Faith Lutheran High School of Central Texas
Agreement for the Blinn College District Dual Credit Program
This Agreement for the Blinn College District Dual Credit Program (Agreement) is by and between BLINN COLLEGE DISTRICT, a public community college established under Chapter 130 of the Texas Education Code and a political subdivision of the State of Texas, (College), and: Faith Lutheran High School of Central Texas, a Texas Public independent school district and political subdivision of the State of Texas, (District) with an effective date of June 1, 2024 (Effective Date). Individually, the College and the District are referred to as Party and collectively as Parties.
Recitals
WHEREAS, Texas Education Code (TEC) §§ 28.009, 29.182, 29.184, and 130.008; and 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 4, Subchapter D and Chapter 9, Subchapter H authorize an institution of higher education to contract with a public school district for the provision of instruction resulting in dual credit received by a student for such course; and
WHEREAS, the College and the District desire to establish a dual credit program (Dual Credit Program) to be operated as part of the District’s Faith Lutheran High School of Central Texas high school (School).
NOW THEREFORE, for mutual promises and covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the Parties agree as follows:
Section 1. General Criteria
A. Blinn College District (College)
- The College will designate a leadership team to manage and supervise the Dual Credit Program.
- The College service area includes thirteen counties: Austin, Brazos, Burleson, Fayette, Grimes, Lee, Madison, Waller, Washington Counties, and parts of Milam, Montgomery, Robertson, and Walker Counties.
- The College will ensure that dual credit courses follow the same quality, sequencing, content, and rigor as those taught to the institution’s other students.
- The College will offer dual credit courses listed in the current edition of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) and Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM). Courses offered each semester shall be determined by the College and agreed upon by the District/School. Developmental and graduation PE-related Kinesiology courses are not available to dual credit students.
- Dual credit courses may be offered during any semester in locations/classrooms agreed upon by School and College. The College will use available technology as appropriate to support dual credit sites.
- The District will ensure dual credit courses meet TEKS requirements using a course equivalency crosswalk and alignment with postsecondary pathways and credentials. See Appendix F for Dual Credit Course Crosswalk.
- All College prerequisites and course sequencing must be followed.
- Academic performance in a course will be determined per College Board Policy EGA(LOCAL) (Appendix A).
- The College reserves the right to set a minimum enrollment number for each course and may cancel if not met.
- The College encourages online dual credit students to have scheduled in-school time with a high school proctor.
B. The School
- The School will provide a learning atmosphere and classroom facilities comparable to those on the College campus, regardless of instructional modality.
- Instructional technology and typical auxiliary equipment will be provided by the School.
- The School will provide facilities, personnel, and equipment to meet requirements for online/internet and Interactive Video Conference (IVC).
- Professional-level personnel will be assigned to identify, advise, and verify prospective students’ eligibility for the Dual Credit Program as per Applicable Law.
- Personnel will assist with College registration functions including forms and documentation collection.
- For students with disabilities, the School/District will initiate accommodations, and students must provide IEP documentation to the College’s Office of Disability Services (ODS) to receive accommodations.
- If grading scales differ, the District/School will provide comparative documents to participating students (See Appendix A).
- The District/School will communicate to students/parents that a grade of at least a 70 on a 100-point scale is required for high school graduation credit, regardless of College class passing grade (See Appendix A).
- Dual credit students are not affected by provisions of TEC §51.907 relating to Q drops and will not be penalized as one of the six allowed state drops.
C. Applicable Law
- The Parties agree to operate the Dual Credit Program according to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, executive orders, interpreting authorities, rules and requirements, notably including:
- Title VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, ADA, FERPA, Title IV HEA, IDEA
- Texas Constitution and Texas Education Code
- Reporting laws for alleged child abuse, school-related crime, sexual molestation
- State record retention laws
- Title 19 Texas Administrative Code
- TEA and THECB guidelines
- SACSCOC accreditation requirements
- Both Parties agree to:
- Certify ADA-compliant sites
- Comply with FERPA
- Abide by all applicable laws and maintain policy against discrimination and harassment
Blinn College District Notice of Nondiscrimination
Blinn College District does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity, as required by Title IX and its regulations. Inquiries may be referred to the College’s Title IX Coordinator or the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
See: www.blinn.edu/title-ix/index.html
Blinn College District prohibits discrimination, including harassment, against any employee or student based on race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law (see Board Policy DIAB).
