Concurrent Enrollment

Concurrent Enrollment
Concurrent Enrollment means the simultaneous enrollment of a qualified student in an MCSD high school and in one or more postsecondary courses at an institution of higher education with which MCSD has entered into a partnership through a cooperative agreement (see our Postsecondary Partners). Concurrent enrollment allows a student to earn high school credit and college credit simultaneously at no tuition cost to the student or the student’s parents/guardians. Students benefit from a lower cost of college credit, expanded academic options, easier access to college coursework, and preparation for a seamless transition into college after high school graduation.

Colorado Department of Education: Concurrent Enrollment

Postsecondary Courses and Institutions of Higher Education
A “postsecondary course” means a course offered by an institution of higher education and includes coursework resulting in the acquisition of a certificate, an associate degree, and/or a baccalaureate degree.

An “institution of higher education” means:

Colorado law defines a qualified student as a person who is less than 21 years of age and who is enrolled in grades 9-12.

MCSD Board Policy defines an eligible student as a student who is less than 21 years of age, in grades 9-12, with a 3.0 GPA or higher (2.0 GPA for Career and Technical Education courses) and with fewer than nine absences (does not include extracurricular school activity absences) in the semester prior to enrolling in concurrent enrollment.

Qualified, eligible students have two options to access concurrent enrollment courses:

*Some Concurrent Enrollment courses may be cancelled if there is low student enrollment. The threshold to run a concurrent enrollment course is determined by the Postsecondary Partner.

To be considered qualified and eligible for concurrent enrollment, students must:

*MCSD does not offer any concurrent enrollment summer courses

MCSD pays the total tuition cost of concurrent enrollment courses for qualified, eligible students, provided the student passes the concurrent enrollment course with C- or higher and has met the above requirements.

Students/families may have to reimburse MCSD for tuition if a student does not complete a course (without a principal’s approval) and/or fails a course.

MCSD does NOT pay any associated course fees or required textbooks for concurrent enrollment courses, nor does MCSD provide transportation to college campuses.

Accelerating Students through Concurrent Enrollment (ASCENT) is a Concurrent Enrollment program which allows students to participate in college courses after their 12th-grade year. This covers the cost of tuition; students pay for their own books and campus fees. Students should talk to their high school counselor if they are interested in the ASCENT program.

MCSD students may participate in dual enrollment programs with prior approval from the principal. Dual enrollment colleges award credit to the student that the student is responsible to pay. Students/families should contact their high school counselor to find out about dual enrollment offerings.

Dual enrollment (such as CU Succeeds) is similar to concurrent enrollment, however, it does not follow the state statutory guidelines. Students and families are responsible for all costs associated with these courses, including tuition. Dual enrollment course transferability may vary.

Concurrent and Dual Enrollment courses taken for college credit should be chosen with careful consideration: