High school CEP instructors

CEP Instructor resources

The opportunity for high school students to challenge themselves with college-level classes wouldn't be possible without enthusiastic and motivated teachers in the classroom.

Links:

Forms and Downloads:

New instructor application

Are you interested in applying to teach for M State's Concurrent Enrollment Program? Each applicant is considered independently, but a minimum of a master's degree with 18 graduate credits in the specific field you want to teach is preferred. If you do not currently meet the minimum qualifications, please include your plan to meet this expectation by September 1, 2025.

Click here to start your Concurrent Enrollment Teacher Application.

What you need to complete this online application:

Resume
Summary of why you are interested in teaching concurrent courses and your qualifications. Highlight your education, special expertise and any other relevant experience that makes you a good candidate to teach college-level courses.
The courses, or discipline you would like to teach
Letter of recommendation from your high school principal
Graduate transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable for the application, but if you are approved we will need official transcripts on file)

What's next?

Your application will be reviewed by M State's K12 collaborations manager. You will be contacted as soon as possible once a decision is made, but the review process may take five to 15 business days.
If you are approved, you will be assigned a faculty mentor who will help you start preparing for your class. Make sure to communicate what course(s) you plan to teach with your high school principal and counselor so they can help get students tested and registered.
Visit the Concurrent High School Instructor web page for syllabus development and other forms, tools and information.
Create a profile in the Minnesota State system Application. You will receive a welcome email with a link, or you can follow the instructions here.

If you don't have enough graduate credits in-field to apply, but would like to explore some options, here are a few places to start:

Teacher/mentor meetings and observations

For a new course or new instructor six meetings are required. At least one planning meeting between the mentor and high school instructor (which includes new instructor orientation) must occur prior to the start of the semester. At least two in-person classroom observations will occur and one follow-up meeting. Mentors will record their observations and recommendations, which are submitted and reviewed by M State's associate vice president of academics and the K12 collaboration manager.

Repeat course offerings with the same instructor are required to have three meetings. At least one of these meetings will be a classroom observation.

Upon request, high school instructors can be provided with more feedback from their mentor's report.

Instructor/mentor meeting and observation topics

Classroom observation topics may include:

Clarity of the lesson objectives
Organization of the presentation
Communication of subject matter
Demonstration of concept or principles examples
The monitoring of student learning and adjusting instruction appropriately
Receptiveness to students views and responses
Answering student questions clearly and positively
Summarization of key points
Definition of terms and background information given when necessary
Student engagement and/or involvement in classroom activities
The methodology used to assess student learning

New teacher course-specific training

A minimum of one planning meeting between the faculty mentor and high school instructor will occur prior to the start of the course. This meeting will include a comprehensive New Teacher Orientation with discipline-specific training in topics including course curriculum, assessment criteria, pedagogy, course philosophy and theory. Other agenda items will include the Concurrent Enrollment Program handbook, administrative responsibilities, programmatic policy and procedures and ongoing/annual professional development.

Associated Downloads:

High school instructor responsibilities

High school teachers will:

Work with an assigned faculty mentor to create a syllabus that meets all of M State's CEP syllabus requirements, for every course taught. A sample syllabus and a syllabus template and checklist with these requirements is available at www.minnesota.edu/instructor.
Instructors will distribute the approved syllabus to their students at the start of the course. Instructors are encouraged to have students sign the syllabus to further ensure that students have read and understand their responsibilities.
Instructors are required to meet, or exceed, the competencies listed in the course outline and assess for those competencies. Individual lessons, models, methods and pedagogy are determined by the individual instructor in consultation with the mentor. Course outlines and competencies can be found here.
Work with their mentor to select a textbook that reflects current information relevant to the discipline. The high school is responsible for the purchasing of course textbooks.
Work with an assigned faculty mentor to select a textbook that reflects current information relevant to the discipline. The high school is responsible for the purchasing of course textbooks.
Meet with M State faculty mentor:
For a new class, new instructor or new mentor, six meetings are required. At least one planning meeting between the mentor and high school instructor (which includes new instructor orientation and course specific training) must occur prior to the start of the semester. At least two in-person classroom observations will occur and one follow-up meeting. Mentors will record their observations and recommendations, which are submitted and reviewed by M State's K12 collaboration manager.
Repeat course offerings with the same instructor and mentor are required to have three meetings. At least one of these meetings will be a classroom observation.
Attend annual professional development (Concurrent Enrollment Day). Annual professional development and ongoing collegial interaction is a NACEP accreditation requirement which serves to further enhance instructor pedagogy and breadth of knowledge in the discipline.
Respond to communications from faculty mentors and CEP staff in a timely manner.
Review class lists at the start of the course and work with the designated high school contact to communicate any and all changes to M State.
Submit grades by the deadline at the end of the term.
Stay in compliance with FERPA.
Participate in M State's concurrent enrollment electronic surveys (end-of-course surveys sent to students and program feedback surveys sent to instructors).
Communicate extended leave dates and coverage plans by submitting an Instructor Extended Leave Form.

Non-Compliance with Instructor Responsibilities

Annual Professional Development

All M State concurrent enrollment instructors are required to participate in annual professional development in order to be in compliance with NACEP. CEP staff maintain attendance records of annual professional development for high school
instructors and will contact instructors who have been found to be non-compliant.

If a concurrent instructor misses consecutive years of the annual professional development day, the following will occur:

1 year absence - The instructor must notify CEP staff of their absence.
2 years of absences - The instructor may be put on probation as a concurrent instructor.
3 years of absences - The instructor is in jeopardy of losing approval to teach concurrent courses with M State.

For extenuating circumstances when an instructor is unable to attend Concurrent Enrollment Day, arrangements may be
made for one-on-one professional development with a faculty mentor (see page 19 of the CEP Handbook). Prior approval is required by CEP staff.

Course and Program Integrity

All concurrent instructors are expected to adhere to M State’s CEP instructor responsibilities. The course competencies,
academic rigor and expectations must mirror those of a traditional course taught at the college. If the mentor has
concerns regarding a concurrent instructor’s adherence to the course content, academic rigor, grading or other instructor
responsibilities, they will notify M State’s K12 collaboration manager.

Actions that may be taken if a concurrent instructor is not in compliance:

The mentor will document any concerns and submit findings to the K12 collaboration manager for review.
Based on the outcome of the review, the high school administration may be contacted.
A meeting may be scheduled for the concurrent instructor, mentor, high school administration and K12 collaboration manager to discuss the situation and develop a plan for compliance.
If all parties cannot come to an agreed-upon plan or if the instructor fails to take actions toward compliance, the course may be canceled and the instructor may lose their approval to teach for the CEP.