College in the Schools

INSTRUCTOR

GUIDE

Member of:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................... 3

PARTICIPATING HIGH SCHOOLS ....................................................................................................... 3

CIS INSTRUCTOR ELIGIBILITY ........................................................................................................... 4

BECOMING A CIS INSTRUCTOR .......................................................................................................... 4

CIS INSTRUCTOR RESPONSIBILITES/CLASSROOM POLICIES .................................................. 5

GUIDELINES FOR THE COURSE SYLLIBUS ...................................................................................... 6

NON-COMPLIANCE ................................................................................................................................. 9

NACEP STANDARDS ............................................................................................................................ 10

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN ......................................................................................... 12

QUICK REFERANCE GUIDE ................................................................................................................ 13

GLOSSARY .............................................................................................................................................. 14

REGULATION OF COLLEGE IN THE SCHOOL ............................................................................... 14

Introduction

Greetings! Thank you for your involvement in Minnesota North College’s efforts to provide

college-level curriculum to high school students through the College in Schools (CIS)

program. The CIS program provides a platform for high school Juniors and Seniors to

access college classes in their high schools during a regular school day.

CIS also offers teachers an opportunity to help students navigate college curriculum, gain a

greater understanding and appreciation of what constitutes college readiness, and to

interact with college faculty in areas of study they enjoy. Minnesota North College’s

administration and faculty collaborate with and encourage teachers in the CIS program and

provide ongoing support.

Participating High Schools

Schools that collaborate with CIS to bring this program to their students include the

following: Big Fork, Cass Lake-Bena, Cherry, Deer River, Ely, Grand Rapids, Greenway,

Hibbing, Infinity Online, Mesabi East, Mountain Iron-Buhl, Nashwauk-Keewatin, Northeast

Range, North Woods, Rock Ridge-Virginia, and Rock Ridge-Eveleth.

CIS Instructor Eligibility

The minimal qualifications for College in the Schools instructors: *

 A Master’s degree in the field or discipline being taught; or,

 An unrelated Master’s degree and 18 semester graduate credits in the discipline

being taught; or,

 In-field credentials (for career and technical courses).

*If an interested teacher does not have all the necessary qualifications, he or she may still

be considered a potential candidate if an acceptable professional development plan is

created and filed for that teacher. See the section on Professional Development Plan on

page #.

Becoming a CIS Instructor

The process for becoming an instructor for CIS is similar to the process of obtaining a new

job. Here are the steps that will lead you to that important position.

 The CIS instructor-candidate submits application materials including a completed

application form, letter of interest, resume, undergraduate and graduate transcripts,

and letter of recommendation from their school’s Principal.

 Minnesota North College Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and high school

Principal meet to discuss the CIS course and consider potential instructors.

 The Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, Academic Dean, and Human

Resources will review instructor transcripts to determine if applicant meets

minimum qualifications to teach in the identified discipline.

 Recommendation that any new CIS instructor teaching during the 2022-23

academic year, shall:

o Meet the minimum qualifications to teach within the identified discipline or

be within 6-9 semester graduate credits of meeting a Master’s degree in

discipline or possess an unrelated Master’s degree and be within 6-9

semester graduate credits of the 18-semester graduate credit required in

discipline.

 The Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, Academic Dean, and faculty within

the discipline will review instructor application materials to determine if applicant

would be a good candidate to teach CIS courses for Minnesota North College.

 The instructor-candidate and the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs meet

informally to discuss the instructor-candidate’s fitness for the work and to address

any questions or concerns either party may have.

 Based on the quality of the submitted materials and the informal meeting, a

recommendation regarding the instructor-candidate’s employment is made to the

Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.

CIS Instructor Responsibilities and Classroom Policies

All high school policies and expectations remain in place for students enrolled in College in

the Schools courses. In addition, all MINNESOTA NORTH academic policies are also in

place. Because CIS courses are for-credit college courses, the Higher Learning Commission

(HLC) and National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) accreditation

standards provide specific guidelines and policy requirements that instructors need to

remember when teaching these courses. Please take time to review the following policies. If

you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact your faculty collaborator or the

Associate Vice President of Student Affairs.

Classroom Viability: Classes may be open to non-CIS students who are taking the class for

high school credit. If a class is a blend of CIS and non-CIS students, the class must consist of

a majority (51%) of the students in the CIS program.

