Campus High Schools