College Credit Plus | Resources for Administrators

Options A & B Guidance Document (Effective May 10, 2021)

Updated Guidance and Flexibility Document

As high schools and colleges plan for the new academic year, please refer to our CCP Back to School Q&A Document and consider these “4 C’s of College Credit Plus.”    

Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3365:  The Ohio laws establishing and governing the College Credit Plus Program.

Ohio Administrative Code: Click below for the administrative rules established by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. These rules are also laws, which were adopted in accordance with statute.

• 3333-1-65 Definitions.
• 3333-1-65.1 Notice to students regarding program opportunities and program requirements.
• 3333-1-65.2 Program requirements for secondary schools.
• 3333-1-65.3 Program requirements for institutions of higher education.
• 3333-1-65.4 Delivery methods by the institution of higher education for courses under the college credit plus program.
• 3333-1-65.5 Data reporting requirements.
• 3333-1-65.6 Funding.
• 3333-1-65.7 Procedures for an institution of higher education receiving payment from department of education.
• 3333-1-65.8 Allocation for nonpublics, chartered and nonchartered, home-schooled students.
• 3333-1-65.9 JVSD allocation.
• 3333-1-65.10 Process for waiver for innovative programming (effective 5.22.21).
• 3333-1-65.11 College credit plus summer term eligibility.
• 3333-1-65.12 Course eligibility.
• 3333-1-65.13 Underperforming students.

The following rules are effective until May 10, 2021.  

• 3333-1-65 Definitions.
• 3333-1-65.1 Notice to students regarding program opportunities and program requirements.
• 3333-1-65.2 Program requirements for secondary schools.
• 3333-1-65.3 Program requirements for institutions of higher education.
• 3333-1-65.4 Delivery methods by the institution of higher education for courses under the college credit plus program.
• 3333-1-65.5 Data reporting requirements.
• 3333-1-65.6 Funding.
• 3333-1-65.7 Procedures for an institution of higher education receiving payment from department of education.
• 3333-1-65.8 Allocation for nonpublics, chartered and nonchartered, home-schooled students.
• 3333-1-65.9 JVSD allocation.
• 3333-1-65.10 Process for waiver for innovative programming.
• 3333-1-65.11 College credit plus summer term eligibility.
• 3333-1-65.12 Course eligibility.
• 3333-1-65.13 Underperforming students.

• High School Graduation Course Substitution Crosswalk  (updated February 2020)
• High School Graduation Course Substitution Crosswalk  (previous version from December 2018)
• Middle School Student Participation  (December 2018 - to be updated in Winter/Spring 2020)

Default Rates

The College Credit Plus program default funding structure is established by Ohio Revised Code 3365.07. The CCP default amounts are based on the Per Pupil Foundation amount determined by Ohio’s General Assembly during the biennial budget process. These rates may change on an annual basis.

Note: House Bill 49 (2017) clarified that the default ceiling payments under College Credit Plus shall not be more than the college’s or university’s standard tuition rate.

Payment Reports

• FY2018
• FY2017
• FY2016

Private/Home school vouchers

The chancellor has established a process for applying for waivers for alternative funding agreements below the floor.

In lieu of an alternative funding – below the floor agreement, High School and College providers are encouraged to pursue other alternative funding agreements that provide cost savings opportunities, which include but are not limited to:

• High School and College each agree to pay for a portion of the textbook costs (e.g., 50% by each partner, 70%/30%, etc.); • College pays for all textbook costs (or pays for books for students at the college campus, etc.);
• College guarantees no textbook changes for a specific number of years;
• College employs other low cost book options (i.e., Open Education Resources, older book editions);
• College eliminates one-time access code software;
• College provides an alternative funding agreement which lowers the cost of on campus or online coursework below the default ceiling (or below the standard tuition rate); and/or
• College provides an alternative funding agreement for courses taught at the high school by a college employed faculty member to lower than the default rate (mid-level).

