By Jeff Murphy,
May 3, 2017
WARRENSBURG, MO – Signifying the University of Central Missouri has met quality standards
in providing oversight of college courses taught by high school instructors, UCM has
earned accreditation for concurrent enrollment programs by the National Alliance of
Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). UCM is one of 19 colleges and universities
nationwide to achieve this designation, NACEP announced today.
NACEP is the only accrediting organization for concurrent enrollment partnerships.
It has established model criteria to ensure that high school course content and expectations
for student work in dual credit courses match those on the college or university campus
which is sponsoring the courses. A total of 105 NACEP-accredited programs are now
available in 22 states.
“Our dual credit program has a stamp of approval as a quality program,” said Sandy
Cruz, director of the high school dual credit program at UCM. “There are certain gold
standards that we must meet nationally to be recognized. Collaboration and support
from academic departments was key in meeting these standards and in helping us to
achieve this goal for our university.”
Cruz said UCM in January 2016 submitted a letter of intent to NACEP in application
for accreditation for its concurrent enrollment programs – the courses high school
students take for dual credit. The lengthy process included a self-study in which
a document was produced demonstrating how the university adheres to NACEP’s 17 standards.
This was followed by a rigorous peer-review process conducted by a team of individuals
from NACEP-accredited programs as well as the NACEP Accreditation Commission. The
accreditation is valid for seven years, although annual reports will help ensure the
university is staying on track with its program practices.
“As the availability of college credit opportunities for high school students expands,
it is vital that we maintain quality to provide a meaningful collegiate experience
for students. The programs that received accreditation meet established best practices
in concurrent enrollment in the areas of curriculum, faculty, students, assessment,
and program evaluation,” said Victoria Zeppelin, chair of the NACEP Accreditation
Commission and director of College Now at Tompkins Community College in New York.
Zeppelin added that NACEP accreditation is considered a “hallmark of excellence” in
the dual credit area. It helps ensure that college courses taught in high school support
student achievement and contribute to a student’s success in pursuit of a postsecondary
education.
UCM is one of only seven public and private four-year institutions in Missouri to
earn NACEP accreditation. Other schools include Central Methodist University, Missouri
Baptist University, Missouri Southern State University, Northwest Missouri State University,
University of Missouri-Kansas City, and University of Missouri-St. Louis.
According to Cruz, the demand for dual credit courses continues to increase annually.
UCM served 2,416 (unduplicated) students and generated 9,397 credit hours during the
fall 2016 and spring 2017 semesters.
“We partner with 98 schools and career centers throughout Missouri to offer dual credit
courses,” she noted. “We also serve the home-schooled community.”
Cost is just one of the many benefits of dual credit courses. Students who take a
UCM course for dual credit while in high school pay just $85 per semester hour. That’s
about 70 percent less than the cost for in-state undergraduate tuition. While reducing
course costs, students also can reduce the time it takes for them to earn a college
degree by getting a jump-start on their higher education.
Another benefit of taking dual credit courses is that students who are not sure if
they want to attend college have an opportunity to learn more about what they can
expect as postsecondary students.
“Some high school students believe that college is too difficult, but by taking a
dual credit course, it helps them to build self-confidence, and they realize college
is an achievable goal,” Cruz noted.
To help strengthen partnerships with area school districts, UCM launched in 2016 an
Innovation Track program with Warrensburg High School which expands course offerings
to high school students by opening courses on the UCM campus. This program also provides
opportunities and support services that contribute to students’ success that include
access to tutorial assistance, computer and writing labs on campus, a special rate
for use of the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, free admission to athletic
events and more. Expansion goals for the Innovation Track program include Crest Ridge
(Centerview) and Smith Cotton (Sedalia) high schools, and high schools in Concordia,
Green Ridge, Harrisonville, Higginsville, Holden, Knob Noster, LaMonte, Leeton, Odessa,
Pleasant Hill, Sweet Springs, and Wellington.
To learn more about high school dual credit courses through UCM, contact Cruz at 660-543-8718
or scruz@ucmo.edu.