Course Materials & Content: All MINNESOTA NORTH courses follow a common course

outline that identified course-specific learning outcomes. Faculty review and update course

outlines on a three-year rotation. The faculty collaborator you are working with will share

the common course outline for the courses you are teaching. MINNESOTA NORTH

recognizes academic freedom, as outlined in the MSCF contract. As a CIS instructor, you are

granted the same academic freedom. However, you are required to meet the learning

outcomes. We require faculty collaborators review your course materials (syllabus,

textbook, assessments, etc.) annually. This is an effort to maintain course rigor per NACEP

requirements.

Assessment & Grading: As noted above, every course has approved course learning

outcomes. Every learning outcome must be assessed; the method of assessment is up to

you. While you and your faculty collaborator may use different assessment methods and

different grading criteria, we require faculty collaborators to review assessments and at

least one graded assignment each semester. This is in an effort to ensure grading

assessment and grading standards are comparable.

When the CIS course is completed, final grades should be emailed to your faculty

collaborator within two days of the end of the semester. Your faculty collaborator will

review and enter final grades into MINNESOTA NORTH’s e-services. Grade changes can be

made at a later date by the instructor if the student has received a grade of Incomplete or if

an error occurred. A form to change grades is available in the MINNESOTA NORTH Student

Services office.

Grade Appeals: Students have the right to appeal grades they feel are inaccurate.

MINNESOTA NORTH policy asks that students first speak with their instructor to resolve

the issue. If this does not resolve the issue, students may appeal their grade through the use

of the student appeal procedure.

Incompletes: An “I” (incomplete) grade is a temporary grade assigned to students who

cannot complete coursework on schedule because of illness or other circumstance beyond

the student’s control. The grade is treated as “unearned” attempted credit when evaluating

pace of progression (credit completion rate) but does not impact GPA. An “I” grade will

automatically become an “F” grade at the end of the next semester (not including summer),

if requirements of course completion have not been satisfactorily met.

Academic Integrity: MINNESOTA NORTH does not tolerate academic dishonesty,

including plagiarism and cheating. As the instructor, you determine the consequences for

academic dishonesty. According to MINNESOTA NORTH policy, possible consequences of

academic dishonesty includes a zero on the assignment, an “F” in the course, or possible

expulsion from MINNESOTA NORTH.

Professional Development & Training: With continuous improvement in mind, and per

NACEP standards, all high school instructors and MINNESOTA NORTH faculty collaborators

are required to participate in the annual CIS workshop and in annual discipline specific

professional development. Instructors who repeatedly do not attend required trainings,

professional development opportunities, or fail to comply with other expectations as

determined by the College in the Schools program, may not be permitted to continue

participation in the program.

Syllabus: Each semester you are required to submit a copy of your syllabus to your faculty

collaborator and to the D2L CIS website. The following information should be included in

the syllabus for every course:

College Information – The college name, address and logo (the logo is available for

download via the MINNESOTA NORTH College in the Schools webpage)

High School Name – The high school name, address and logo.

Instructor Information – Your name and contact information

Course Information – The semester, year, course prefix and number, the full

title of the course, any prerequisite for the course, and times/hours per week the

course will meet.

Course Description – Summary of the material covered in the course and the

lecture/lab breakdown (a course description can be found on the common course

outline).

Textbooks and Materials – List of textbook(s) and other materials or supplies

students need for the course and how students can access any special resources.

Course Learning Outcomes – The course learning outcomes/objectives must match

the learning outcomes on the common course outline.

Student Requirements – Describe course expectations including

assignments, outside work or activities, class participation, safety expectations,

attendance (what students should do if they are absent, how absences affect

grades), and any other relevant information that will affect a student’s classroom

success.

Course Assignments and Grading Policy – How student achievement is assessed in the

class.

Academic Integrity – Academic honesty and integrity are highly valued in the

MINNESOTA NORTH community. Students who enroll and remain at Minnesota

North should, therefore, realize that to submit work which is not academically

honest violates the purpose of the college. Academic dishonesty is unethical

behavior which adversely affects not only the college's academic environment but

also the larger community. See Minnesota North College student handbook for

additional information.