Blinn College District Statement on Parenting Services
Pregnant or parenting students who may require special arrangements to meet course requirements should contact the Parenting Services Office. Instructors may not provide accommodations without verification from this office.
Section 2. Dual Credit Admission - Student Actions Required
- Obtain permission from the high school principal or designee (See Appendix C for Approval Form).
- Achieve a "B" or better average in high school work attempted, or "C" for WECM trades courses; otherwise, submit a letter from the principal justifying participation.
- Complete a College Application through ApplyTexas.
- Meet all Applicable Law requirements:
- Satisfy current TSI criteria as set by THECB; submit scores, exemptions, or waivers.
- New students taking classes at Blinn College Campus must provide proof of Bacterial Meningitis Vaccine (see blinn.edu/immunization.html for details). This requirement is waived for students taking Blinn classes exclusively at School facilities or fully online.
Students from private, non-accredited schools, or homeschool must meet all admission requirements.
Section 3. Classes and Schedules
- The College and School will coordinate and finalize the proposed course schedule prior to each semester. The anticipated enrollment numbers are due by May 1 and course schedule by July 20 for the next academic year.
- All dual credit students follow the College academic calendar, regardless of class location or instructional modality. Only the District/School administration and College, after consultation, may cancel classes. Missed instructional time may be made up by arrangement.
- Students may take the number of classes permitted by Applicable Law, as agreed between the Program administrators (see Appendix C).
- Academic dual credit courses must be composed solely of dual credit students or dual/advanced placement students. Technical classes may include technical dual credit, college credit, and articulated students.
- For face-to-face instruction, a minimum class size is required. If under-enrolled, alternatives will be discussed with District; the College is not responsible for transportation.
- Students may not take the same course online if face-to-face instruction is available, except under extenuating circumstances as approved by the Divisional Dean.
Section 4. Faculty
- Faculty must comply with credentialing guidelines set by the College; hiring procedures are the same as for College faculty and require application, interview, teaching demonstration, credentialing review, and background check. All dual credit faculty must attend orientation as required.
- District faculty teaching dual enrollment courses do so as part of their regular high school duties and must comply with all applicable rules and procedures.
- Faculty compensation is per Section 6 below.
- The College has oversight, administration, and evaluation responsibility for all dual credit instructional delivery, including evaluation and assessment. These agreements do not alter employment status or create cross-institutional liability.
Section 5. Facilities
- All dual credit courses are offered in facilities meeting SACSCOC guidelines. The College will assess and periodically review sites for compliance.
- The School and College will jointly determine facility suitability, class size, and instructional modality.
Section 6. Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) Program
The FAST program, as defined in state law, provides funding to offer dual credit at no cost to educationally disadvantaged students (those who are/were eligible for the national free/reduced-price lunch program). Eligibility is determined by the THECB. Verification of eligible students is due by August 5th.
- FAST-eligible students incur no cost for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and course materials.
- Non-FAST students are charged $56.87 per scheduled credit hour, or the State-approved rate.
- District/School is responsible for remaining educational costs for FAST students.
Section 7. Tuition
Students enrolled in dual credit courses pay tuition as follows (per course):
- Option 1: If College or District employee provides instruction, NON-FAST student pays State-approved tuition rate.
- Option 2: If District faculty teaches (and College pays no overload), NON-FAST student pays $20/credit hour. District receives $500 per course section if at least 8 students are enrolled.
- Option 3: If District faculty teaches a technical (WECM) course and receives no compensation from College, tuition is waived for students.
*Rates subject to Board of Trustees or State of Texas changes during the Agreement term.
Section 8. College Faculty Compensation
- Full-time College faculty are compensated per their contracts.
- Adjuncts are compensated at the current course rate.
