OSPI's building is closed to the public until further notice. OSPI will continue serving the public via phone, email, and the website.
See OSPI’s COVID-19 guidance and resources for educators, students, and families.
Three selected colleges will collaborate with their partner districts to offer Running Start courses (limited to 5 credits per summer) to incoming 11th and 12th grade students in Summer '21 and Summer '22. Additionally, seniors who are one class short of receiving their AA may take 5 credits.
For the 2020-21 school year, OSPI will continue to provide funding to cover the cost of testing fees for students who qualify for Free and Reduced-Price Lunch. This test fee waiver applies to AP, IB, and CI test fees. This funding does not cover late registration fees. To participate for AP, AP coordinators need to indicate on students’ registration if they qualify. IB and CI will have iGrants available later this spring to receive funding. For more information, look at the Exam Based Dual Credit webpage.
The WA Dual Credit Summit webinar series will share information and best practices for expanding dual credit programs. See the list of Virtual Webinar Series for more details. Webinars will be each Wednesday, September 30th through November 18th, from 12-1pm.
Dual Credit provides students with the potential to earn high school and college credit at the same time. Dual credit options can be course or exam based. These options include: Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge International (CI), International Baccalaureate (IB) courses with exams, Running Start, College in the High School (CHS), and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Dual Credit. These tests or courses may result in college course credit.
Why dual credit? In today's world, two-thirds of all jobs require some post-high school training or education. Taking dual credit is connected to higher high school graduation rates, college enrollment, and degree completion.
OSPI has just released a new grant to support dual credit students with a focus on eliminating equity gaps. Districts can apply for funding to cover student costs and invest in sustainable expansion of dual credit programming.
This new grant can be found as iGrant FP 983 Building Equitable, Sustainable Dual Credit. You can access the form package by logging into EDS and searching for form package 983 in iGrants. Below are more details on the purpose of the grant, who can apply, grant amounts, and allowable activities. For more details log into EDS or check out the Building Equitable, Sustainable Dual Credit Expansion Grant one-pager.
The deadline for round one applications has passed and we cannot accept late applications. We are hoping to have a second round launch late October to early November. Check back for more details.
Exam based dual credit allows a student to take an exam (AP, IB, or CI) and apply to receive college credit with a score of 3 or better (for AP), a score of 4 or better (IB), and E or better (CI).
In course based dual credit (concurrent enrollment), a student enrolls in a class that has the potential to earn both high school and college credit. Course based dual credit classes can be offered at the college (Running Start) or at the high school (CHS and CTE).
Students who take a class, either in the high school, skill center or at a college, which has the potential to earn high school and college credit, are considered to be enrolled in a “dual credit” class.
Regarding student readiness:
Regarding transfer of college credits or exam scores:
(see the Resources link on the OSPI Dual Credit webpage for more information)
While most federal and state-funded resources are available to students who qualify for free or reduced lunch, students should always ask their counselor if there are any other school or community based resources that can help.
For all dual credit programs, schools annually receive Academic Acceleration Incentive Program funds based on the previous year’s dual credit course enrollment. These funds can be used to help students with the costs any dual credit program.
For college preparatory courses with exams (AP/IB/CI):
For concurrent enrollment courses through College in the High School (CHS):
For concurrent enrollment courses through Running Start:
Running Start is unique because it takes place on a college campus (except in cases where a student is doing college courses on-line). Ideally, students will enroll beginning with the fall term so as to maximize eligibility. Depending upon the college and high school’s process, enrollment for the fall quarter/semester can begin as early as February of the same calendar year. Interested sophomores and juniors should begin asking for information by January of the same year in which they want to enroll in Running Start.
Interested students should start by meeting with their high school counselor. The high school counselor will help the student determine:
At any time, interested students can also go to the college’s website, type Running Start into the search box, and explore what the college’s eligibility, orientation and enrollment processes entail.
Regardless of your level of interest in Dual Credit, you can find the resources to answer any of your questions below.
Dual Credit System Improvement Guide Updated August 2018
Use the materials on this webpage to learn more about different dual credit programs and/or inform others about these opportunities.
2019-2020 New RSEVF Bulletin 049-19
2019-2020 New Running Start Enrollment Verification Form (RSEVF)
2019-2020 Spring Quarter Eligibility Adjustment Form (SQEAF)
ESSA Webinar Video | Presentation | Spanish Presentation
Excerpts from the ESSA Consolidated Plan on Dual Credit
Our ESSA plan addresses opportunity gaps in the education system, and it works to promote equitable access and opportunity for all Washington students. Our responsibility as educators is to prepare every student - regardless of background, household income, or race/ethnicity - for post‐secondary aspirations, careers, and life. That means looking closely at a more comprehensive set of student success variables that go beyond standardized tests: chronic absenteeism, ninth‐grade class failure, and dual credit opportunities.
Washington will include these three measures serve as indicator of school quality or student success (SQSS). Each measure was subject to extensive review and feedback from stakeholders. These measures are currently a part of Washington's performance management system for the purpose of reducing opportunity gaps and increasing equity in the K-12 system and are displayed on OSPIs website (OSPI Performance Indicators).
Dual Credit Participation: Washington will derive a measure of dual credit participation, as measured by the percentage of all enrolled students (grades 9-12) who complete a dual credit course. This includes Advanced Placement, Cambridge International, International Baccalaureate, College in the High School, CTE Dual Credit (formerly Tech Prep), and Running Start.
This dual credit specific resource guides building/district staff through a four-step system improvement process:
US Dept. of Ed. 2017 Report "Connecting Secondary Career and Technical Education Students and Apprenticeship Programs"
Dual Credit is a strategy that states’ and districts are using to ensure all students graduate high school ready to succeed in college, additional training, and/or a career. Dual credit programs provide high school students with the potential to earn college credit for courses and/or exams they complete while in high school.
Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC)
State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC)
Council of Presidents (Washington's Six Public Baccalaureates)
Dual Credit Contact Information for WA Public Baccalaureate Institutions
Career Bridge and CareerOneStop - resources for career exploration
The Washington 45 (list of college courses that will transfer to Washington's public 4-year colleges)
Students, aged 16-21, who have dropped out of school, or are in the danger of dropping out, may qualify for this program to simultaneously accumulate high school and college credits, earning their high school diploma while progressing toward a certificate or associate degree.
Designed for 16-21-year old’s who have dropped out of high school or are on the verge of dropping out and are interested in returning to school and completing their high school diploma. The target population is low-income youth, first-generation college goers, students of color, and other young people underrepresented in higher education.
Provides students the opportunity to simultaneously accumulate high school and college credits, earning a high school diploma while progressing toward an associate's degree or certificate. Students have access to most of the training programs and support services at any of the three participating colleges:
Meet Highlight Districts
Meet some districts identified as best practice partners for their implementation of a dual credit program
Advanced Placement
The 2017 AP Honor Roll list includes the following districts: Arlington, Everett, Lake Washington, Longview, Orcas Island, Peninsula, Shoreline and Walla Walla. These districts have seen an increase in the number of AP exams taken, and have at least held steady or improved their overall exam scores, for a three-year span or longer. >
College in the High School
Zillah HS has done an exceptional job integrating College in the High School opportunities into the master schedule of a fairly small high school
International Baccalaureate
Rainier Beach HS has built a culture of high expectations and achievement through implementing a significant support structure in combination with offering more IB opportunities to all students.
If your district is finding ways to scale up dual credit opportunities for more students and/or increase equitable access to dual credit, please contact Jason Boatwright and let us know!
Live Webinars - Dual Credit is one in the series