Course Evaluation/Grading – How student achievement is assessed in the class. Also

include how grades are assessed whether by straight percentage or curve.

Statement of ADA Accommodations and Minnesota State system compliance—

As an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and educator, Minnesota

North is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment and education

opportunity and works to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with

disabilities. Accommodations are provided on an individualized, as-needed basis,

determined through appropriate documentation of need. Students must contact Ann

Vidovic, Director of Disability Services at 218-322-2433 or

[email protected] to meet and discuss reasonable and appropriate

accommodations. The accommodations authorized in a documented plan should be

discussed with the high school instructor. All discussions will remain confidential.

This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request.

Mandatory Reporting (Optional statement) – A CIS instructor may include the

following statement on mandatory reporting if desired: “Minnesota law requires all

educators to immediately report instances of actual or suspected sexual abuse,

physical abuse, or neglect of individuals under the age of 18 to the local police,

county sheriff or social services agency.”

TIMELINE

Prior to the beginning of the semester, instructors should:

 Attend annual Fall CIS Workshop (dates and times will be announced)

 Meet with faculty collaborators to complete the annual review of course materials.

 Review the CIS Instructor Handbook

Throughout the semester, instructors should:

 Review the online student handbook with students early in the course to ensure

they understand the academic policies related to the CIS course

 Within the first week of the semester, review class lists to verify students are

registered for the college course

 Ensure that end-of term student surveys have been administered and completed

 Communicate with the faculty collaborator on a regular basis through phone, email,

telecommunication, and in-person meetings

 Participate in annual discipline-specific professional development (NOTE: this is

completed once a year, rather than once a semester)

At the end of the semester, instructors should:

 Submit grades to the faculty collaborator within two days of the course end date.

 Discuss the class experience with the faculty collaborator: what went well and what

could be improved, if there are any equipment needs that need to be addressed.

Discuss any opportunities for professional development

Non-Compliance

For Professional Development

All CIS instructors and faculty collaborators are expected to attend CIS professional

development activities to stay informed of college expectations as they relate to current

course content and rigor. All CIS Faculty Collaborators and CIS instructors will have their

participation in the Professional Development activities recorded by the Associate Vice

President of Student Affairs.

For Course Content

All CIS instructors are expected to adhere to the MINNESOTA NORTH common course

outline to maintain an appropriate level of academic vigor and assessment components.

Non-compliance occurs when the CIS instructor fails to meet the outlined course content

expectations.

If the Faculty collaborator has significant concerns regarding a CIS Instructor’s adherence

to the course content, academic rigor, and/or assessment components, these issues will be

addressed individually with the goal of assisting the CIS instructor to correct the concerns.

Steps to ensure compliance to CIS policies

 The faculty collaborator’s concerns will be documented in writing in the CIS Faculty

Worksheet report and sent to the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs. The

written document will be kept in the CIS Program’s Master Files.

 The Associate Vice President of Student Affairs will contact the high school

administrator and meet with the CIS instructor, faculty collaborator, and/or high

school administrator as appropriate to discuss instructional concerns.

 If the issue is not corrected, MINNESOTA NORTH will send a formal letter to the CIS

high school instructor and high school administrator.

 In the rare case that the CIS high school instructor is still non-compliant, the

Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and the faculty collaborator will cancel

the course for the subsequent academic year and the CIS instructor will lose his/her

status as a CIS instructor in that discipline. The high school administration will be

informed of the College’s decision, and the Associate Vice President of Student

Affairs will work with the high school to identify another instructor, if appropriate.

NACEP Standards

NACEP (National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships) is the sole accrediting

body for concurrent enrollment partnerships. NACEP is focused on ensuring that college

courses offered by high school teachers are as rigorous as courses offered on the college

campus. NACEP accreditation is a commitment to a quality CIS program and continuous

improvement. The following covers the NACEP standards that are specific to your role as a

CIS instructor.

Assessment Standard A1: The college ensures concurrent enrollment students’ proficiency of

learning outcomes is measured using comparable grading standards and assessment methods

to on campus sections.

Curriculum Standard C2: The college ensures the concurrent enrollment courses reflect the

learning objectives, and the pedagogical, theoretical and philosophical orientation of the

respective college discipline.

