Learn and Earn Online
Q&A
June 4, 2007
1. What is Learn and Earn Online (L&EO)?
Learn and Earn Online is a state funded program that permits “high school students to
enroll in college courses to qualify for college credit. Online courses are available to
students through The University of North Carolina (UNC) and the North Carolina
Community College System (NCCCS).”
2. How does L&EO differ from the “traditional” Learn and Earn schools?
L&EO provides courses to high school students who remain on the public school
campus and are exclusively online. L&EO students who meet eligibility requirements
take courses during the public school day in a public school classroom with assistance
from a high school staff member. The “traditional” Learn and Earn high schools are
early college high schools that require daily attendance on a higher education partner
campus.
3. Who may enroll in L&EO?
Currently, high school students who meet the requirements for Huskins and/or
concurrent enrollment are eligible to enroll. (If statutory authority is granted by the
legislature to the State Board of Community Colleges to implement new rules, then
fourteen and fifteen year old students may be permitted to enroll concurrently.)
4. Must my college participate in L&EO?
Participation in L&EO is voluntary by community colleges, public high schools and
constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina. Technology infrastructure
funding including increased bandwidth for this program will be provided to
participating colleges. The “Intent to Participate” form must be completed and returned
to the System Office on or before the deadline to facilitate state level planning.
5. What courses are offered in L&EO?
Community colleges may offer appropriate online college credit courses from their
approved programs of study as found in their local combined course library. College
transferable courses are preferred.
6. Must courses come only from the community college Virtual Learning
Community?
No. Colleges may offer approved courses from the Virtual Learning Community (VLC)
or locally designed internet courses. All courses must be part of an approved program
of study for the community college.
7. What accountability measures will be required of colleges for L&EO courses?
H1473 requires “course quality and rigor standards shall be established, and each
program shall conduct course evaluations to ensure that the online courses made
available to students meet the established standards.” Courses in the VLC have quality
standards that are consistent across the system. Other locally designed courses will
need to provide documentation of quality and standards in a template as determined by
the Director of Distance Learning at NCCCS.
8. How students are coded who enroll in L&EO courses?
A new “T” code is being developed by the NCCCS Division of Administration for
release and implementation in fall 2007. Until that code is released, colleges should
code the students with Huskins or concurrent enrollment but add an identifier at the end
of the major to facilitate re-coding prior to fall 2007.
9. Are L&EO students exempt from tuition?
Yes. L&EO students are exempt under G.S. 115D-5(b).
10. Do students receive college credit for L&EO courses?
Yes, students must receive college credit for courses they successfully complete.
11. Do students come to campus for the L&EO courses?
No. These high school students take their courses on the high school campus using
public schools’ facilities, technology and equipment.
12. Must community college faculty go to the high school to teach the courses?
No. The community college faculty members teach the courses in the asynchronous
learning environment provided for any college student.
13. Must community college faculty be online while high school students complete
assignments?
The learning environment is the same as provided for any college student.
14. Must course content and requirements change to facilitate high school students?
No. Community college courses must be taught according to college standards for
college level credit. Content must be college level and assignments are the same as for
traditional adult students.
15. Are L&EO students exempt from placement testing and online readiness
assessments?
No. L&EO students must meet state and local readiness requirements to participate in
college credit courses taught online. State Board requirements for placement testing
must be followed, and any local requirements for online course readiness may be
followed.
16. Do public school regulations for attendance apply to L&EO students in
community college courses?
No. College attendance policies apply to L&EO students in online courses including
college satisfactory academic progress requirements. The public school system is
responsible for re-assignment of high school students who fail to meet the college’s
requirements and who voluntarily and/or involuntarily withdraw from online courses.
17. Can students be enrolled as Huskins, concurrent enrolled and L&EO students at
the same time?
Yes. Just as Huskins students in the past have also taken courses as concurrent
enrollment students after the school day, L&EO students may continue to participate in
Huskins courses and concurrent enrollment opportunities if eligible. The primary
program major in the Colleague system will determine funding accountability.
However, secondary program majors will be critical to tracking student success.
18. What technology is provided to the college to assist with implementing L&EO?
Funding is included in the pending 2007-2009 budget to provide for increased
bandwidth to colleges participating in L&EO. There are no additional equipment
monies for computers and servers in the L&EO appropriation. However, there is
pending data connectivity funding for all colleges to expand distance learning
capabilities.
