Natrona County School District students are provided a “Jumpstart to College” opportunity through the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) ACE program. A partnership between the Natrona County School District and Casper College, this program provides an incredible opportunity for students to earn college credits while in high school.
NCSD students have the opportunity to take classes for college credit at the college, online, or at their home high school. These classes offer credit on both their high school and college transcripts. These opportunities allow students to experience and engage in advanced coursework while getting a jumpstart on college requirements and credit obtainment. Additionally, by participating in higher-level college classes, students gain valuable skills and resources to enhance and support their transition into college while building confidence in their abilities to succeed in college.
Concurrent Enrollment
Concurrent Enrollment courses are taught at the student’s home high school by a highly qualified high school educator. Concurrent enrollment courses earn the student both college and high school credit. There is no limit to the number of Concurrent Enrollment courses a student can take at their home high school, provided they meet the registration and prerequisite requirements. During the first few weeks of class, your high school instructor will guide you through the online enrollment process.
The courses are taught at the district’s high schools and the Pathways Innovation Center campus. Different high schools offer various courses depending on the availability of a qualified instructor.
Examples of some past concurrent enrollment courses:
Automotive -Astronomy – American Sign Language – French – Spanish - Chemistry - Woodworking/Construction - Computer Science – English Composition I - US and Wyoming Government - Algebra/Trigonometry - Engineering Graphics – Sports Medicine - Welding. Courses can vary due to the availability of an instructor at the high school. Some courses require a prerequisite test score to enroll for college credit.
Dual Enrollment
Dual Enrollment courses are taught online or on-campus at Casper College by a college instructor and count for both college and high school credit requirements for graduation. All the courses offered at the college are available for high school students to take as long as they meet the prerequisites. The courses taken at Casper College are given as elective credit at the high school. The one exception is English Composition I (ENGL 1010), which provides the student with credit for their senior English graduation and college English graduation requirements.
Examples of popular courses taken at the college or on-line:
Psychology, Sociology, American and Wyoming Government, Biology, Astronomy, English Composition I, College Algebra, Calculus, History of Rock & Roll, Art, Auto Body, Fire Science, and Welding. Some courses require a prerequisite test score to enroll.
Benefits of Dual and Concurrent Credit
- Enhances curricular options, especially the senior year
- Builds self-confidence
- Provides a head start on college requirements
- Eases the transition to a college environment
How many Dual/Concurrent Credit courses will BOCES pay for? (Can be subject to change due to funding restrictions.)
- For eligible Freshman and Sophomore students, BOCES pays tuition, fees, and books for one course each semester (summer/fall/spring).
- Junior and Senior students are eligible to take one course in the summer semester and three courses each in the fall and spring semesters.
- All students can take unlimited concurrent courses at the high schools.
The BOCES ACE Program pays for tuition and books for all courses offered at Casper College above the 1000 level.
For more information or advising, students should contact the BOCES Advisor by calling 307-268-2902 or their high school guidance counselor. To schedule an appointment with the BOCES Advisor to discuss the program and register for classes visit www.caspercollege.edu/BOCES. Students can enroll for fall semester courses from April through August. Enrollment for the spring semester starts in November and ends in mid-January. Summer enrollment takes place from December – June. Students enroll for concurrent courses when their high school semester begins
For more information about BOCES visit the NCSD #1 website at www.natronaschools.org select the Parents/Students tab then scroll down to BOCES.