What this means for you: As noted above, high school instructors work with their faculty

collaborators to ensure that the content in their course is at college-level rigor. Faculty

collaborators are required to review and approve course content and assessments

annually. They will also review the course syllabus, grading criteria, and sample graded

assignments. Faculty collaborators are reviewing these materials to ensure that course

content and assessments align with the College’s approved learning outcomes. Faculty

collaborators may ask you to revise or enhance the content you’ve created. In this case,

faculty are asked to provide content and assessment examples as you collaborate through

the revision process.

Curriculum Standard C3: Faculty Collaborators conduct site visits to observe course content

and delivery, student discourse and rapport to ensure the courses offered through the

concurrent enrollment program are equivalent to the courses offered on campus.

What this means for you: Site visits occur once each semester (twice if the partnership is new)

and provide an opportunity to observe a class session; discuss how the semester is

progressing; review activities, assignments, and projects; view graded material such as

exams and papers; and discuss goals for the course. Please note: this is not an evaluation.

Faculty collaborators are there to work with you to ensure that the course is meeting

MINNESOTA NORTH, HLC, and NACEP standards as well as to provide you with

constructive feedback. If at any time you feel that the feedback provided is inappropriate or

not an accurate, please contact the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs of Student

and Administrative Services.

Evaluation 1 (E1): The college conducts end-of-term student’s course evaluations for each

concurrent enrollment course to provide instructors with student feedback.

What this means for you: The end-of-course evaluations are a chance to hear about the

students’ experience in your course. At the end of each course, your students will receive a

link to an online survey. After the survey is complete, the Office of Institutional Research

compiles the data and will provide you with a copy of the report. Copies are also shared

with the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs of Student and Administrative Services.

If there are any concerning issues, the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs will reach

out to the faculty collaborator and/or high school administration or further discussion.

Faculty Standard F3: Concurrent enrollment instructors participate in college provided

annual discipline-specific professional development and ongoing collegial interaction to

further enhance instructors’ pedagogy and breadth of knowledge in the discipline.

What this means for you: Annual professional development provides an opportunity for

continued collaboration. Faculty are responsible for facilitating the discipline-specific

professional development through side-by-side participation and/or through discussion

and follow-up. Professional development should be discipline-specific and focus on

content, pedagogy, assessment and advancements in the field. Some examples of

professional development might include attending a workshop/conference, collaborative

course content development, book/article discussion groups, or discussion of current

research. We encourage you and your faculty collaborator to discuss professional

development opportunities and interests in order to select something that will be valuable.

Faculty collaborators are required to fill out and submit professional development reports

by April 1

Student Standard 4 (S4): The college provides, in conjunction with secondary partners,

concurrent enrollment students with suitable access to learning resources and student

support services.

What this means for you: Students enrolled in College in the Schools courses have access to a

variety of MINNESOTA NORTH services meant to support them in their academic careers.

Your students have access to:

 MINNESOTA NORTH Student ID: Each student can obtain a MINNESOTA NORTH

photo ID card. These cards provide access to library materials and

computer/photocopy printing on campus.

 MINNESOTA NORTH College Libraries: MINNESOTA NORTH’s libraries provide

students with access to books, periodicals, government documents, and audiovisual

material. Through the library, students can access over 60 electronic databases

housing magazines, journals, newspapers, encyclopedia articles and eBooks. The

library also purchases five databases to support specific programs and general

education. Students may also request an interlibrary loan, providing access to

physical and electronic resources at libraries at the University of Minnesota Twin

Cities campus and other libraries in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

 STAR ID: Every MINNESOTA NORTH students is given a unique StarID. Students use

this to access e-services where they can view their final course grade, order official

transcripts, and to use the on-campus computer labs.

Professional Development Plan

A professional development plan allows high school teachers who do not meet minimum

qualifications to teach in the CIS classroom while completing their educational

requirements. The plan provides information on precisely which classes the instructor

must complete, the school he or she will attend, and the dates by which classes and

paperwork for the degree will be completed. CIS instructors must meet the minimum

qualifications by September 1, 2023. After July 1, 2023, professional development plans

will no longer be accepted and any instructor wishing to teach in the CIS program will need

to meet minimum qualifications at the time of application.

Here are important deadlines to note regarding professional development plans.

