Academics

We don't believe in a limit to academic excellence. To meet the needs of our excelling students, we offer a variety of AP classes. The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college-level courses in a wide variety of subjects that you can take while still at SRRHS. The rigor and workload in each of these classes is intended to be greater than that of some of our required courses. As a result, grades for each of these courses are weighted and do have an effect on students’ GPA’s. The AP exams are given each spring and students may be granted college credit based on qualifying scores.

This is an opportunity for students to be introduced to a higher level of education with the added support of our staff. We encourage students that want or need accelerated education opportunities to ask their counselor about AP classes and how to become involved with them. Please see here for more information on the AP program. Visit our Courses & Registration Guide page for AP courses offered at SRRHS. 

With the completion of Articulated College Credit (ACC) courses, students may be eligible for credit at the St. Cloud Technical and Community College. 

ACC courses can be found in the following departments:

• Business and Marketing
• Family and Consumer Sciences
• Industrial Technology
• Language Arts
• Science

ACC student data is collected for the purpose of issuing ACC and used by secondary and post-secondary institutions for reporting program effectiveness.  Any public reports are in aggregate form and protect student identity. See the list of courses available for ACC credit here. 

The Senior-to-Sophomore Program (S2S) is St. Cloud State University’s concurrent enrollment program. S2S is a partnership between SRRHS (and other participating high schools) and the university which allows eligible high school students to enroll in introductory college-level courses in their high schools. Courses are facilitated on a day-to-day basis by the local high school teacher. The integrity of the university course content is maintained through direct involvement with a SCSU faculty member. 

General requirements are:

• Seniors: Rank in top 50% of class and pass any necessary placement tests
• Juniors: Rank in top 33% of class and pass any necessary placement tests
• Sophomores: Rank in top 10% of class and pass any necessary placement tests

These standards may change based on specific course requirements from the university.  

See here for more information on the S2S program. 

There are three programs available that enable some seniors to be on a cooperative work program. They are in Agriculture, Culinary and Marketing Education. Students registering for work programs must meet the following requirements:

1. Prior approval from the instructor
2. Sufficient credits for timely graduation. (Check with your counselor if you are uncertain about your total credits.)

See the appropriate section of this registration book for details. Students working through these programs are only eligible for one work program credit per trimester.

Independent Study (IS) courses are opportunities for students to expand their educational programs. These courses are taught voluntarily by licensed staff and must be accepted by the instructor and approved through the counseling office and administration. 

Interested students must be either a junior or senior in good academic standing and have a GPA of 2.5 with B's or better in the department of the IS. They must complete a contract form and have it approved prior to the start of the trimester. They are allowed only one IS course in a trimester. 

Independent Studies may be approved for the following course options: 

• Advanced course of study that is not available in our current curriculum 
• Current course offering that is impossible to fit into a student's schedule 

These courses are designed to be rigorous, and students will earn a graded credit upon completion of all course requirements. 

All students do not learn the same way, and we want to help all types of students achieve success. Our STEPS program provides alternative learning designed to assist juniors and seniors with educational needs that cannot be met within the traditional high school program. These students receive extra support through smaller class sizes and individualized student learning. We encourage students to work at their own pace to educational success. 

STEPS is an over 16 alternative program designed to assist juniors and seniors with educational needs that cannot be met within the traditional high school setting. Smaller class sizes and individualized learning plans are used to help students recover credits and graduate. Coursework in this program is primarily delivered digitally. Students can combine STEPS coursework with Mainstream classes through attending a morning or afternoon STEPS block and filling in schedules with other Mainstream courses. Recommendations for student placement are made through the student’s Counselor and will be reviewed by the SIRG (Student Intervention Resource Group) Committee.

Retention for the STEPS program is based on:

• Attendance (seven  absences or less per Trimester)
• Being Respectful (to Self and Others)
• Being Chemically Free (Chemical use tests are a mandatory part of the program)
• Making Continued Minimum Progress towards credit recovery and graduation (a credit a month on Apex, our online learning system).

