Oswego Community Unit School District 308

 

SD 308 offers a variety of college level coursework opportunities in each of our departments. These courses are labeled accordingly in the Course Catalog. Many times, students believe this process begins in the junior or senior year, but the process to earn college credits and movement towards an Associate degree can begin as early as 8th grade. There are three types of offerings that can garner college credit and work towards an Associate’s Degree: Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Credit, and Articulated Credit.

 

 

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are aligned with the requirements of the College Board AP Program and are evaluated annually through the College Board AP Audit. In addition to preparing students for the AP exam in May, AP courses allow students to experience the pace and intensity of a college-level course while still in high school. AP courses are challenging and rigorous, require more work and time than other high school courses, but are evaluated by former AP students as one of the most valuable experiences of their high school education. Although each college/university determines how AP examination credit is awarded, recent State of Illinois legislation decrees that all state colleges and universities must award some level of credit for scores of 3 or higher. In some colleges/universities located outside of Illinois, no credit will be
given, but the student will begin the program of study at an advanced level. Students are responsible for paying for the cost of their AP exams. AP Seminar is also a course that is offered; students should consult with their counselor for further information.

Further information on Advanced Placement is also available through the College Board website, www.collegeboard.org.

Student’s AP scores could earn college credit or advanced placement. Visit the AP Credit Policy Search website for more information.

 

PLTW has established a strong national support system for student access to STEM studies in post-secondary education through relationships with colleges and universities across the U.S. More than 150 institutions of higher education actively recruit PLTW students and provide recognition opportunities, including admissions preference, scholarships, and course credit.

College-Level Recognition
PLTW classes are nationally standardized, project-based courses that prepare students for college-level work and culminate with a student assessment, which colleges and universities can use to determine if a student earns college credit. The following are some of the ways in which post-secondary institutions recognize and attract PLTW students.

College Course Substitution Credit
A PLTW course or sequence of courses substitutes for a program course and is treated similar to AP or transfer credit.

A PLTW course eliminates the need for an elective course; or gives students no course credit, but gives them credit to advance their class standing (i.e. early registration, parking preferences, early financial assistance increase due to reaching junior status quicker).

Partial Course College Credit
The institution grants partial credit for a course, thus reducing the tuition to the student, but not the time.
Bridge College Courses These are courses designed specifically to fill any gaps between the PLTW courses and related program courses.

 

Test-Out or Challenge Exam
Students are allowed to sit for a challenge exam, which upon successful completion will give them college credit for the program course.

 

 

The College Board’s College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) has been the most widely trusted credit-by-examination program for over 40 years, accepted by 2,900 colleges and universities and administered in more than 1,800 test centers. This rigorous program allows students of a wide range of ages and backgrounds to demonstrate their mastery of college-level material in introductory subjects and earn college credit. Students can earn credit for what they already know by getting qualifying scores on any of the 33 examinations.

Before considering a CLEP exam, students may search for institutions that award credit for CLEP exams

 

Students may earn high school and college credit concurrently while enrolled in Dual Credit classes. Classes are typically taken at School District 308 high schools and are taught by School District 308 teachers. Dual Credit may be awarded in the classes listed in the course catalog provided there is a School District 308 teacher approved by Waubonsee Community College or College of DuPage. Students must be at least 16 years of age or older to earn college credit, unless an underage waiver is completed. Successful completion of the course, as determined by the grade awarded, earns Waubonsee Community College or College of DuPage credit that, in most cases, is transferable to Illinois colleges and universities. Grades earned in Dual Credit courses are indicated on both the high school and college transcripts. Based on course requirements, students may need to meet a specific ACT/SAT score, ACCUPLACER qualifying score or specific GPA and/or grade from a previous course. Students who complete math or English Dual Credit courses, must earn a “C” or higher to earn the Dual Credit.

 

SD 308 works in partnership with the Valley Education for Employment System (VALEES) and local community colleges (Waubonsee Community College and the College of DuPage) to provide articulated credit. Students who earn high
school credit can earn college credit based upon the articulation agreement through VALEES. Students must apply for articulated credit and must meet achievement qualifications, i.e. a grade of “B” or better for each semester. Cost of this credit is $10.00 per credit hour. College credit will be applied upon enrollment in college granting articulated credit. Transferability of the credit is dependent upon the college or university to which the student applies. Students who have been high school Career and Technical Education students who have met articulated course requirements and enroll at WCC and JJC are eligible to receive Articulated Credit. Articulation information is available on the VALEES website at www.valees.org.

 

The Seal of Biliteracy is an award designated on the student’s diploma and transcript given by the State of Illinois in
recognition of attaining proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. Biliteracy is defined as having high levels of proficiency in the four domains of listening, speaking, reading and writing in English and another language. The Commendation toward Biliteracy is awarded to students who demonstrate progress toward biliteracy, but do not fully meet the requirements of the Seal of Biliteracy.

 

The benefits of earning the Seal of Biliteracy include:

In addition:

All students must demonstrate proficiency in both English and another language through state-approved, standardized
assessments and courses listed in the charts below. Testing for the Seal of Biliteracy is limited to students while enrolled in high school. The award is not given until graduation although the requirements may have been satisfied earlier. If a student leaves the district before graduation the student will not receive a Seal from Oswego CUSD 308, but the student can request that any qualifying scores be shared with their current district.

Cost
The cost to complete the testing process toward the Seal of Biliteracy will be the actual cost of the Advanced Placement
(AP) exam, the ACTFL Assessment - AAPPL test (Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages) or the
STAMPTM test (Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency).

 

 

By emphasizing the interconnectedness among math, science, technology and the humanities, the diverse program offerings of the Career & Technical Education Division assist students in becoming creative problem solvers, effective communicators, and tomorrow’s leaders. The department’s applied learning experiences enable students to get a head start on their post- secondary education and the advanced training required to be successful in 21st Century careers.

 

 

It is the mission of the SD 308 English Department to guide all students in developing critical thinking and
effective reading, writing and language skills and to equip students to problem-solve and work independently in order to thrive in a 21st Century world.

 

 

 

The Fine Arts Department provides balance to each student by nurturing an environment that fosters the development and
sensibilities, producing lifelong learners with the ability to create, appreciate, and contribute to culture. The Fine Arts Department includes the Visual Arts Department, Music (instrumental, vocal, and theory) Department, and Theatre Department.

 

It is the mission of the Social Studies Department to provide students with the academic background and skills to become active and informed citizens who can function successfully in an increasingly complex, multicultural, and changing world. Teachers will partner with students, families, and the community to develop enduring understandings in social studies, which will lead to a well-informed and civic-minded citizenry that can sustain and build on democratic traditions.