 New teachers who intend to file a Professional Development Plan must do so by the

July 1 deadline of the year they submitted their CIS teacher application.

 All newly submitted Professional Development Plans will be evaluated by

MINNESOTA NORTH’s Administration and accepted or declined prior to August 1 in

the year submitted.

 To assure achievement of the goal of having fully-qualified teachers by 2023, the CIS

requirements for new teachers will become more rigorous each year.

 MINNESOTA NORTH will stop accepting Professional Development Plans by August

1, 2022 for teachers who are not within 6-9 credits of obtaining a Master’s degree

within the field they teach.

 On July 1, 2023 Professional Development Plans will no longer be accepted. All

teachers must have a Master’s Degree and at least 18 graduate credits in the areas

they wish to teach.

 Partner High Schools have the right to amend or change Professional Development

Plans as circumstances warrant. Such changes must be submitted to Minnesota

North College prior to July 1 and will be reevaluated for approval by August 1.

 Partner High Schools will be responsible for providing to Minnesota North College

the transcripts and/or proof of registration for graduate coursework that is

completed or in progress by CIS teachers.

 MINNESOTA NORTH Administration will review all Professional Development

Plans and transcripts to determine if adequate progress is being made. Reviews

will take place prior to August 1 each year after the filing of the original plan.

 If Minnesota North College’s Administration deems that a CIS teacher has not made

adequate good faith progress toward completing their Professional Development

Plan, the teacher will not be offered another CIS course until they fully meet

established minimum qualifications in their field of instruction.

 Partner High Schools have the right to appeal this decision. Such an appeal must be

made in writing and be accompanied by evidence of extenuating circumstances

which caused the delay in progress.

 All teachers must complete the goals of their Professional Development Plans by

September 1, 2023. CIS teachers who have not completed their plans prior to this

date will not be able to continue to teach courses for college credit.

Quick Reference Guide for Resources

Minnesota North College

1515 East 25

Street

Hibbing, MN 55746

218-293-6850 Local

888-223-8068 Toll Free

[email protected]

Associate Vice President of Student Affairs

Richard Kangas

218-322-2319

[email protected]

Registrar

Allison Geisler

218-322-2321

[email protected]

Glossary

College in the Schools (CIS): the program that brings select college courses into high

schools to give select students an early start on their college career. Courses are taught in

the high school by specially-trained high school faculty and in conjunction with the

student’s regular high school classes. CIS is also commonly referred to as concurrent

enrollment, dual enrollment, or dual credit.

College in the Schools Instructor: CIS instructors are high school teachers eager to see new

opportunities become available for the students they serve. Aided by their faculty

collaborator, they seek approval from the Minnesota North College Chief Academic Officer

(CAO) to receive certification to teach in the CIS program. Once approval is granted, the CIS

Faculty Collaborator teaches classes at their high school during regular school hours.

Instructors have the benefit of working with college material without the stress of

commuting to a college campus, and as the class they teach is unique within the high

school, that uniqueness can often lead to closer connections with the students they teach.

Faculty Collaborator: The college faculty member who partners with a CIS instructor

during initial training. This faculty member aides in the CIS Faculty Collaborator’s annual

professional development and visits CIS classrooms to help evaluate and encourage the

instructor. Collaborators are the crucial link between CIS and the resources MINNESOTA

NORTH has to offer. As academic professionals, faculty collaborators provide information

about new developments within a subject area, discusses recent pedagogic innovations,

textbook adoption, and educational outcomes with the CIS Faculty Collaborator, and guides

the assessment of learning and grading standards, proficiency expectations, and syllabus

development.

REGULATION OF COLLEGE IN THE SCHOOLS

College in the Schools at Minnesota North College is governed by specific guiding principles, from legislative

mandates and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities protocols, to national accreditation standards and

Minnesota North College values. First and foremost, the program is governed by legislative mandate outlined

in Minnesota Statue 124D.091. Further regulation of College in the Schools is defined by Minnesota State

Colleges and Universities. Board Policy 3.5.1 governs College in the Schools.

Minnesota North College, a member of Minnesota State, is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and educator. This document is available in alternate

formats upon request by going to www.MinnesotaNorth.edu to obtain the contact information of your home campus Accessibility Services coordinator. 04/2022