Eligibility/Participation
If a student attends an Ohio secondary school, but is not a permanent Ohio resident, can they participate in College Credit Plus?
Any student interested in enrolling in a public college or university must be considered a resident of Ohio as defined in state law. The college or university will verify that information with the student and family. Please see the following information for details on the Ohio statute and rules:
The funding associated with College Credit Plus is a combination of secondary school foundation funds (for public school students) and funds allocated from the Ohio budget (for nonpublic and home school students) and college/university state share of instruction (SSI). The CCP legislation addresses the state share of instruction (SSI), foundation, and state allocated funds in Ohio Revised Code 3365.07. Public colleges only receive SSI for Ohio resident students that meet law and administrative requirements as set forth in ORC 3333.31 and OAC 3333-1-10.
Some college classes have content that is oriented toward a mature or adult student. Will the college instructors modify the course content since my child is underage?
No. Colleges are not required to modify course content based on the ages of the students. The Ohio Revised Code 3365.12(A) requires: “All courses offered under the college credit plus program shall be the same courses that are included in the partnering college’s course catalogue for college-level, nonremedial courses …” Additionally, if the course is offered at a high school location, Ohio Administrative Code 3333-1-65.4(A)(2) requires: “The college credit plus course … shall follow the same course syllabus and learning outcomes, use the same text book and materials and assessment as the college course delivered on the campus.”
Guidance: ORC 3365.12, OAC 3333-1-65.4
Is the College Credit Plus meeting mandatory if a student wishes to participate in the program?
No, attendance is not mandatory. Students and parents are strongly encouraged to attend their high school’s College Credit Plus information session, but a district cannot require their attendance.
Additionally, the high school MUST provide counseling services to students and parents in accordance with Ohio Revised Code 3365.04(B), and both parent and student MUST sign a form acknowledging that they received the high school’s counseling prior to CCP participation. A high school (or district) may schedule a designated CCP counseling meeting for parents and students and notify parents and students of the time and location of the scheduled meeting; however, the parents’ and students’ attendance at the designated meeting cannot be a mandatory requirement for CCP student participation. The high school must allow the parent and student to schedule an alternative time or mechanism for receipt of the required counseling.
Guidance: ORC 3365.03, OAC 3333-1-65.2
What are the student’s academic and social responsibilities?
You will be expected to follow the rules and regulations set by the college/university. You will also be expected to follow the rules and regulations set for high school students detailed in the student handbook. Once enrolled, you are eligible to receive advising from campus-based support services of that institution. Additionally, you will continue to have access to your school counselor and all other resources available to high school students. Participation in College Credit Plus does not guarantee you admission to college after high school. You should follow the regular undergraduate application process for whatever college you plan to attend after high school.
Can a school district still require CCP students to complete certain courses at the high school?
No. High schools cannot require students to take certain courses either at the high school or at the college. However, students participating in CCP must satisfy Ohio’s graduation requirements to earn a high school diploma. Refer to the High School Graduation Course Substitution Crosswalk document for more information.
Guidance: ORC 3365.12
Can a high school "block" a student from participation in CCP if school officials feel s/he is not prepared or not performing well, even if s/he tests as college-ready? Can a building implement its own requirements for which students will be allowed to test?
No. Schools cannot enact participation requirements beyond those stated in law. However, school counselors should work with parents to discuss options and share teacher feedback as families consider the College Credit Plus option.
Guidance: ORC 3365.03
Do male students who turn 18 years of age need to report their Selective Service number to the public college or university which they are attending under the College Credit Plus program?
Under the provisions of the Ohio Revised Code 3345.32, a male student who is at least 18 years of age and who is classified as an Ohio resident by the public college or university he is attending, is required to be registered with the Selective Service System. The male student is required to provide his Selective Service number to the public college or university within 30 days of his 18th birthday. If he does not submit his Selective Service number, the student will not be considered a College Credit Plus participant for that current semester or term and will be responsible for any tuition, textbooks, or fees associated with the classes for which he is enrolled
How does College Credit Plus impact athletic eligibility?
If you are a student athlete, you must remain eligible in accordance with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) bylaws. Please check with your counselor to ensure that the course work you are taking is compliant with OHSAA. For example, college courses taken in the summer term do not impact OHSAA eligibility.
Please work with your high school counselor, athletic director, and the Ohio High School Athletic Association for additional information.
