LOUISIANA EARLY START PROGRAM FRAMEWORK, 2009-10

The Early Start Program (formerly called Dual Enrollment) is designed to prepare high school students for college or employment by enrolling in advanced, developmental, or work skills courses through which the student earn both college and high school credits. The Early Start Program encourages partnerships between postsecondary institutions and secondary schools and districts to help address the large number of students leaving school neither, prepared for college nor ready for work.

General criteria

1. Student must be at least 15 years of age and currently enrolled in 11th or 12th grade at a public Louisiana high school.
2. Student must have either PLAN or ACT (or SAT) scores on file at the high school.
3. Student must be in good standing as defined by the high school and meet the college/university enrollment criteria.
4. Student must have permission from the high school and his/her parent/guardian to participate.
5. Student must be enrolled in a college course for which dual credit (both college and high school credit) is attempted and recorded on both the student's secondary and postsecondary academic record.
6. *Student may enroll in a maximum of 3 credit hours per semester/term, up to 6 credit hours per academic year, with Early Start funding. A dual-enrolled student is expected to follow the same withdrawal deadlines as any other undergraduate student in the college or university.
7. *To continue enrollment in subsequent semesters/terms (e.g., spring) through this funding opportunity, student must have successfully completed (earned a college grade of A, B, C or P) current (fall) dual credit courses. Students who earn less than C or who withdraw/resign from a course may not enroll in the following semester or term with Early Start funding. Limited, documented exceptions for continuation after withdrawal may be granted by the college/university.
8. Continued state funding is not guaranteed. These criteria may be changed for the spring semester.

Eligibility criteria to enroll in a College Level, Degree Credit Course

1. College Level, Degree Credit Course: A course in an academic subject that generates postsecondary institutional credit and appears (a) as a General Education course on the current Board of Regents' Master Course Articulation Matrix (public institutions) or (b) on a list of general education courses approved by the Board of Regents (for LAICU institutions).
2. Student must be on track for completing
   1. the Regents/TOPS high school core (if graduating in 2010 or 2011) or
   2. the Louisiana Core 4 Curriculum (if graduating in 2012 and beyond).
3. Student must have a PLAN or an ACT Composite score of at least 18 (or SAT equivalent).
4. To enroll in an entry level, college level English course, student must (a) have a PLAN or ACT English sub-score of at least 18 (or SAT equivalent) or (b) meet the postsecondary institution's pre-requisite requirements.
5. To enroll in an entry level, college level mathematics course, and student must
   1. have a PLAN or ACT mathematics sub-score of at least 19 (or SAT equivalent) or
   2. meet the postsecondary institution's pre-requisite requirements.

Eligibility criteria to enroll in an Enrichment/Developmental Course

1. Enrichment/Developmental Course: An English or mathematics course that generates postsecondary institutional credit, but not degree credit, and is designed to prepare the student for college-level instruction.
2. Student must be a 12th grader/senior on track for completing
   1. the Regents/TOPS high school core (if graduating in 2010 or 2011) or
   2. the Louisiana Core 4 Curriculum (if graduating in 2012 and beyond).
3. Student must have a PLAN Composite score of at least 14 or an ACT Composite score of at least 15 (or SAT equivalent).

Eligibility criteria to enroll in a Work Skills Course

1. Work Skills Course: A course in a skill or occupational training area that contributes to a declared Career Area of Concentration and leads to a recognized industry based certification.
2. Student must be on track
   1. for completing the Regents/TOPS high school core (if graduating in 2010 or 2011) or
   2. for completing the Louisiana Core 4 Curriculum (if graduating in 2012 and beyond) or
   3. to graduate from high school (having earned at least 11 Carnegie hours if a junior, or 16 if a senior) and have declared a Career Area of Concentration.
3. Student must have a PLAN Composite score of at least 14 or an ACT Composite score of at least 15 (or SAT equivalent) or a WorkKeys Bronze Certificate.

High School officials should complete and submit the complete Early Start Program - Student Application to:

Office of Admissions & Recruitment
403 Main Street
P. O. Box 4200
Grambling, LA 71245
318.274.6183 (Office)
888.863.3655 (Toll)
318.274.3292 (Fax)