Program Description and General Information

The Dual-Credit Program is a cooperative partnership between a high school and Amarillo College through which a student may be awarded both college and high school credit in courses that meet the requirements of both institutions. Students who meet specific eligibility requirements of both the high school and Amarillo College will be permitted to enroll in those Amarillo College courses specified in the dual-credit agreement and to simultaneously earn credit toward high school graduation and college credit.

Dual Credit is governed by rules of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Education Agency and Amarillo College.

Dual credit courses may be offered at high schools by qualified high school teachers, or may be taken online with an Amarillo College faculty member. Regardless of delivery method, all instructors of record must meet the minimum requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Accrediting Agency. This is usually defined as a master’s degree that includes 18 graduate hours in the specific discipline being taught.

Before courses are offered to students, a dual credit agreement must be in place. This agreement will be approved by the Superintendent of the ISD and the Vice-President of Academic Affairs of Amarillo College based on the recommendations of the appropriate departmental individuals in each institution.

Amarillo College Dual Credit Guidelines

A dual credit program presents unique opportunities and challenges. The high school and Amarillo College will work together to provide an optimum learning experience for dual credit students.

There are two basic models for delivery of dual credit content:

1. Option 1 - The course is taught at the high school by a qualified high school faculty. The instructor must meet all the qualifications for a faculty teaching each respective course and be approved by the appropriate Amarillo College department.

The Amarillo College dual credit coordinator for each discipline will work with the appropriate high school faculty to determine the learning outcomes necessary to meet the essential requirements to ensure a college-level curriculum is delivered. The dual credit coordinator will also make yearly visits to the classroom.

High school teachers will:

• Use a departmental approved syllabus.
• Follow all departmental guidelines provided to them by the dual credit coordinator.
• Participate in the same instructor/course evaluation procedures as all Amarillo College Faculty, and attend the annual dual credit meeting.
• Use the agreed upon accountability measures, use the Amarillo College grading scale.
• Submit a 12th day roster. 
• Comply with all reporting requirements as directed by the Office of the Registrar.

In addition, all Amarillo College courses, including dual credit taught at the high school, must have an online presence. Blackboard training is available in CTL at 371-5993. Every course must, at a minimum, have an online course syllabus and grade book. All final grades are submitted to the registrar through Blackboard.

2. Option 2 - The course is taught online by a qualified Amarillo College faculty with a high school teacher who acts as a facilitator for the students. The majority of the course is taught online, with supplemental support given by the high school facilitator.

The AC faculty will:

• Attend the Annual Dual Credit meeting.
• Be prepared to address questions and explain the expected level of involvement.
• Work with the facilitator throughout the semester as needed. 
• Develop and provide course content online. 
• Provide supplemental/lab materials as needed.
• Assign grades to all college level work to be used in determining the college grade.

The Facilitator will:

The High School Facilitator of an Amarillo College Dual Credit course is responsible for supporting the teaching of an online course. The facilitator is highly beneficial to the success of the dual credit program. You are the daily personal contact, the face of Amarillo College, for the dual credit students.

• Provide student information to the instructor of record as needed. 
• Assist in classroom instruction as requested by the teacher of record
• Conduct labs as assigned by the teacher of record. 
• Assist students in accessing their courses through BlackBoard. 
• Support the instructor of record when dealing with students. 
• Discuss school holiday and school closure dates with the instructor of record

Additional information for the facilitator:

1. The Instructor of Record is responsible for grading all student work that is to be used to establish the college grade in the course. (If there is an exception, you will be informed.)
2. Facilitators may give supplemental assignments. These assignments are to be graded by the facilitator. Supplemental assignments will only count toward the high school grade in the course.
3. The facilitator is to follow the guidelines set by the instructor of record when providing assistance to students.
4. The facilitator is Amarillo College’s quality control person. The facilitator can maintain college level quality by reporting any cheating or plagiarism to the college instructor. And by not providing excessive coaching or proofing of assignments.

3.  Another option for college credit is concurrent enrollment. Concurrent enrollment allows qualified students to enroll at Amarillo College and take courses outside their high school courses. Students earn college credit, but no high school credit is awarded. Concurrent enrollment tuition and fees follow the regular fee chart and are not offered at the reduced dual credit rate.

