ISU, League of Schools sign MOU

Officials for Idaho State University and the League of Schools, a consortium of 12 southeast Idaho school districts, signed a Concurrent Enrollment Partnership Memorandum of Understanding in March.

The MOU acknowledges, sets the terms, facilitates and expands opportunities for high school students to earn credit toward high school graduation and college degree completion at a reduced fee – saving them both time and money. ISU Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and League of Schools President Mary M. Vagner signed the agreement.

“This MOU builds on and expands our already successful program.  We’re providing students an opportunity to accelerate completion of a college degree at a reduced fee while they are still in high school,” ISU’s Ford said.  “The program allows students to gain an understanding of what it takes to be successful in college level work and completion of concurrent courses may lead more students in Idaho to consider a college education as an achievable goal.”

 “Concurrent enrollment” as defined under this MOU occurs when a public high school student enrolls in an approved ISU course for ISU credit. The student earns credit both toward a high school diploma and an ISU degree or certificate. The student continues to be counted in the high school Average Daily Attendance. In addition, the ISU credits earned become part of the student’s permanent ISU record.

Both signers said they expected to see increased participation by additional schools and students as a result of this MOU.

During the academic year, courses include English Composition I, Intro to Literature, Calculus, Statistics, French, Spanish and German, U.S. History I and II, Biology 101 and 102, Anatomical Foundations of Human Activity, American Government, Personal Economics, and an Introduction to Engineering, along with others. So far, about 50 percent of the students who have taken these classes have matriculated to ISU, and the credits are transferable to other Idaho institutions and a number of other colleges and universities in our region and around the country.

For more information on the ISU Early College Program, call (208) 282-6067.