Students may petition Sauk Rapids-Rice High School for permission to complete their high school course of study prior to the normal graduation date if they have completed the requirements for graduation. The student will not receive a diploma until his or her class has graduated. Sauk Rapids-Rice High School will, however, certify completion of studies when requested to do so. Students petitioning for early graduation will not be able to participate in extracurricular activities during trimester 3.  Forms for requesting early graduation are available from your counselor. All forms must be completed and returned to your counselor by the end of your junior year.  Students interested in early graduation should register for 10 credits and early graduation.

• Earn an Associate Degree in 2 years (and can transfer credits to a 4-year college or university)
• Offer career programs leading to a job
• Open admissions policy (i.e., students with a high school diploma can enroll)
• Do not need to take ACT or SAT (need to take a placement exam once accepted, however)

Examples: Central Lakes (Brainerd) Community College; St. Cloud Technical and Community College; others

• Offer programs leading to bachelors, masters and/or advanced degrees.
• Some four-year schools have traditional admission policy (i.e., a student needs to complete college preparatory curriculum and be in the upper half of the class), while other schools are more selective (see Minnesota Career Information Systems for more information regarding requirements for specific colleges/universities)
• Need to take a college entrance exam (ACT or SAT) college prep curriculum for new entering freshman at Minnesota state colleges and universities
  • Four years of language arts
  • Three years of mathematics (including algebra, geometry, and advanced algebra)
  • Three years of science
  • Three years of social studies (including geography)
  • Two years of a single world language
  • One year of art (art; music; graphics; others)
  • ****Note: U of M requirements:  Applicants must have a fourth year of mathematics.

Examples: St. Cloud State University; University of Minnesota; others
 

• Offer programs leading to bachelors, masters, and advanced degrees
• Need to take a college entrance exam (ACT or SAT)
• Admission policies vary; View college/university websites or see your counselor for specific admission requirements
• College prep curriculum similar to that of four-year public colleges/universities

Examples: The College of Saint Benedict’; Saint John’s University; others    

The focus of these schools is on the development of job skills with training programs that range from a few months to two years in fields like business, technology, cosmetology, and others. 

• Offer programs leading to a degree, diploma or certificate
• Do not need to take ACT or SAT
• Note: Not all credits earned at private career schools may transfer to 4-year colleges/universities

Examples: Rasmussen College; Model College of Hair Design; others

• Opportunity to serve the country, obtain job training, pursue college course work, and obtain tuition assistance while exploring the world
• Must be at least 17 years of age and on track to graduate
• Must obtain qualifying scores on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)
• Recruiters are available to answer questions (See Schoology for scheduled dates/times)

If you are a male ages 18-25 and living in the United States it is your legal requirement to register with the Selective Service. You can register at any United States Post Office or online here. 

Any student-athlete planning to participate in college athletics must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse.  Students must have their ACT scores sent directly to the clearinghouse by entering code 9999 on their ACT registration.  In addition, any student who wants to compete in Division I or II athletics must have taken NCAA-approved curriculum in high school.  Please make sure you meet the requirements!  Register and see a list of approved courses for Sauk Rapids-Rice High School here.

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade students to earn both high school and college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college nonsectarian courses at eligible participating postsecondary institutions*. Most PSEO courses are offered on the campus of the postsecondary institution; some courses are offered online. Each participating college or university sets its own admissions requirements for enrollment into the PSEO courses.

Eleventh and twelfth-grade students may take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis; 10th-graders are eligible to enroll in PSEO on a more limited basis (see note below*). Students must meet the PSEO residency and eligibility requirements and abide by participation limits specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09. If a school district determines a pupil is not on track to graduate, she/he may continue to participate in PSEO on a term-by-term basis.

*According to MDE 9th and 10th-grade students may be eligible for PSEO in a foreign language or if the High School and Postsecondary both agree to the student’s enrollment.

By March 1 of each year, or three weeks prior to the date a student registered for courses the following school year (whichever is earlier), schools must provide PSEO information to all students in grades 8-11 and their families. To assist the district in planning, a student must inform the district by May 30 of each year of their intent to enroll in postsecondary courses during the following school year.