Are College Credit Plus students allowed to participate in “club” level or intramural athletics at the college?
College Credit Plus students are high school students and therefore are eligible to participate in high school athletics and extracurricular activities. They are not entitled to participate in extracurricular activities (clubs, intramural sports, etc.) at the college; however, the college may adopt a policy allowing limited participation. Please discuss individual student situations with the Ohio High School Athletic Association or the athletic director at the high school, to see if there are any additional parameters to consider as well.
Registration
The high school has a formal arrangement with a local college to offer College Credit Plus. Are those the only courses students can take?
No. Students can take courses offered in person or online by any public or participating private college in Ohio. After you are admitted to a college, you can take any courses offered by that college that you are college-ready to take.
Each Ohio high school has developed two sample pathways – one leading to 15 credits and another to 30 credits. These should be included in your high school’s course offerings. However, students have no obligation to take courses identified on a pathway or to complete a pathway.
Guidance: ORC 3365.04, 3365.13, OAC 3333-1-65.1
Does the college credit earned in high school through CCP guaranteed to transfer to another postsecondary institution?
Thanks to Ohio’s Transfer to Degree Guarantee, many entry-level courses earned at an Ohio public college are guaranteed to transfer to any other Ohio public college. Credits earned at private colleges, or those that you want to transfer to an out-of-state institution, will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the institution you are seeking to attend. Go to our Transfer Credit Ohio website to learn more about credit transfer among the state’s public institutions of higher education. This tool allows you to find the best pathways to completing your degree and launching a successful career. Earning college credit will not affect applications for financial aid/scholarships limited to entering freshmen.
How do you earn high school credit and meet high school graduation requirements through College Credit Plus?
Students enrolled in CCP earn both college and high school credit. If a student enrolls through the self-pay option (Option A in ORC 3365.06), the student decides if they would like to earn both college and high school credit, or college credit only.
You can review the High School Graduation Course Substitution Crosswalk document. We recommend working with a high school counselor and an advisor at your college. Visit this Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) page for graduation requirements: https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohio-s-Graduation-Requirements.
Guidance: ORC 3365.06
Can students take courses during the summer?
The College Credit Plus Program includes courses taken during the summer term. The summer term will apply as the first term of the next school year. A student that is scheduled or anticipated to graduate from high school may not participate in the college credit plus program for any term that begins after the student's scheduled or anticipated graduation date or any course offered during a summer term at an institution of higher education that begins during the student's last quarter of high school. Note that summer terms do not impact athletic eligibility – review OHSAA guidelines.
Guidance: ORC 3365.034, OAC 3333-1-65.11
I thought that a public-school student could take 30 credit hours each academic year. Why was my child told that they could only take a smaller number of credits this year?
The secondary school determines the number of college credit hours a student can take by calculating the number of course credits that are for high school credit only and multiply that by 3. That number is then subtracted from the 30 hours. The result is the maximum number of credit hours a student can take in the College Credit Plus program. (This is based on a semester system.)
30 – (high school only credits x 3) = Maximum number of College Credit Plus credit hours
This calculation must be completed each year for a student as the high school credits may change. Students may only take a maximum of 120 credit hours in the program. If students would like to take more than the maximum number of credit hours, the student can arrange to register and pay for those additional credit hours as a “self-pay” student.
Guidance: OAC 3333-1-65.2
If a student takes more than 30 credit hours in a year, what is the student/family responsible to pay?
Students who register for more than 30 credit hours will be responsible to pay for the entire course that placed them over the 30-hour limit. This becomes the self-pay option, Option A under ORC 3365.06. If the student is over the 30 hours, the school must inform the student of the option to drop the course before the census date or continue with the course as a “self-pay” student at the regular tuition rate.
Please review the Option A and B Guidance document for more information about self-pay.
Guidance: ORC 3365.04, 3365.05, 3365.06
Under the "3 credit hours = 1 Carnegie unit" formula, 30 credit hours of College Credit Plus equals 10 HS credits. Do high schools have to count all 10 or can they limit these to the number of bells offered to non-CCP students (7 periods/day)?
High schools must award all 10 credits. Student attainment of high school credit cannot be limited due to their participation in the College Credit Plus program.
Guidance: ORC 3365.04, 3365.12
When students have completed college courses while in high school, are they considered first-time students or transfer students when they apply to a public institution after high school graduation?