Section 9. Syllabus, Curriculum, Supplies, and Textbooks
- Dual Credit instruction must have identical curriculum, grading, and rigor as all College classes per THECB and SACSCOC.
- The College Common Syllabus must be posted in Concourse for each dual credit course and contain all required elements.
- Textbooks must be identical or equivalent to those used on campus. The College does not provide textbooks. District/School and College will consider free/low-cost open educational resources (OERs) per HB 3650.
- FAST-eligible students will have textbook and resource costs covered by the District. Non-FAST students must purchase required materials themselves.
Section 10. Library and Learning Resources
Dual credit students and instructors have access to School and College libraries, including online library resources. All circulation privileges and services are identical to those of other College users.
Section 11. Academic Advising and Student Support Services
A. Advising
- The College will provide adequate instructional support and advising to dual credit students, including meticulous compliance with SB 1277 and designation of at least one employee to advise each dual enrollment student before course start. (See Appendix G for advising strategies and terminology.)
- The District/School and College work together to ensure compliance with advising mandates (SB 25, SB 1324) regarding transfer, academic progress, and degree planning.
- The designated academic advising contact for dual credit is:
Shannon Williford
Director, Dual Credit Programs
979-209-8218
shannon.williford@blinn.edu
B. Support Services
Dual credit students may use College computer labs, writing centers, and learning centers on any College campus.
Section 12. Student Code of Conduct
- Dual credit students must comply with College policies, including the Student Code of Conduct (College Catalog).
- Students must adhere to College academic integrity rules (Scholastic Integrity Policy).
- If asked to leave class for uncivil behavior, a student must arrange a conference with the instructor before returning. See Board Policy FLB.
Section 13. Funding and Payment
- Tuition and fees are due at registration, and students with unpaid balances are dropped from classes. Payment plans are available.
- Financial aid is not available to dual credit students under federal law.
- State funding for dual credit courses may be available for both District and College per current TEA and THECB rules; College may only claim for certain qualifying students/courses.
- Students repeating a class more than twice pay tuition and an additional $50 per semester hour; exceptions for technical/FAST-eligible classes.
- The College is not responsible for student transportation.
Section 14. Records and Reporting
- Class rosters with names and grades are provided to the School at semester end.
- Both Parties will maintain student records in compliance with FERPA and Texas retention laws, sharing necessary information. Each Party acts as the other's agent with legitimate educational interest for FERPA purposes.
- High school and college credit are transcripted upon a student's completion of course requirements.
Section 15. Conflict Resolution
Both Parties agree to resolve conflicts in good faith, escalating issues from campus-level liaisons (Principal or designee/College Director) to District/College administrator, to Superintendent/Vice Chancellor, and then to legal counsel if required. Solutions should be collaborative and communications summarized in writing.
Section 16. Term and Termination
- Term: Commences on Effective Date and expires at the end of the second summer semester of 2027, unless otherwise terminated according to Board approval protocols. Renewal is possible upon mutual consent and Board approval.
- Termination: May occur with/without cause by providing 60 days written notice before semester end, effective the last day of the semester. Existing student enrollments will be honored to course completion.
Section 17. General Contract Terms
- Entire Agreement
- This document and its appendices/exhibits constitute the complete agreement and supersede previous agreements on the subject.
- Amendments
- Only by written agreement of both Parties.
- Governing Law & Venue
- Texas law, venue in Washington County, Texas.
- Notice
- All notices must be in writing and delivered by permitted means to the appropriate Party contact.
- Relationship of the Parties
- Parties are independent contractors; this Agreement creates no partnership or joint venture.
- No Waiver
- No failure or delay in exercising rights is a waiver; all rights reserved unless expressly waived in writing.
- Assignment
- Neither Party may assign without written consent.
- Captions
- For convenience only; have no substantive effect.
- Severability
- If a provision is held invalid, the rest remain in effect.
- No Third Party Rights
- Agreement benefits only the Parties and permitted assignees.
- Counterparts/Electronic Signatures
- Counterparts and electronic signatures/communications are effective as originals.