There is no charge to PSEO students for tuition, books, or fees for items required to participate in a course; however, students may incur fees for equipment that becomes their property when the course or program is completed, textbooks that are not returned to the postsecondary institution according to their policies, or for tuition costs if they do not notify the district by May 30. 

Funds are available to help pay transportation expenses for qualifying students to participate in PSEO courses on college campuses. For more information on these funds, access the PSEO Mileage Reimbursement Program Instructions.

Enrolling in a PSEO course does not prohibit a student from participating in activities sponsored by the high school.

School districts must allow a PSEO student reasonable access to the high school building, computers and/or other technology resources during regular school hours to participate in PSEO courses, whether online or on campus.

All courses taken through the PSEO program must meet graduation requirements. Districts must transcribe credits earned in PSEO by a ratio prescribed in statute. Districts can decide which subject area and standards the PSEO course meets. If there is a dispute between the district and the student regarding the number of credits granted for a particular course, the student may appeal the board's decision to the commissioner. The commissioner's decision regarding the number of credits will be final.

Postsecondary institutions are required to allow PSEO students to enroll in online courses consistent with the institution’s policy regarding postsecondary student enrollment in online courses.

Tenth-grade students may initially enroll in one Career and Technical Education (CTE) PSEO course if they receive a reading proficiency score of “meets” or “exceeds” on the 8th-grade MCA. If 10th graders taking a CTE PSEO course earn at least a grade C in that class, they may take additional postsecondary courses. If the student did not take the MCA in 8th grade, another reading assessment accepted by the enrolling postsecondary institution can be substituted. For students with disabilities, there is an alternative option to demonstrate reading proficiency.

For current information about the PSEO program, visit the Minnesota Department of Education’s Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) webpage.

Each college or university participating in PSEO sets its own eligibility requirements and application deadlines.  Traditionally Sauk Rapids-Rice High School students attend local area schools in St. Cloud. Below are links to local colleges to find out specific requirements and deadlines.

St. Cloud State University

St Cloud Technical and Community College

Students may look into other Minnesota schools if they wish to participate in those PSEO programs. Here is a list of postsecondary institutions approved to participate in the PSEO program.  Please contact each campus directly for specific information.

• Participating in Postsecondary Institutions

Attending college is an important life decision and should be carefully considered. PSEO students are afforded the same rights and responsibilities as all college students and must be able to:

• Take full responsibility for managing time and assignments

• Make room for more study time outside of class, with fewer instructions on how and what to study

• Handle multiple deadlines without reminders

• Take the initiative to seek help when needed

Students can expect to spend up to two hours outside of class for every one hour of classroom lecture. Students should realize that PSEO classes are independent in nature; the high school staff is not responsible for monitoring progress.  Social maturity is also important in working with older students, and professors, and in handling the academic challenge of college.

• Any student interested in PSEO should register for the PSEO course during the registration process for the following school year. 

  • The student and a parent/guardian will be invited to attend a PSEO Information Night hosted by the high school in partnership with local colleges and universities. In addition, all students interested will be provided a Post Secondary Enrollment Options Student/Parent Handbook.

  • After receiving all of the PSEO information, students should discuss this opportunity with their parents/guardians and their school counselor to determine if this is the best educational plan moving forward. 

  • The student should complete the application process for the specific institution they would like to attend.

PSEO Notice of Students Registration (NOSR) Forms
The PSEO Notice of Student Registration must be completed for each semester by an eligible student and signed by the student’s parent or guardian(if the student is under the age of 18) in section one. The school completes and signs section two. Students then forward the form for the appropriate academic year to the postsecondary institution they plan to attend; the postsecondary institution completes section three and submits a copy to the Minnesota Department of Education

If public school students do not notify the enrolling district of their intent to enroll in PSEO by May 30, and the enrolling district does not waive the deadline in section two of the form, the family may be responsible for the postsecondary tuition expense.

• Access the 2022-23 PSEO NOSR form in three different formats here: These documents are available at each institution and can be accessed through their specific PSEO web pages.

• Transcript Release form- Most colleges will require a transcript to be sent and it is typically embedded within the application, but please complete this release form and bring it to the Guidance office if one is not provided.