Dual Credit Process

To enter the Dual Credit Program with Amarillo College, a student must go through several steps. They are as follows:

1. Determine if the high school’s requirements for dual credit are met by talking to the high school counselor.
2. Determine the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Guidelines for admission into the Dual Credit program are met. This measure is based on Testing Requirements. The test used for eligibility must be on file with Amarillo College.
3. Complete an application for admission to Amarillo College. See “Apply for Admission.” Completing an Application for admission does not enroll/register students for classes.
4. Register/Enroll for classes online.
5. Pay for classes. Dual Credit classes cost $50 per credit hour. Most dual credit classes are 3 hours, costing $150.
   Note: If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, tuition is waived. Please see your counselor for details. 

Dual Credit Registration

1. Log on to www.actx.edu.
2. Click on “AC Connect,” enter your username (ACNetID) and password. If you have never logged in to the site, or have forgotten your ACNetID and/or password, click on the red "RESET PASSWORD/HELP" button. Enter the required information, create a password, and answer the security questions. Once you get into AC Connect, look at the Self-Serve menu on the screen.
3. Click on "Registration", select Register for Sections.
4. Select Express Registration.
5. Input the 6 digit course ID/Synonym in the first column. Leave all other columns blank. Your high school should provide you with the ID numbers for your courses or go to Course Offerings by School.
6. Click Submit at the bottom of the page.
7. On the next screen, Register and Drop, click on the drop-down menu in the Action column. Click on the Register option. Do this for each class.
8. Click Submit at the bottom of the page.
9. The “Registration Results” screen will appear. If the classes listed are correct, click “Okay” at the bottom of the page.
10. Registration is complete.
11. Classes must be paid for. You may go back to the “Current Student” page and select "Financial Information + Make a Payment” to pay by credit card or check. Or, you may call (806) 371-5000 to pay by phone, credit card only. Or, you may pay in person on any of the Amarillo College campuses.

Dropping a Course

It is the responsibility of the student to officially drop or withdraw from a course. A grade of “W” will be given for student-initiated withdrawals that are submitted on or before the withdrawal deadline. Students must request a withdrawal from their instructor of record. Students may not withdraw themselves from a course. Withdrawal requests will not be accepted by telephone. Failure to withdraw by the deadline may result in a grade of “F” for the course. (Please refer to AC Connect, Self-Service, Current Student tab for “My Important Course Section Dates” to obtain withdrawal deadlines.)

Tuition/Fee Refunds

If a class does not materialize and is canceled by the College, 100 percent of all tuition and fees charged will be refunded. Students who officially withdraw from Amarillo College prior to the sixth day of class for full-length courses and by the third class day for summer will be refunded 100 percent of their mandatory tuition and fees. If a transcript received by Amarillo College after a student has completed enrollment shows that the student is suspended at the last college attended, the student is subject to being withdrawn with forfeiture of all tuition and fees. Likewise, any student who provides false information regarding TSI testing or scores will be subject to withdrawal and forfeiture of tuition and fees.

Dual Credit Suspension

A dual credit student whose semester grade-point average falls below 2.0 may be placed on academic suspension. Academic suspension is effective for one semester. During that semester, dual credit students may not be allowed to enroll in/take Amarillo College (AC) classes. After the suspension semester, the student is eligible to once more take AC classes. All suspensions will be reviewed by the dual credit office. Exceptions will be made on case-by-case decision. Students will be notified if they have been placed on suspension.

Scholastic Dishonesty

Scholastic dishonesty shall constitute a violation of these rules and regulations and is punishable as prescribed by Board policies. Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. “Cheating on a test” shall include:

1. Copying from another student’s test paper.
2. Using test materials not authorized by the person administering the test.
3. Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test without permission from the test administrator.
4. Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of an un- administered test.
5. The unauthorized transporting or removal, in whole or in part, of the contents of the un- administered test.
6. Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for one’s self, to take a test.
7. Bribing another person to obtain an un-administered test or information about an un- administered test.

“Plagiarism” shall be defined as the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own written work. “Collusion” shall be defined as the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work for fulfillment of course requirements. Taken from the "Student Rights and Responsibilities"

Any student caught violating the Scholastic Dishonesty policy is subject to punishment.

Textbooks

Dual Credit students are responsible for obtaining the required textbooks for the course taken. Some schools provide certain textbooks. It is advised that students check with the high school teacher or facilitator before they purchase any books.