By Uy Pham
For the 2024-2025 school year, Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) announced the establishment of two new on-campus, during-bell dual enrollment pathways for students, which will provide alternative options for students taking Precalculus, AP English Language and Composition (AP Lang) or AP English Literature and Composition (AP Lit). The classes will take place on FVHS’ campus during the school day with the support of FVHS teachers.
“Students have historically had to decide between AP English or English 100 at the college,” Assistant Principal of Guidance Casey Harelson said. “We are realizing that students would want to take both if they could, but they feel like they can only do one or the other.”
Dual enrollment is defined as a class that students may take on a high school campus with other high school students and qualify for potential high school and college credit on the respective transcripts. The other pathway for college credit, or even possible dual credit, is through concurrent enrollment classes which are offered directly with Golden West College (GWC) and take place with other GWC students.
The first new pathway will be for the current Precalculus class. In the first semester, students will receive five high school credits for one semester of Precalculus A, while the spring semester will provide college units (Math 170: Precalculus) and 10 high school credits.
The second pathway will be for the junior AP Lang and senior AP Lit class. In the first semester, students will receive the respective five high school credits for one semester of AP Lang/Lit A. However, in the second semester, the credit will be split between high school and college transcripts. The high school transcript will provide five high school credits for another semester of AP Lang/Lit B. The college transcript will give juniors credit for ENGL 100: Freshman Composition and seniors credit for ENGL 110: Critical Thinking, Literature.
“The nice thing about this model is that we’re going to keep the AP course on the high school side because students who are doing AP coursework want to get the [weighted] GPA,” Harelson said. “But the thing that matters most is that students are getting those units on their college transcript [while also] getting the weighted GPA they deserve.”
Currently, there are two dual enrollment offerings during the bell schedule on campus.
One option is US History with Professor Langford. Students receive college units during the first semester (HIST 170: U.S. History to 1876). In the second semester, students receive additional college units and 10 high school credits during the second semester (HIST 175: U.S. History since 1876).
The other option is the vocal music class with Professor Tison with the respective high school credit along with some college units during the first semester (MUS 100: History and Appreciation of Music).
Different class structures
For any dual enrollment course, there are two possible models for teaching the course. If a teacher has a master’s degree in that content area, they can act as the professor and teacher at the same time.
Another model is a co-taught model, where the high school teacher partners with a college professor to teach the course. The college professor may come to FVHS two to three days a week to meet college contact hours, while the high school teachers cover the high school curriculum and hours.
However, which model the classes will be depends on further scheduling and course interest.
“The first thing we have to do is find out how much demand there is from our students,” Harelson said. “Then we look to match sections and personnel to that demand as best we can.”
Regarding grades, both the grade on the high school and college transcript should be the same, according to Harelson.
“The same time is spent, the same work done, the content the same — everything overlaps,” Harelson said. “You’re not doing double the work [for a dual enrollment class]. The whole point is there’s so much overlap in content — that’s the spirit of dual enrollment … The workload should be very similar.”
Future dual enrollment pathways
Both the offering of these dual enrollment pathways and any potential further extensions depend on student demand and interest through course requests.
“If it were me, I’m going to do roughly the same amount of work and content; I would want the guaranteed free college units. AP exam scores are interpreted differently by different colleges,” Harelson said. “Dual enrollment, if you do it right away, amounts to students doing the same work and getting college [credits] at the same time.”
If students have further questions regarding course placement, students should contact their guidance specialist.
