PSEO
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POST SECONDARY ENROLLMENT OPTIONS PROGRAM (PSEO)
Thank you for coming to this page to find out more about PSEO!! If you missed our presentation about how to earn College Credit in High School - please click on the link to the left to access those recordings.
If you are interested in pursuing PSEO please contact your School Counselor for more information about the application process.
Jen Hess (A-G) - hessj@willmar.k12.mn.us 320-231-8321
Megan Erickson (H-N) - ericksonm@willmar.k12.mn.us 320-231-8322
Leah Rosendahl (O-Z) - rosendahll@willmar.k12.mn.us 320-231-8323
Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students to earn both
high school and college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college
nonsectarian courses at eligible participating postsecondary institutions. Most PSEO courses are offered on the
campus of the postsecondary institution; some courses are offered online. Each participating college or university
sets its own admissions requirements for enrollment into the PSEO courses. Eleventh and 12th-grade students may
take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis; 10th graders are eligible to enroll in PSEO on a more limited basis (see
note below). Students must meet the PSEO residency and eligibility requirements and abide by participation limits
specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09. If a school district determines a pupil is not on track to graduate,
she/he may continue to participate in PSEO on a term by term basis.
By March 1 of each year, or three weeks prior to the date a student registers for courses for the following school year
(whichever is earlier), schools must provide PSEO information to all students in grades 8-11 and their families. To
assist the district in planning, a student must inform the district by May 30 of each year of their intent to enroll in
postsecondary courses during the following school year.
There is no charge to PSEO students for tuition, books or fees for items that are required to participate in a course;
however, students may incur fees for equipment that becomes their property when the course or program is
completed, textbooks that are not returned to the postsecondary institution according to their policies, or for tuition
costs if they do not notify the district by May 30 and the district does not waive this date requirement.
Funds are available to help pay transportation expenses for qualifying students to participate in PSEO courses on
college campuses. For more information on these funds, access the PSEO Mileage Reimbursement ProgramInstructions.
Enrolling in a PSEO course does not prohibit a student from participating in activities sponsored by the high school.
School districts must allow a PSEO student reasonable access to the high school building, computers and/or other
technology resources during regular school hours to participate in PSEO courses, whether on-line or on campus.
Each year, districts must publish their grade-weighting policy on their website, including a list of courses for which
students can earn weighted grades.
All courses taken through the PSEO program must meet graduation requirements. Districts must transcript credits
earned in PSEO by a ratio prescribed in statute. Districts have the authority to decide which subject area and
standards the PSEO course meets. If there is a dispute between the district and the student regarding the number of
credits granted for a particular course, the student may appeal the board's decision to the commissioner. The
commissioner's decision regarding the number of credits will be final.
Postsecondary institutions are required to allow PSEO students to enroll in online courses consistent with the
institution’s policy regarding postsecondary student enrollment in online courses.
Tenth-grade students may initially enroll in one Career and Technical Education (CTE) PSEO course if they receive a
reading proficiency score of “meets” or “exceeds” on the 8 th grade MCA. If 10th graders taking a CTE PSEO course
earn at least a grade C in that class, they may take additional postsecondary courses. If the student did not take the
MCA in 8 th -grade, another reading assessment accepted by the enrolling postsecondary institution can be substituted.
For students with disabilities, there is an alternative option to demonstrate reading proficiency.
For current information about the PSEO program, visit the Minnesota Department of Education’s PostsecondaryEnrollment Options (PSEO) webpage.