19. Who is responsible for assuring sufficient technology capabilities at the public
school sites?
The local public school system personnel has the responsibility for assuring classrooms
have connectivity, and computers have required software, memory and capacity to
accommodate the high school students’ needs in online courses. In addition, needs of
students with disabilities continue to remain the complete responsibility of the public
schools for students in classrooms at the high school for equipment, technology and
assistive software.
20. What student support services are required to assist with implementing L&EO?
Community colleges must provide the same services to L&EO students that are
provided to traditional college students in online courses. Assessments for readiness to
take online courses, online tutoring programs, faculty email exchanges, online advising
for courses leading to completion of college credit certificates, diplomas and associate
degrees are expected student support services if also provided to all students in internet
courses.
21. What student support services are provided by the public schools?
The public schools will provide a distance learning coordinator/academic facilitator in
the classroom with the high school students to assist with equipment readiness, time
management, assignment completions, appropriate use of technology, etc.
22. Are there new administrative code regulations for this program?
A proposed amendment to permit the State Board of Community Colleges to enact
rules to provide for a more efficient plan of implementation of L&EO has been
recommended to the governor’s staff. No additional details are available currently. If no
change in statutes or rules occurs, then colleges will offer L&EO courses to students
who meet eligibility requirements under Huskins and/or concurrent enrollment policies
in the Operating Procedures Manual: Enrollment of High School and Intellectually
Gifted/Mature Students in Community College Courses and Programs.
23. Are there ineligible students who cannot participate in L&EO courses?
Current rules allow students to participate in college credit courses as Huskins students
(grades 9 – 12) if courses have been approved by the system office 30 days prior to
offering in the public schools or as concurrent enrolled students who are 16 years old
and enrolled in one-half day of courses in the public schools. Under present rules,
students less than 16 years old are ineligible to participate concurrently in college
courses and therefore may not participate in L&EO until new rules are adopted. (Home
schools and private schools are addressed below.)
24. What will colleges gain by participating in L&EO?
Community colleges participating in L&EO will see benefits with students gaining
continued enrollment after high school graduation, increased technology infrastructure
funding that will benefit the entire institution, and marketing opportunities for
showcasing the college’s ability to serve the community with anytime/anyplace
education opportunities.
25. Will the North Carolina General Assembly provide funding for L&EO?
In the 2007 – 2009 biennium budget, House Bill 1473 recommends $6.4 million for FY
07-08 and $10 million for FY 08-09 to fund the Learn and Earn Online. The Senate
recommends $6.5 million for FY 07-08 and $10 million for FY 08-09. The final
amount will be reconciled by the Joint Conference Committee and will appear in the
enacted budget submitted to the governor.
26. Are there funds for technology fees and course textbooks for L&EO students?
Yes. The State Board of Education is directed to allot funds for fees and textbooks for
high school students in these online courses at community colleges and the University
of North Carolina.
27. How will colleges receive these funds?
The State Board of Education shall allot funds on the basis of and after verification of
the credit hour enrollment of high school students in Learn and Earn Online Courses.
The System Office is collaborating with the Department of Public Instruction to
provide for the textbook allocation to occur at the beginning of the student enrollment
in the course(s) to ensure student success. The community college will provide
documentation to the local school administrative unit who will provide payment to the
college.
28. Does the community college receive budget FTE for L&EO students?
No. House Bill 1473 directs that “community college student enrollments in Learn and
Earn Online shall not be considered as a regular budget full-time equivalent (FTE) in
the curriculum enrollment formula, but shall be accounted for separately and funds
shall be allotted as a special allotment.” The allotment is calculated at least equal to or
greater than the current budget FTE.
29. Must L&EO courses deliver seventy percent (70%) of instruction within the
community college semester to avoid losing FTE?
No. Whole courses delivered using Huskins procedures will not be included in the FTE
funding formula. Therefore, L&EO courses may be taught using a calendar agreed
upon by the college and the public school system. The Institutional Curriculum Report
(ICR) will reflect these courses in the same manner as self-supporting curriculum
courses with appropriate supporting documentation available for program audits.
30. When and how will colleges receive funds for L&EO students?
The Business and Finance Divisions at the System Office and the North Carolina
Department of Public Instruction are working on the methodology for releasing the
budget allotments to the colleges. Funding will occur within the semester in which the
student is enrolled rather than one year following enrollment.
