The 2024 Minnesota Legislature passed several updates to the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program that affect high schools, post-secondary institutions, and students. This announcement aims to increase public awareness of these changes.
The PSEO program enables Minnesota students in grades 10-12 to earn 2+ years of free college credits by replacing their high school classes with courses taught by a college or university.
PSEO law requires high schools to provide up-date-information about the PSEO program to students on their website and in materials shared with students in grades 8-12. We include suggested language that schools can copy and paste onto their website, student handbook, and other materials.
Key Changes to PSEO Law Include:
Notification Requirements for Withdrawal and Absenteeism: Colleges/Universities are now required to notify a PSEO student’s high school if the student withdraws from an enrolled course or if they are absent from a course for ten consecutive days on which classes are held. This ensures greater coordination between high schools and colleges for intervention-based measures that are intended to support PSEO students.
Additional Planning Deadlines: To assist school districts in planning, students must now inform their district of their intent to enroll in PSEO by October 30 for the spring semester and by May 30 for the following fall semester of each year. Previously, the deadline was only May 30. This additional October deadline allows for better preparation and resource allocation for the upcoming academic term.
PSEO Enrollment Reporting Requirements: High schools and colleges will be required to report enrollment counts for all PSEO students. People for PSEO estimates that public PSEO enrollment counts are underreported by up to 50%. This is because the MN Department of Education (MDE) receives minimal enrollment data for students who are enrolled in contractual PSEO enrollment agreements. These contractual enrollment agreements are more financially attractive to schools and colleges than the default PSEO funding formula found in state law. This lack of data transparency was first identified in a 1996 legislative audit of the PSEO program (see page 12).
Weighted GPA Policy Alignment: School boards must adopt a consistent policy regarding weighted grade point averages (GPA) for credits earned via PSEO as they do for credits earned through concurrent enrollment (popularly referred to as College in the Schools). This means that schools can weigh the grades of both PSEO and College in the Schools, or neither, but they can’t weigh one more or less than the other. This change ensures that students participating in PSEO are fairly recognized for their academic achievements in the same manner as those taking concurrent enrollment courses.
Overall, People for PSEO believes these are positive improvements to the PSEO program that expands collaboration between high schools and colleges, promotes public transparency around PSEO enrollment, and enhances the PSEO experience for students.
Recommended Language Template for School Districts
We recommend that school districts update their PSEO information on their website and in other materials such as presentations, take-home flyers. Please treat this as a customizable template!
For the PSEO notification deadlines:
To assist in academic planning, students must inform their school district of their intent to enroll in PSEO by October 30 or May 30 of each year.
For policies regarding weighted grades, choose the most appropriate (make sure to include International Baccalaureate if offered by the high school).
[School Name] does not have a weighted grading system for college-level courses.
[School Name] has a weighted grade system for grades earned via Advanced Placement, College in the Schools, and PSEO.
[School Name] has a weighted grade system for grades earned via Advanced Placement, but not for College in the Schools or PSEO.
[School Name] has a weighted grade system for grades earned via Advanced Placement, but not for College in the Schools or PSEO.
For more information about these changes or the PSEO program, please contact:
Zeke Jackson
Executive Director, People for PSEO
People for PSEO is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to promote, defend, and expand opportunities for students through the PSEO program.
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