Recognition of Post-Secondary Transition Programs for Funding Purposes

Date came into force or revised

Issued July 1, 2005

Status

Current

Policy statement

Post-secondary transition programs are educational programs that combine secondary and post-secondary courses, and that lead to Grade 12 graduation as well as help students make smooth transitions to further education or training. The Ministry of Education and Child Care recognizes post-secondary courses for funding purposes if they are part of the school-age students' planned programs of study leading to graduation.

Rationale or purpose of policy

Secondary schools are not always able to offer the full range of courses or programs that help prepare students for specific occupations. For this reason, the Ministry of Education and Child Care encourages school districts to improve transition success for students by collaborating with post-secondary institutions and industry associations to offer transition programs that lead to trades certification or post-secondary credentials.

Authority

The School Act (PDF), section 75:

"A board must make available an educational program to all persons of school age who enroll in a school in the district."

"A board may recognize as part of a student's educational program an educational activity that is not provided by the board."

See Ministerial Order 302/04, the Graduation Program Order (PDF)

Policy in full

For students enrolled in programs that include courses delivered by post-secondary partners, the following criteria must be met in order for the post-secondary courses to be eligible as courses funded by the Ministry:

• The post-secondary courses lead to a post-secondary credential (and appear on a post-secondary transcript) from a post-secondary institution, which is a member of the British Columbia Transfer System, or offered in French through the auspices of Educacentre, or an Industry Training Authority certified Youth Program training provider.
• The post-secondary courses are part of a school district program that is an education option for students.
• The school district pays any tuition costs for the post-secondary courses reported for funding.
• The school district retains a current agreement with the post-secondary partner.
• Students begin taking the post-secondary courses that are part of their transition program during their Grade 11 or Grade 12 year.
• Students in post-secondary transition programs annually update and sign a planned program of courses. This program plan lists their transition program courses, including when and where they will be taking their post-secondary courses.
• The post-secondary courses are reported for Graduation Program credit to the Ministry transcript system.

Procedures

1. School districts establish transition programs with post-secondary partners.
2. For students in post-secondary transition programs, schools prepare a document listing all courses that are part of students' post-secondary transition programs, and students sign the document.
3. School districts include the documented post-secondary courses for funding as part of the 1701 data collection process which requires course claims to be reported according to the actual course credit value (with a single credit representing the value attached to the knowledge, skill and aptitudes most students can acquire in approximately 30 hours of instruction), not the number of credits defined by the post-secondary institution.
   • Assign 4 credits for most single dual-credit transition claims.
   • For the reporting of modular courses (i.e., 12A thru 12J) representing a dual-credit transition program through the 1701 data collection process, consider each four credit course as approximately 120 hours.
4. Post-secondary courses that are part of post-secondary transition programs are reported for transcript purposes using the post-secondary institution course codes assigned by the Ministry.
5. Schools keep a copy of the post-secondary transcript on file, showing completion of post-secondary courses.