College Follow-Up

[ellyssian]

For those of you wondering about the college career of aequitaslevitas as regards to the CHAMPS program - which the PDE ordered his school to stop - wonder no more!

Tonight, Deb and I will be attending a meeting to find out exactly what's going on, or, more to the point, who's at fault. I'll be getting names and then talking to those folks.

Points I will be getting out of them include, but are not limited to, finding out exactly how they intend to provide funding directly so the program can continue, and, if the answer is "none" a polite request that they preface the "Education" in their organization's title with "Un-" or, perhaps, with the more concise "Political Manipulations for Personal Profit and Not", which would be far closer to truth in advertising.

There is a program called PA720 (or something similar) that many districts in the state offer, which provides for dual enrollment in high school and college. The existence of this program, and others like it, are why I feel the closing of the CHAMPS program is due to personal political vendetta, and not anything more substantial, regardless of the excuses used - however, my position on this is likely to be modified by what I find out tonight.

Anywho. PA720watchamacallit is only operated by one district in my county, and it's not the district Justin goes to. Deb called the local principal who has said they do offer a similar program, however: 1) it is carried out at the high school by high school teachers qualified to teach college level courses; 2) we're not sure Justin would be able to attend.

With CHAMPS, Justin could have taken courses at home, via computer, as he does his high school courses, but part of the attraction of this was to get him involved in a college level class, in person. We're not sure if the local program, provided Justin can attend, will deliver anything other than a high school class with college credits attached. Better than nothing, but not as desirable as the real deal.

If all else fails, we will attempt to have Justin continue along with at least a class a semester. He has, after all, been accepted into the college already, and that shouldn't be squandered.

Of course, getting the PDE, cyber school, or local district to pay for it will be the challenge. The local district certainly doesn't seem to mind taking my money, and that of the other taxpayers. They also accept federal money for Justin, even though they provide absolutely no services for him - the cyber schools only get a portion of that allotment.

And that's what the whole political battle seems to be about. The school districts (not ours in particular, maybe, but one or more across the state) want *all* of the funding for those kids.

Comments

[silme.livejournal.com]

*sigh* The high school concurrent enrollment still is on in Colorado. I checked where I used to teach, and state university websites mention it also.

This is from the 2008-2009 Boulder High course selection book (PDF on-line):
Colorado law (HB 1326) provides high school
students in the eleventh and twelfth grades the
opportunity to apply credit earned at post-secondary
state institutions toward high school
graduation credit or credit toward a degree or a
certification at an institution of higher education,
or both.
At least sixty days prior to anticipated enrollment,
eligible students must give written notice of
intent to enroll to the Superintendent's office,
Boulder Valley School District. Applications are
available in the Boulder High Counseling Office.
The district will reimburse the tuition costs for a
maximum of two courses per student per semester.
Courses must be academic in nature. Students
must exhaust all Boulder High course offerings in the content area at Boulder High.
The law does not apply to summer school. All
other tuition and course costs will be paid by the
student. A student who drops a course without
consent of the principal or receives an F will not
be reimbursed.

[patrixa.livejournal.com]

I appreciate the information. Remember: where there's a will there's a way. Any news people going to be there? no the name of a reporter to call and ask if there is going to be a report on this important topic?