Based on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) definition, students who enter the institution with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school) are considered First-time Students. Ohio Revised Code 3365.03 requires the following: Upon a student's graduation from high school, participation in the college credit plus program shall not affect the student's eligibility at any public college for scholarships or for other benefits or opportunities that are available to first-time college students and are awarded by that college, regardless of the number of credit hours that the student completed under the program.
Is it acceptable for a high school to offer a College Credit Plus course at the same time and in the same classroom as an AP course?
No. The AP course is a high school course, taught by a high school teacher. A College Credit Plus course is a college course, and the instructor (whether a credentialed high school teacher or an instructor provided by the college) is a considered college faculty, under the purview of the college. It is outside the authority of the high school and the college to combine the two into one course or one classroom. The nature of curriculum and awarded credit prevent these course types from being combined.
A student wants to enroll in a course that the college permits repeating a maximum of four times. Is it allowable for a CCP student to take the course multiple times?
If the college enrolls more than one student in the course section and the student earns transcripted credit for the course each time he/she enrolls, the course is allowable and can be repeated more than once under College Credit Plus.
Students may count AP or IB courses toward the first 15 credits under Level 1 courses. What if a student completes a Level II course, as allowed by certain exceptions under the rule? Does this Level II course count as a part of the First 15?
Yes. Level II courses taken as a part of one of the exceptions would count toward the First 15 in Level I.
What guidance is there for creating a 15- and 30-credit hour pathway?
Secondary school districts and a partnering public college must develop two model pathways for courses taken in College Credit Plus. One pathway is 15-credit hours and the other is 30-credit hours. These pathways should apply to at least one degree or professional certification offered at the college. This allows students to find pathways in their desired major/career path. However, students are not required to only enroll in courses included in a model pathway. The pathways should serve as a sample of courses that a student can take to earn credits toward a degree or certificate.
Guidance: ORC 3365.13
Can high schools determine which College Credit Plus courses are appropriate substitutions for the district's graduation requirements?
High schools cannot determine which College Credit Plus courses are appropriate substitutions. School counselors should make recommendations based upon the student’s career path choices and should ensure that students are on track to complete all high school graduation requirements. Refer to the High School Graduation Course Substitution Crosswalk document for more information.
Guidance: ORC 3365.04, ORC 3365.12, OAC 3333-1-65.2
Is a student permitted to enroll in graduate level courses under College Credit Plus?
It could be possible for a student to take a graduate level course if the student meets the prerequisites of the course and is eligible to enroll in Level II courses under College Credit Plus (See OAC 3333-1-65.12 for information on Level I and Level II courses). In addition, the course must be a part of a baccalaureate degree program/major field of study but cannot be a requirement for students to complete a baccalaureate degree.
If a course is a TAG course, but falls in the list of “non-allowable” courses, is the course allowed or not?
The course is not allowed. For example, even if a private music lesson is a TAG course, it is not allowed because the rule specifically prohibits these courses.
Our university offers undergraduate research course that allows one student to participate in a research project with one professor. Is this allowable?
Yes. This type of course would be categorized as an internship course and therefore allowable.
Can a student be awarded a degree by participating in College Credit Plus?
There is nothing in Ohio Revised Code that prohibits an institution from awarding degrees to College Credit Plus students. Students can earn certificates, associate, and baccalaureate degrees. Additionally, students could earn multiple certificates/associate degrees. Institutions should review their internal policies on coding students as degree seeking/non-degree seeking to develop their policy on awarding degrees in CCP.
Grading/School Policy
Will College Credit Plus grades appear on the student’s high school transcript?
Yes. High school credit awarded for courses successfully completed under College Credit Plus will appear on your high school transcript. Courses successfully completed under College Credit Plus must be listed by course title on the high school transcript. All College Credit Plus courses will be computed into the GPA using the same scale as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or honors courses in your district, based on the common subject area - not curriculum - of the weighted advanced standing class/course.
Guidance: ORC 3365.12
What happens if a student fails a class?
Classes failed or withdrawn with an “F” (or equivalent failing grade) will receive an “F” on the high school and college transcripts and will be computed into the high school and college GPA. If you do not receive a passing grade, the district may, in some instances, seek reimbursement from you for state funds paid to the college on your behalf for that college course. The school district may withhold grades and credits received for high school courses taken until reimbursement has been made.
School districts may NOT seek reimbursement from students that are economically disadvantaged according to the rules adopted by the department of education.
