Overview
ASCENT stands for Accelerating Students through Concurrent ENrollmenT. Students who have completed at least 12 credit hours of postsecondary course prior to completion of his/her 12th grade year may be eligible for the ASCENT Program. They remain students in their Local Education Provider (LEP) for one year following their 12th grade year, and the LEP receives ASCENT specific per-pupil state funding that it uses to pay their college tuition at the resident community college rate. Students receive their high-school diplomas at the end of their ASCENT year. [C.R.S. § 22-35-108]
2018-19 ASCENT Slot Requests Process
The Intent to Participate is the only document required to request slots for the 2018-19 ASCENT Program. Please click here for the Intent to Participate link to complete and submit this document online.
May 1, 2018 is the submission deadline for your final slot request.
- You will receive a submission confirmation email after you submit the Intent to Participate.
- CDE will not require districts to submit a list of eligible students. However, it is highly recommended that each district/school maintain its own list/documentation.
- CDE will notify districts in April 2018 of the number of carry-forward slots that the district has from 2017-18 to use in 2018-19 (if applicable to your district).
- By the end of May 2018, CDE will email districts an ASCENT Allocation Notification indicating the number of carry-forward (if applicable) and new slots for the 2018-19 school year.
- November 12, 2018 is the deadline to notify CDE to decrease your new slot request.
Who can request ASCENT slots?
- Local Education Providers
- Districts
- BOCES
- District Charter Schools*
- Institute Charter Schools
*CDE, on behalf of the Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Board, recommends that is a school district is participating in ASCENT, a district charter school within that district should request ASCENT slots within their authorizing district.
ASCENT slots are not the same as headcount:
- 1 ASCENT slot = 1 full-time OR 2 part-time students
- Full-time = 12+ Postsecondary credit hours in fall semester
- Part-time = 3-11 Postsecondary credit hours in fall semester
- Example: 4 students interested in ASCENT
- 2 full-time (= 2 slots)
- 2 part-time (= 1 slot)
- Request 3 ASCENT slots total
- Home study students enrolled in ASCENT are only eligible for part-time funding
Students should continue to pursue Postsecondary opportunities:
-
Submitting request does NOT guarantee full funding of request
- Helps to determine if ASCENT is best fit for student, both financially and in alignment with postsecondary goals
- Research career and/or military opportunities
- Apply to relevant postsecondary institutions/programs
- Apply for eligible scholarships
- COMPLETE THE FAFSA!
- USDOE Federal Student Aid resources
Resources
2018-19 ASCENT Program Webinar Recording
2018-19 ASCENT Webinar Presentation
If you have questions, please contact Mary Anne Hunter at Hunter_Mary@cde.state.co.us or 303-866-6596.
ASCENT Eligibility
Students eligible for the ASCENT program must:
- Complete, or be on schedule to complete at least 12 credit hours (semester hours or equivalent) of transcripted postsecondary course work prior to the completion of his or her 12th grade year*;
- Not be in need of basic skills coursework in their selected pathway;
- Have been selected for participation in the ASCENT program by his or her high school principal or equivalent school administrator;
- Have satisfied the minimum prerequisites for the course(s) before his or her enrollment in the course(s), and;
- Have not participated in the ASCENT program in previous years
* Does not include International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Education Program (CLEP), prior learning, or experiential courses, unless these exams/experiences have been converted to transcripted credits on a college transcript. See ASCENT Q&A for Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
ASCENT Guidelines & Resources
- Graduation Rate Reporting-HB17-1294: OPR Guidance (Revised 1/12/18)
- AP Courses/ASCENT Q&A (Revised March 2018)
- Student October Count Attendance Requirements: Concurrent Enrollment & ASCENT
- ASCENT Training for Pupil Count Coordinators - Field Analyst Support Team (FAST)
- ASCENT Guidelines
- ASCENT Fact Sheet (2015-16)
- ASCENT Map (2015-16)
- ASCENT Specific FAQs
- October Count Resource Guide
- Department of Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Site
- Concurrent Enrollment Programs Comparison Chart 2017
ASCENT Allocation Model
The Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Board developed a system to allocate ASCENT slots to local education providers (LEP) fairly in the case that the number of qualified students exceeds the number of funded slots:
Currently participating LEPs will receive a minimum number of ASCENT slots equal to those utilized by students during the current school year.
- New LEPs will receive up to 10 slots for the first year or the number requested if less than 10
- If additional spaces are available, half the remaining slots will be distributed via the LEPs free and reduced lunch (FRL) rate as a proration
- The other half of remaining slots will be proportionally distributed based on LEP size, to LEPs that did not receive spaces under the FRL distribution
- Unused spaces may be returned to the general pool and reallocated to LEPs, based on appeal
Practice Sharing from our Districts/Charter Schools
Some of our districts have graciously shared their Concurrent Enrollment and ASCENT practices and materials. We encourage others to share best practices/materials. Please contact Mary Anne Hunter to post your material.
ASCENT websites:
Contact
Mary Anne Hunter
Phone: 303-866-6596
E-mail:Hunter_Mary@cde.state.co.us