Section 18. List of Appendices
- Appendix A: Board Policy EGA(LOCAL) and Current College Procedures for Grading and Credit
- Appendix B: Dual Credit Approval Form
- Appendix C: Notice of Reimbursement of Services
- Appendix D: Dual Credit Course Crosswalk
- Appendix E: Advising Terminology
- Appendix F: Dual Credit Statewide Goals
Execution
- Executed as of Effective Date of ___________, 2024 by:
- Blinn College District
Mary Hensley, Ed.D.
Chancellor
Date: ____________ - Name of School:
Faith Lutheran School of Central Texas
Administrator: Nicole Kueck
Date: 08/15/2024
Appendix A: Board Policy EGA(LOCAL) and Current College Procedures for Grading and Credit
The Board establishes the manner by which grades are determined and credit awarded, including reporting, GPA calculation, student classification, transfer, performance standards, appeal procedures, and other relevant matters. These policies are published in the College catalog. The Chancellor develops written grade and credit procedures.
Grading System
- A (90-100) - Excellent
- B (80-89) - Good
- C (70-79) - Average
- D (60-69) - Poor
- F (Below 60) - Failure
- I - Incomplete: Work must be completed within 90 days of next semester or becomes a zero in final calculation.
- Q - Dropped (before/on official Q-Date or passing drop after Q-Date)
- W - Dropped Due to Good Cause or Withdrawal (with specific cause, as defined)
- CR - Credit
- P - Pass
- NP - Not Passing
- FS - Academic Fresh Start
See catalog for more on grade point calculations, graduation GPA, grade changes, scholastic probation/suspension, and appeal procedures.
Grade Points per Semester Hour
| Grade | Grade Points |
|---|---|
| A | 4 |
| B | 3 |
| C | 2 |
| D | 1 |
| F | 0 |
| I, Q, W, CR, P, NP, FS | 0 |
Appendix B: Dual Credit/Early Admission Course Approval Form
Appendix D: Dual Credit Course Crosswalk
High School course subject to change. Alignment of high school course is determined and approved by the High School. Each district determines which courses they will offer as dual credit.
| Course Number | Blinn College Course Title | High School TEKS Course | College Credit | Endorsement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECON 2301 | Principles of Macroeconomics | Economics | 3 | All Areas |
| SPCH 1311 | Introduction to Speech Communication | Public Speaking | 3 | All Areas |
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | English III or IV | 3 | All Areas |
Appendix E: Advising Terminology
- Advanced Placement (AP)
- College-level coursework from College Board with potential college credit upon qualifying exam score.
- Advising
- Individualized academic guidance for students to help them succeed in education and career goals.
- CLEP
- Earn credit by examination via the CLEP exam.
- Contact Hours
- Total class meeting hours per week.
- Degree Plan
- Course of study requirements for degree completion.
- Dual Credit
- High school students take college-level courses for both high school and college credit.
- Drop
- Withdrawal from a course in progress via request to College Dual Credit Office.
- Early Admissions
- College-level courses for college credit only, taken by high school students.
- FERPA
- Federal law protecting privacy of student records.
- Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM)
- List of courses approved for general academic transfer and state funding.
- Math Placement Exam (MPE)
- Credit-by-exam for math courses.
- Prerequisite
- Course required before taking another course.
- WECM
- Workforce Education Course Manual: inventory of approved technical courses.
Appendix F: Statewide Dual Credit Goals
- Purposeful Outreach: ISDs and IHEs will inform students and parents of the benefits and costs of dual credit, with documentation of outreach and collaboration posted.
- Examples: Informational sessions, community events, workshops for counselors, program/service information.
- Successful Transition and Acceleration: Dual credit programs will help students move to and through postsecondary education successfully, measured by enrollment and persistence.
- Examples: College tours, new student registration, automatic transition of dual credit seniors to traditional status.
- Academic & College Readiness Advising: All dual credit students receive academic/career counseling and access to student services.
- Examples: Access to advising, learning/writing center, disability services, counseling, libraries, labs.
- Quality and Rigor Assurance: Dual credit courses have sufficient quality and rigor to support continued student success.
- Examples: Performance data, consistent curriculum/materials/grading/rigor, college readiness requirements.