Parents, Guardians, Families
Program Information
Things to Know
Willamette Promise courses provide students with the opportunity to receive both high school and college credit simultaneously.
Willamette Promise courses maintain the same college-level rigor and outcomes as Western Oregon/Oregon Tech courses.
College credits are transferable to Western Oregon, Oregon Tech, all Oregon Public Universities, and many other institutions.
Students will have access to most college resources, including the library, computer lab, and disability services.
The total cost is $30 per year for as many courses as the student would like to take. If students qualify for the federal Free and Reduced Lunch program, they are eligible to access our program at zero cost.
A student’s university course grade may differ from their high school grades. This differentiation makes it so that university standards are applied in the same way in every school with every student. Teachers will give each student a syllabus explaining the difference between high school and university grades. If a student is unsure, we encourage them to talk to their teacher.
Interested in learning more about how to help your student succeed in Dual Credit? Check out our tips for families!
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of student educational records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
While parents/guardians have access to student records when a student is under 18 and still in high school, they lose access when students participate in Willamette Promise or other dual credit programs and are attending a post-secondary institution.
As such, Willamette Promise staff can only disclose student information directly to students or school officials with a legitimate educational interest. It becomes the student’s choice and responsibility to share their education records with their parents.
To learn more, watch this video from the U.S. Department of Education.
Student Transferability
Please keep in mind that colleges and universities have the ultimate responsibility to evaluate all transfer credit and to determine if it meets the standards of their academic programming; therefore there is no exact rule for how credits transfer, whether those credits are from Willamette Promise, another dual credit program, or a more traditional college program.
Western Oregon credits through the Willamette Promise transfer to most public institutions, but sometimes they may transfer as elective credits. Some small, private, liberal arts colleges have rigid credit transfer policies and do not accept any type of accelerated or dual enrollment credits.
Policies for credit transfer are typically listed on a university’s website, with their admissions information. We encourage you to take a look at the policies for the universities to which you plan to apply. Then, make an informed decision about where you choose to apply that includes understanding these policies.
We are happy to help individual students and families through this process, contact us for more information if needed.
Disability Services
Students taking college/university credits while in high school are subject to the same requirements as college students.
Offices of Disability Services (ODS) at colleges and universities provide reasonable accommodations to ensure that students with disabilities have access to all programs. Through intentional interventions, programs, and services that meet federal requirements, the services encourage personal growth and increase effective communication for students.
Click here for specific information on Disability Services at Western Oregon University (WOU).
Click here for specific information on Disability Services at Oregon Institute of Technology (OT).
Use this document to understand better the differences in disability services at the high school or college/university level.
If you have questions or if we can support you in any way, don't hesitate to contact us.