A College or University may request consideration of an alternative funding – below the floor agreement if the partner school district demonstrates any of the following conditions:

1. State declaration of fiscal watch, caution or emergency;
2. Extreme extenuating circumstances, which could include natural disasters or other negative external influences that are outside of the district’s control.​​​​​

• ---

  For more information, please review Directive 2018-041
• Alternative Funding "Below the Floor Request" form - due February 1, 2020 for the 2020-2021 academic year  (July 2019)
• Submission Page for “Below the Floor” Request

Ohio Revised Code Section 3365.03 provides standards for student eligibility to participate in College Credit Plus, as follows: 

The student shall:

(i) Apply to a public or a participating private college, or an eligible out-of-state college participating in the program, in accordance with the college's established procedures for admission, pursuant to section 3365.05 of the Revised Code;

(ii) As a condition of eligibility, be remediation-free, in accordance with one of the assessments established under division (F) of section 3345.061 of the Revised Code. However, a student who scores within one standard error of measurement below the remediation-free threshold for one of those assessments shall be considered to have met this requirement if the student also either:

(I) Has a cumulative high school grade point average of at least 3.0. If the student is seeking to participate under section 3365.033 of the Revised Code, the student must have an equivalent cumulative grade point average in the applicable grade levels.

(II) Receives a recommendation from a school counselor, principal, or career-technical program advisor.

(iii) Meet the college's and relevant academic program's established standards for admission, enrollment, and course placement, including course-specific capacity limitations, pursuant to section 3365.05 of the Revised Code.

The Student Eligibility requirements went into effect for the 2018-2019 academic year, beginning with summer term for new students in the program. Please see the documents below for additional information.

• Student Eligibility Process  (July 2019) - Provides a simplified flowchart for the Student Eligibility Process.  
• Student Eligibility Flowchart (detailed version - October 2017)  – Illustrates the step-by-step process for determining a student’s eligibility for College Credit Plus, admission into a college/university, and enrollment in college courses.
• Student Eligibility Table  (Updated August 26, 2019) – Provides the allowable assessment exams, remediation-free threshold scores for eligibility, and conditional scores (standard error of measurement range) for eligibility.

Rule 3333-1-65.13 went into effect starting summer term of the 2018-19 academic year, providing for a definition of underperforming students and regulations for probation and dismissal from the program. Please see the Guidance for Creating Policy & Sample Template Document, CCP Probation Dismissal Form, and rule summary (updated June 2019) for additional guidance, sample policy information, and sample student/parent form for the appeals process for CCP Probation and CCP Dismissal.

In addition, we have developed a Probation Scenarios GPA Calculator  spreadsheet to assist in calculating GPA’s.

This rule went into effect starting summer term of the 2018-19 academic year, specifying which courses were eligible for funding under College Credit Plus. Please see the rule language and summary document (updated June 2019) for more information.

Process for Chancellor Approval of Additional Courses

The course eligibility rule provides opportunities for colleges to request Chancellor approval of the following:

1. The chancellor annually may approve additional courses as level I courses if the chancellor determines that students participating in the college credit plus program would benefit from having access to those courses as level I courses. Any such approval shall take effect at the start of the following academic year. Please see the Level I Approval Process Guidance and Application Form for more information. Approved courses are posted to our webpage on an annual basis. (Guidance and Forms updated October 2020 for the 2021-2022 academic year)
2. If a course described as “non-allowable” under the rule is part of a predetermined pathway or required sequence of courses leading to a certificate or degree, an institution of higher education, on behalf of one or more students who are enrolled in the institution through College Credit Plus and have shown progress on that pathway or sequence of courses through their previous coursework, may request the chancellor to allow payment for the course. Please see the Non-Allowable Approval Process Guidance and Application Form for more information. (Guidance and Forms updated October 2020 for the 2021-2022 academic year)

• Guidance for Grades & Tuition  (October 2018) This guidance document provides some examples of course outcomes for students in the College Credit Plus (CCP) program. Specifically, these examples address various issues including the fiscal responsibility for the course tuition, the option of repeating a course, and the Underperforming Student Rule.     
• Weighting College Credit Plus Courses  (September 2018)

Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3365 allows for "eligible out of state colleges" to participate in College Credit Plus. For out of state colleges interested in becoming College Credit Plus providers, please review the Out of State College Checklist. Then, download the Out of State College Inquiry Form and email the completed form to CCP@highered.ohio.gov.  

Ohio Revised Code section 3365.13 requires the creation of 15- and 30-Credit Model Pathways that students can use to inform their choices of College Credit Plus courses. For more information, please review the guidance document and the sample pathways.

In addition, Ohio Guaranteed Transfer Pathways (OGTPs) map out the first two years of coursework for multiple programs across the state and can be a helpful tool in creating CCP model pathways and advising students.

