Valley Christian High School’s dual credit program began in 2011 and is similar to models used by other high schools and colleges around the nation. Dual credit allows high school students to earn both high school and college credits while in high school.

VCHS is committed to educating families on the benefits and cost analysis of enrolling in dual credit courses. Students are not required to sign up for the college credit option and can take any dual credit class for the regular high school graduation credit without college credit. Academic counselors can provide strategic advice on how each dual credit class might help students reach their college goals.

How Our Classes are Approved to Earn College Credit

For a course to be offered for dual credit, the course and the teacher must apply to be approved by the partner college. 

 <Course Approval>

VCHS reviews each possible course to determine how offering it for dual credit might benefit our students. Courses that can fulfill general education coursework at most colleges are targeted. Next, the high school course materials and contents are carefully reviewed by the partner college/university department to find an equivalency. The approval confirms that the course taught at Valley Christian High School is of the same content and rigor as the equivalent course they teach.

Most high school classes are spread over the entire school year, whereas college courses are taught in just one semester. VCHS designs how the material will be taught and may add some content in the curriculum while including content and skills required at the partner college/university.

Some courses are separate courses at the College level in terms of what the students learn. This is why  it’s another registration and payment. It will show as additional courses students took on their college transcripts and additional units that will be transferred. As with the Fall and Yearlong courses, Spring dual credit enrollment is optional.

<Faculty approval>

The VCHS teacher for the course is reviewed and approved by the partner college/university to serve as an adjunct professor. VCHS teachers must hold a master’s degree and have sufficient teaching experience to be qualified to teach at the college level.

 How to Sign Up

Students who have the opportunity to take a class for college credit are notified.

Once a student has decided to take the class for dual credit, the student must enroll at the partner college/university—the teacher will help explain how to enroll in a class, or you can find more information on this learn.vcs.net site.

The student completes the coursework during the regular school day, and all coursework is submitted to the VCHS teacher. There is no extra work for dual credit students.

At the end of the course, the teacher submits the grade earned in the class to the partner college/university. Students must contact the college/university directly to order a transcript—they are not automatically sent to the student.

Costs of the Program

The dual credit fee is paid directly to VCHS. There are costs related to offering college credits on our high school campus, but VCHS is very diligent about keeping the costs to the minimum that is required to run the program. This program is not designed to earn income for our school. The cost for the courses depends on the unit of the course and through which college it is offered. Students will be billed to the VCS Parent Portal Account after the sign-ups, and full payment will finalize the student’s registration.

West Hills Community College does charge VCHS a flat fee to run the course, so there is a maximum of 50 students enrolled per course so if we don’t have enough sign-ups for a class, then we will notify you and refund your payment. Sign-ups are taken on a first-come basis.

Maintain your own records

Once you enroll in a dual credit course, you become a student at a partner college. VCS cannot maintain your dual credit college records or obtain transcripts for you. You are advised to keep a record of the following information:

  • VCHS Course Name & Teacher Name
  • College Enrolled
  • Year course is taken
  • College student ID number (if provided)
  • College Course Name & Number
  • Copy of the syllabus (occasionally if the course is required for your college major, your college may want to see the syllabus for approval)

 You are advised to keep a record of the following information for at least 8 years.

Additional Resource

VCHS Dual Credit Program

Last modified: Saturday, August 31, 2024, 4:59 PM