The PSEO program allows 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students to earn college credit while still in high school through enrollment in and successful completion of college-level courses. With traditional PSEO, these courses are generally offered on the campus of the postsecondary institution; some courses are online. Students may take PSEO courses on a full- or parttime basis. The PSEO program provides students with a greater variety of class offerings as well as the opportunity to pursue more challenging coursework than may be available at the high school. The tuition, fees, and required textbooks are at no cost to students.

Most PSEO courses are only open to high school students during their 11th and 12th grade years, but recent legislation allows eligible 10th grades to access PSEO by taking career and technical (CTE) courses.

Postsecondary institutions are paid by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) for PSEO participation.

Concurrent Enrollment: Concurrent Enrollment provides 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade students with the opportunity to take college-credit bearing courses taught by college-approved high school teachers or college faculty, generally on the high school campus. Public school students may earn both high school and college credit at no cost, just as they do with PSEO.

Most concurrent enrollment courses are only open to high school students during 11th and 12th grade years, but 9th and 10th grade students may participate if there is a need for additional students to offer the class.

There are several concurrent enrollment programs in Minnesota with branded titles, including but not limited to the following:

• College in the Schools

• Senior to Sophomore (S2S)

• College Now

Concurrent enrollment courses are funded through an agreement between a postsecondary institution and a participating school district. The agreement outlines the high school reimbursement to the college or university to cover the costs associated with the student receiving college credit. Concurrent enrollment aid is intended to help defray the costs incurred by the district to deliver the course at the high school.

The term “concurrent enrollment “ is also used to describe the students who are enrolled part-time in a traditional school and taking classes after school or in the evening from a state-approved alternative program.