• Application Process: If your school is an ECHS and wishes to be exempt from the College Credit Plus program requirements, the Early College High School Exemption form must be completed and submitted, along with the identified items in the form, to rharr@highered.ohio.gov by March 1, 2021.
• Data Reporting: Each approved or conditionally approved ECHS is required to submit data throughout the year, as follows: 
  • December 11 – Preliminary report of overall enrollment and prioritized student enrollment (“head count”).
  • March 1 – Mid-year report of overall enrollment (demographic data), prioritized student enrollment, average credit hours completed (fall semester) by grade level, and annual persistence rates (high school and college). This report will also include the option for the partners to request continued exemption for the following academic year.
  • July 1 – Final report for 2020-2021 to include average credit hours completed (fall and spring), graduation rates, matriculation rates (post-high school), and credentials obtained.
  • Additional information may be requested as needed.

• Current Programs: Waivers approved for the 2020-2021 academic year

• Program Application: Ohio Revised Code section 3365.10 allows for secondary schools or colleges to apply for a waiver of College Credit Plus program requirements to provide innovative programming. For more information on the application process, please review the Innovative Program Waiver Application Template (updated February 2021). (deadline March 1 annually). You may use this signature template as a starting point for your proposed agreement. 

• Review Sheet and Subgroups: The Review Sheet and Subgroups file  provides information about the categories that will be scored for each application for 2021-2022. Please note there are two tabs:  “New IP Requests” (rubric) and “Subgroup Descriptions” (underserved subgroups).

  • Webinar recording

• Data Reporting: All Innovative Programs are required to submit data throughout the year and as requested by ODHE. The reporting timeline for 2020-2021 is as follows: 
  • Preliminary report of overall enrollment and cohort/underserved group “head count” will be reported no later than October 1, 2020.
  • Mid-year report of overall enrollment, cohort/underserved group assessment data, course performance or other performance indicator data of all students mid-year will be submitted no later than March 1, 2021.
  • A final report for the 2020-2021 academic year, including post-testing assessment data, will be submitted no later than July 1, 2021.

• Spring 2020 Updates Webinar - May 13 @ 10:00 a.m. Click here to access the recording and the PowerPoint Slides.
• OADEP Conference Keynote Presentation  - November 2019
• Fall 2019 Updates - September 2019
• OACAC Articulation Workshops - College Credit Plus Session - September 2019
• OACAC Articulation Workshops - Higher Education Updates - September 2019

Schools are encouraged to utilize these presentations during Information Sessions held between October 1, 2019 through February 15, 2020. Schools may add slides at the end of the file. Choose the appropriate file for your school below:

• Public Schools  (August 2019)

• Private/Nonpublic Schools  (August 2019)

• Homeschooled Families  (August 2019)

• Spring 2019 Updates - April 2019
• OADEP Conference - November 2018 
• Regional General Sessions - Fall 2018 Updates 
• Fall Updates: OACAC Articulations (Fall 2018) 
• Private Colleges and Universities Presentation (January 2018)  
• Winter 2018 "Across the State" Meeting Presentation - PowerPoint Presentation
  • Audio Recording - Part 1  
  • Audio Recording - Part 2  
  • Audio Recording - Part 3

• Student Success: OACAC Articulations (Fall 2017) 
• Spring 2017 Regional Meetings Presentation 
• College Credit Plus: Overview of Year One and Into Year Two (November 2016) 
• College Credit Plus Webcast (03/04/2016)
• [Webinar] College Credit Plus and its application to IDEA and ADA Requirements: Students with Disabilities, High School to College (08/04/2016)   | Click here for slides 
• Introduction to College Credit Plus  - 2017 presentation for principals & school counselors to use at Information Sessions (December 2016) 

• Professionals' Resource Guide  (October 2020)

• Public School Students Intent Form - Public school students can simply fill out and give this form to their school counselor or principal.  
• Public School Students Intent Form w/o Options A & B
• Homeschool & Nonpublic School Students - Please note that starting in 2020, the Intent to Participate Form will be part of the funding application. There will be no separate paper form. 

Ohio Revised Code 3365.04 and Ohio Administrative Code 3333-1-65.1 require secondary schools to provide notice to students in grades 6 through 11 about the College Credit Plus program. This notice is required to be sent to students and parents by February 1 each year via the school’s website and written communications generally distributed to students, such as course booklets, student assemblies, and information sessions.  

