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Dual Enrollment

Dual Enrollment

Pataula Charter Academy

The Dual Enrollment (DE) Program is for high school students.  The program allows students to pursue postsecondary study while receiving dual high school and college credit for courses successfully completed at the college.  Courses taken in this program must come from the approved DE Course Directory - refer to www.gafutures.org.  Each postsecondary institution has different testing and admission requirements for participating in DE.    Students enrolled at Pataula Charter Academy (PCA) who wish to participate in DE are required to adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Students in grades and 11 and 12 are eligible to participate in the Dual Enrollment Core Course Plan of Study offered on the PCA campus (see Course Plan of Study Sheet).   
  • Students in grades 9 and 10 may request to begin the DE Core Course Plan of Study if they scored in the Distinguished Learner (Level 4) category of  all subjects on the 8th and/or 9th Grade Milestone Assessment(s).
  • Students pursuing the DE Core Course Plan of Study must take the courses available each semester in the sequence offered.
  • Students in grades 9 - 12 are eligible to participate in Dual Enrollment elective courses offered on the PCA campus through Albany Technical College.  
  • Students earn each semester one unit of high school credit for 3 hour to 5 hour courses at the college level.  For a one hour or two hour college course, students would earn .5 units of high school credit. Grades for courses taken at college will be placed on the high school transcript and will count in your high school HOPE GPA.  Colleges give letter grades. These will be converted to numerical grades and placed on the high school transcript as follows:

A = 95, B = 85, C = 75, D = 70, F = 65.

  • Pataula Charter Academy adds .5 point honor weight to DE courses taken in the academic core areas.  A final grade of a “C” would convert to a 2.5, a “B” would convert to a 3.5 and an “A” would convert to a 4.5.
  • The HOPE Scholarship adds a .5 point honor weight to DE courses taken in academic core areas, not to exceed a 4.0.  For example, a “B” (which is a 3.0 on the 4.0 GPA scale) in English 1101 would convert to a 3.5 for HOPE purposes. However, an “A” would remain a 4.0 for HOPE purposes.
  • Grades earned at the college can negatively affect the student’s GPA.  This could affect eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship after high school graduation.  Failing a DE course could prevent the student from graduating on time.  A student who fails a DE course will not be allowed to participate in the DE program the following semester.
  • If a DE course is offered on the PCA campus, students may not take that particular course away from the PCA campus (at the college and/or on-line).  
  • Students enrolled at PCA must be enrolled in a combination (PCA and postsecondary institution) of  at least six classes.
  • Full-time DE status (4 college classes and no classes on the PCA campus), is granted by administrative approval only. Students must submit a written request by March 1 of the preceding school year to be considered for full-time DE status for the following school year.  
  • Students enrolled at PCA who participate in DE are required to report to their assigned Crew.
  • DE students who take DE course equivalents of the following courses are required to take the Milestone Assessment:  9th Lit, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Biology. The Milestone Assessment will count 20% of the final grade in the course for PCA purposes only, with the letter grade counting 80%.  College transcripts will report the final letter grade earned in the course. It is the student’s responsibility to get dates and times for the Milestone Assessment – please see Mrs. Beamon for testing details.
  • College credit obtained at one postsecondary institution may or may not be transferred for credit to another institution.  It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that any college courses taken will transfer to the institution they plan to attend.
  • Students may not begin participating in DE for the first time in the spring semester, with the exception of seniors who receive administrative approval.
  • Withdrawing from a  DE course after the drop/add deadline will result in a grade of “F” on the PCA transcript for that course.
  • Students may not contact colleges about dropping a course without approval from Mrs. Beamon.

Dual Enrollment Deadlines

Spring (current school year) Test by December

  • Students will not be allowed to begin taking Dual Enrollment courses for the first time, with the exception of seniors who have been given administrative approval.
  • All steps must be completed by December.

Summer (current school year) Test by April

  • Provide all scores (passing or not) to Mrs. Beamon.
  • Completion of all steps before you leave in May.

Fall (next school year) Test by April

  • Provide all scores (passing or not) to Mrs. Beamon.
  • Completion of all steps before you leave in May.

PCA Dual Enrollment General Procedures

  • Complete the Are You Ready for Dual Enrollment Survey.
  • Take a required test, according to the testing requirements of the institution.
  • Apply to the postsecondary institution and submit all admissions information to Mrs. Beamon.
  • Apply online for the DE program.  Go to www.gafutures.org, click on Dual Enrollment, and complete the Online DE Program Application.  This must be completed every semester!
  • Procedures must be completed for each semester according to the completion deadlines above..  Completion means that all admissions paperwork and test scores have been received by the college, you have met with Mrs. Beamon to fill out the Student Participation Agreement and you have provided Mrs. Beamon with your college schedule.
  • Make an appointment with Mrs. Beamon to finalize your schedule and to complete the  

DE Student Participation Agreement.