Guidance: ORC 3365.09
When a minor-aged student participates in CCP, how can a parent or guardian access the student’s college records and information?
Please read the attached letter sent to families (2/7/2024) that outlines parent/guardian options.
Guidance: ORC 3365.05, OAC 3333-1-65 through 3333-1-65.14
How should grades be weighted when the grading scales at the secondary school and the IHE do not match/align (e.g., high school utilizes plusses/minuses, but college/university does not)?
Please review the Weighting College Credit Plus Courses Q&A document for guidance.
Guidance: ORC 3365.04
What are the statute and rule describing the “weighting of grades” for advanced standing courses including College Credit Plus, AP, IB, and honors courses?
To summarize the guidance provided in statute and rule:
Secondary schools must implement a policy for awarding grades that is equivalent across all advanced standing courses in the same general subject area (ORC 3365.04(E))
The policy should not disadvantage students who choose to participate in one advanced standing program rather than others (OAC 3333-1-65.2(7))
If a participant disagrees with the school’s ruling on high school credits granted for a course, the participant may appeal the decision to the department of education (ORC 3365.12)
There is guidance for grade weighting in ORC 3365.04(E), ORC 3365.12, and OAC 3333-1-65.2 (7).
Guidance: ORC 3365.04, ORC 3365.12, OAC 3333-1-65.2
We have a student whose College Credit Plus course ends two weeks before the high school semester. How should we track and report attendance?
If the course is a scheduled section at the high school, even though the work is online, the high school should track and require attendance the same way they would for any other CCP course at their school.
For students with Written Education Plans (WEP) who are participating in College Credit Plus, the secondary school is supposed to attach each student’s college course syllabus to the plan. How does the secondary school obtain the syllabus?
Students must submit their syllabus to the school counselor. College/university staff are not responsible for submitting a course syllabus.
Which GPA should we use to determine a student’s probation status? How do I calculate a cumulative GPA if a student attended more than one college?
If a student attended more than one college, we have created a spreadsheet to assist you in calculating the cumulative GPA, available here.
If a student is suspended from his/her secondary school, can the student still participate in College Credit Plus during the suspension period?
The answer depends on the delivery mode of the course. The student may participate if the course is taught at the college campus or taught online.
If the course is taught at the high school by either a college faculty member or an approved high school teacher, then the school administrators can decide whether a student is prohibited from entering the high school building for that course.
If the school determines that the student is prohibited, the school must allow students to make up the work of the college course per the course’s syllabus and the college’s policy related to making up work.
Funding/Payment
Who pays for college admission, textbooks, required course supplies, and fees?
At a Public College:
Secondary (public and non-public) schools are responsible for providing textbooks for their CCP students who attend a public college. The postsecondary institution must waive fees for these students and is also responsible for providing supplemental supplies required by the course syllabus.
Public secondary students are not required to pay for college course tuition, instructional tools, fees, or supplies.
Nonpublic students must apply for funding to receive state funded College Credit Plus course tuition.
Homeschool students are responsible for providing their own textbooks but may apply for state funding for tuition. For more information, visit this page on the DEW website.
Additions for studying at a Private College:
Students may be charged a limited amount by that college, depending on where the course is delivered, and in accordance with state law. (Reference ORC 3365.07) Students who are economically disadvantaged may not have to pay costs to attend a private college. Please talk with your school counselor for details.
Note: A school district or nonpublic school may seek reimbursement from students/families under the following two circumstances: 1) If the student receives a failing grade at the end of the college course; or 2) If the student withdraws from the college course after the 14th calendar day after the particular course began, unless the student is identified as being economically disadvantaged in accordance with Ohio Administrative Code 3333‐1‐65.6(B)(2).
Guidance: ORC 3365.07, 3365.09
Who provides transportation?
Responsibility for transportation rests with the student. Some schools choose to provide transportation for their students – check with a guidance counselor at your school.
Guidance: ORC 3365.034, 3365.08
If a student takes more than 30 credit hours in a year, what is the student/family responsible to pay?
Students who register for more than 30 credit hours will be responsible to pay for the entire course that placed them over the 30-hour limit. This becomes the self-pay option, Option A under ORC 3365.06. If the student is over the 30 hours, the school must inform the student of the option to drop the course before the census date or continue with the course as a “self-pay” student at the regular tuition rate.
Please review the Option A and B Guidance document for more information about self-pay.
Guidance: ORC 3365.04, 3365.05, 3365.06