31. Will colleges need to deliver 70% of instruction within the term in order to receive
L&EO funds?
Since L&EO funds are not a part of the budget FTE funding formula for a college, the
instruction may mirror the public school calendar or the community college calendar
for courses without loss of L&EO funds or program audit penalties.
32. What is UNCG iSchool?
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro internet School (UNCG iSchool) is a
program developed by UNCG through which students can enroll in selected college
courses offered on a high school campus during the regular school day. The UNCG
iSchool has been offering online courses since 1997 to 10 public school districts. These
courses also count for high school and college credit.
33. When will UNCG iSchool begin enrolling high school students for fall 2007?
High school students in consultation with their high school counselors may register
now for courses offered for fall 2007 after completing a student information form (SIF)
from the UNCGi website (http://ischool.uncg.edu/dcl/web/fastforward/).
34. Can UNCGi and a community college offer the same course(s) to a public school
system?
While current pending legislation requires the education systems to provide oversight
and coordination “to avoid course duplication,” the systems have agreed to seek
modification to permit greater accessibility of high school students to all college
courses.
35. Are other universities offering courses for L&EO?
For 2007-2008, only the UNCG iSchool will participate in L&EO for the University of
North Carolina. Other constituent institutions may begin offering online courses in the
future.
36. Can private schools participate in L&EO?
Currently, only public schools reporting to the Department of Public Instruction are
eligible to participate in L&EO.
37. Can home school students participate in L&EO?
Currently, only students enrolled in public schools reporting to the Department of
Public Instruction are eligible to participate in L&EO.
38. How do students enroll in community college online courses?
Since most high school students already have accounts on the CFNC system, the
preferred method of completing the admissions application is via http://www.cfnc.org.
Community college admissions staff is already trained to download the application into
the system. However, colleges may use their own online admissions application
process.
39. When do students enroll in community college online courses?
Community colleges may begin enrollment in online courses as soon as they are ready
to work with the local public school. Colleges should notify the Director of Joint High
School programs of their anticipated registration date(s) and provide any links as
appropriate.
40. Can students outside of the service area of a college enroll in courses?
Present rules do not permit high school students outside of the service area of a college
to enroll unless policies permitting such concurrent enrollment have been adopted by
the local public board of education and the local board of trustees. Changes to these
rules may ensue if the legislature grants authority to the State Board of Community
Colleges to enact new rules and upon recommendation of the NC Association of
Community College Presidents.
41. Are there technology issues and how will they be addressed?
Short term technology issues for support of the Learn and Earn Online (L&EO)
Initiative are minimal at the majority of North Carolina Community College System
(NCCCS) institutions. Reaching a target of 6,000 L&EO student enrollments for
school year 2007-08 represents no more than a 5% increase of online enrollments as
recorded in 2006 by the NCCCS.
However, participating community colleges are encouraged to assess current online
course delivery capacity. This includes generating utilization data from Internet
Service Providers and utilization measures associated with community college course
management servers or services.
More in-depth information can be determined by assessing the degree by which
specific online courses utilize rich-media, multimedia, and other applications that place
demands on bandwidth and server capacity.
42. What reporting requirements will colleges have for L&EO?
The NCCCS “shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, the
legislature not later than April 15, 2008 on the implementation of the program for the
2007-2008 school year and the proposed operating plan for the 2008-2009 school year.
The report shall include the number of students enrolled in courses under the Learn and
Earn Online program and the number of students who completed courses during the fall
semester of the 2007-2008 school year” (HB 1473).
43. Will L&EO students follow the community college calendar or the public school
calendar?
The same policies used by the colleges to enroll high school students apply to L&EO
concurrent enrolled student enroll and begin courses on the start date established by the
college for all students enrolled in the course(s).
44. Where can I obtain additional information as it becomes available about L&EO?
Additional information is available at the North Carolina Department of Public
Instruction website, http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/learnandearnonline/. The NC
Community College Virtual Learning Community website will feature information in
the future. A numbered memorandum with website information will be sent to all
colleges.
45. How do I know if my local superintendent(s) and school system(s) have indicated a
desire to participate in L&EO?
The list of local school administrative units (public school systems) indicating intent to
participate in L&EO was released to community college presidents in CC07-100 on
April 27, 2007. To see the complete list, visit the System Office website at:
http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/Numbered_Memos/docs/MemosFor2007
/cc07-100.pdf