LEWISTON, Idaho – Lewis-Clark State College’s dual credit program, which offers classes where students can earn high school and college credits at the same time, has been accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP), college officials have announced.
Freda Richmond, the Director of Accreditation at NACEP, contacted LC State officials and told them the NACEP Accreditation Commission recently voted to approve accreditation for LC State’s program. The NACEP accreditation distinguishes high-quality concurrent enrollment programs administered by higher education institutions throughout the United States.
“LC State’s dual credit program continues to grow each year and we are excited to see it recognized for its high quality,” LC State President Cynthia Pemberton said. “When students take dual credit through LC State, they’re stepping onto a solid pathway from dual credit to college degree, and we’re here to support them in any way we can.”
As the sole accrediting body for concurrent enrollment partnerships, NACEP helps these programs adhere to the highest standards so students experience a seamless transition to college and teachers benefit from meaningful, ongoing professional development.
To obtain NACEP accreditation, programs undergo an extensive self-study, carefully document how the program adheres to NACEP's 16 standards, and present evidence to peer reviewers from NACEP-accredited programs. NACEP’s standards promote the implementation of policies and practices to ensure that college courses offered in the high school are of the same quality and rigor as the courses offered on-campus at the sponsoring college or university, that students enrolled in concurrent enrollment courses are held to the same standards of achievement as students in the on-campus course, and instructors teaching college courses through the concurrent enrollment program meet the academic requirements for faculty and instructors teaching in the sponsoring post-secondary institution and are provided discipline-specific professional development.
LC State began offering dual credit classes in 2002 when Lewiston High School offered three classes to 65 students. Currently, the college partners with 21 high schools in north central Idaho and southeastern Washington to offer 140 classes to over 1,500 students. Students can take the classes at their high school, online or at the LC State campus.
In Idaho, there are 17 high schools and the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance that take part in LC State’s program. The high schools are Clearwater Valley, Culdesac, Deary, Genesee, Grangeville, Highland (Craigmont), Kamiah, Kendrick, Lapwai, Lewiston, Nezperce, Orofino, Potlatch, Prairie, Salmon River, Timberline, and Troy. In Washington, there are four area schools – Clarkston, Asotin, Colfax and Pomeroy.
Classes offered by LC State range from accounting to Spanish and also include Career & Technical Education classes such as automated manufacturing and engineering. To take part in the program, students must be in grades 7-12 or have completed half of their high school requirements.
For more information on dual credit at LC State visit: www.lcsc.edu/dual-credit.