The Professionals Resource Guide (pages 6-7) contains more details about the requirements of this notice. The Information Session Presentations linked above can be utilized for this purpose, along with the College Credit Plus overview document. 

Please feel free to use our template to create your customized form.

A sample Recommendation Form (Printable Interactive PDF  ) is available for Conditional Eligibility for the 2020-2021 academic year – (The use of this form is optional - colleges/universities may have their own form).

A sample Counseling Session Form is available as a guide for the 2021-2022 academic year - (The use of this form is optional as some may have their own form.)

• Uniform Statewide Standards for Remediation-Status (April 2018)
• ABCs of CCP (July 2017)
• Dual Credit College Course Instruction Standards (December 2016)
• Postsecondary Credit Opportunities in Career-Technical Education Report (June 2014)

• Fall 2019 
• Fall 2018
• Fall 2017
• June 2017 
• May 2017 
• April 2017

Being enrolled in College Credit Plus means that students will be doing college-level research. How will the appropriate research materials be made available to them?

The college or university in which the student is enrolled for College Credit Plus will provide the student with access to the research materials necessary to complete the course. Students should have access to materials available through the college’s or university’s library.

You can also learn more about how students can use INFOhio's College Credit Plus Library Resources.

The INFOhio site features different tabs for students, teachers, librarians, parents, and guidance counselors. Each tab contains search tools, helpful links, and checklists to make sure College Credit Plus students and teachers have the resources they need to meet the demands of College Credit Plus writing and research. OhioLINK tools are available to College Credit Plus participants affiliated with OhioLINK institutions. INFOhio electronic tools are offered free to Ohio PreK-12 schools, public and private, traditional and online.

Student Athletes must remain eligible in accordance with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) bylaws, which require students to be passing five, one credit high school courses, or the equivalent per grading period, with the high school and college courses combined. Most College Credit Plus courses taken during a semester will equal one Carnegie unit (one high school credit), allowing students the opportunity to earn more than the required five for athletic eligibility. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange a method for obtaining a progress reports as needed with the college faculty in order to determine eligibility.

For additional information, please review the Guidelines for Student Athletic Eligibility (October 2020) or contact the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

For information related to CCP data submissions and presentations, please click here to visit the CCP Data page. 

Presentations

• Data Reporting Recorded Webinar- October 2020
• Data Reporters Training - October 2020
• ODDEX Updates - October 2020
• Data Reporters Training - September 2019
• ODDEX Updates - September 2019
• Data Reporters Training - September 2018
• ODDEX Updates - September 2018

ODDEX: https://www.ssdt-ohio.org

OEDS: https://oeds.ode.state.oh.us/SearchOrg

Links to Payments reports:

• FY2018: http://webapp2.ode.state.oh.us/school_finance/data/2018/ccp/f2018_ccp_college.asp

• FY2016: http://webapp2.ode.state.oh.us/school_finance/data/2017/CCP/f2017_ccp_college.asp

• FY2017: http://webapp1.ode.state.oh.us/school_finance/data/2017/ccp/f20172_ccp_college.asp

Private/Home school vouchers: https://paymentdetail.ode.state.oh.us/

CCP data files do require either the CCP student’s SSID (for public school student) or UIN (for nonpublic or home school student) for submission. Higher Education institutions may submit files that include the student’s SSID/UIN and continue to try to obtain students’ appropriate number and submit additional files as the students’ numbers are provided.

Only students/parents can request and receive the SSID/UIN number:

• For public school students - Get your SSID by calling your school counselor or your district’s EMIS coordinator.

• For nonpublic or home school students - Your UIN is located in the student’s award letter. Parents may obtain the letter by logging into their SAFE account and accessing their student’s application. For further help, call or email Wendy Casterline at Wendy.Casterline@education.ohio.gov or 614-728-5002.

ODHE/ODE cannot give the number(s) to postsecondary institutions

The Ohio Department of Higher Education used HEI data to track a cohort of College Credit Plus students who matriculated to Ohio public colleges and universities.  Please review the following documents for additional information:

• Description of the data sample used in matriculation tables - one page summary 
• CCP Numbers & Matriculation Rates Presentation
• Transfer Matrix Spreadsheet

Please us this link for the report descriptions from the Ohio Department of Educaiton