Additional Things:

1. College Application- Many colleges and universities require students to apply to their schools using their Online College Application. You will need to check each individual school you are interested in to see if they require this.

2. ACT Scores- Some colleges may require ACT scores for admission into the PSEO Program. ACT scores can be included on a High School transcript if the student has already taken the ACT. Come colleges may require the ACT score to be officially sent from ACT. If this is the case, students need to log in and/or create an ACT account at actstudent.org and have scores officially sent to the college they are applying to. There will be a fee from ACT to do this.

3. Placement Test- If ACT scores do not place the student into the course a student is interested in taking, some colleges may offer a placement test, such as the ACCUPLACER.

• Once all application materials have been submitted to the college, a student will be notified by mail or email from the college if they have been accepted.

• The student will typically also receive information regarding PSEO Registration or Orientation for the college, which usually takes place over the summer. This is the responsibility of the student to attend registration and orientation. The college will also usually require a meeting with an advisor at the college level. This may happen at orientation.

• Once a student meets with the college advisor, they will be able to register for college courses.

• PSEO students will be invited to a special scheduling day at the high school, in August. This will be the student’s opportunity to meet with their high school counselor to review their PSEO course registration and adjust their high school schedule accordingly.

• Mailings will go out to PSEO students communicating the date and time of the scheduling day, along with additional course information. 

• A student must meet with a High School Counselor after registering for their college courses and turn in an official schedule of their PSEO courses, which includes the student’s name, courses taken, and the number of credits for each course. This can usually be found in the student’s e-services account set up at the college when registering.

• Once the schedule is turned in to the counselor and reviewed, a student’s high school schedule will be modified to include the PSEO courses.

1. Per the Minnesota Department of Education, to assist the district in planning, students must notify their school by May 30 if they want to participate in PSEO for the following school year.

2. Section 1 of the Minnesota State Department of Education PSEO Notice of Student Registration Form must be completed by the student and parent before registration for each college semester and the SRRHS PSEO Agreement form and Transcript Release form must be completed and returned to the Guidance Office. Students need to check each school they are applying to for eligibility requirements and if any additional applications or forms are needed. Many schools require PSEO students to fill out their college application which can usually be found on the school website.

3. Per the Minnesota Department of Education, to access PSEO, a student must first give up one class at the high school during the core school day. This allows a student to participate on a part-time or full-time basis and enroll in classes during the day, evening, or weekend in an online or face-to-face setting

4. Students are required to sign up for the PSEO courses that are college-level (developmental-level classes are not covered by the state). PSEO classes must be pre-approved by the school counselor in order for the student to receive credit. Students must meet all SRRHS graduation course requirements.

5. All grades earned in PSEO will be averaged into the student’s high school GPA for the semester in which they have enrolled for class(es).

6. A student must meet and discuss with the counselor before they can drop a college class to ensure all graduation credits are being met and to avoid any unnecessary penalties on their transcript i.e. Withdrawal (W) or Windrawl-Fail (WF). SRRHS’s Drop/Add Policy is still in effect for PSEO courses.  

7. Students should attend the August PSEO meeting to connect with their counselor. SRRHS class schedules will not be changed until the student turns in their official college schedule, which includes the student’s name, courses taken, and the number of credits for each course.

8. It is the student's responsibility to contact the designated college regarding registration, orientation, assessments, credit transfer information, and the appropriateness of course selection.

9. A diploma will not be awarded until college transcripts are received and evaluated for graduation requirements. PSEO students will not receive their diplomas on the day of graduation if a final transcript is needed to verify the required credits for graduation.

10. Transportation, class attendance, and meeting all PSEO requirements are the responsibilities of the participating student. Parents/guardians accept the responsibility of students who drive to college.

11. Funds are available to help pay transportation expenses for qualifying students to participate in PSEO courses on college campuses. For more information on these funds, access the PSEO Mileage Reimbursement Program Instructions.

12. Students enrolled in PSEO are responsible for maintaining contact with the high school, especially regarding all senior and graduation-related events. They must continue to check their SRRHS email and grade-level Schoology page for important information shared throughout the year.