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Chisago Lakes High School for years has offered college in the schools classes.  These classes are taken for both high school and college credit, which is a benefit because these credits can be transferred into a post-secondary college. These transferred credits are credits that students DO NOT have to take at the post-secondary school and are not paid for by the student or family. We are excited to announce a profound expansion of our college credit bearing courses by offering the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum.

As in high school, post secondary schools have general or basic college classes that are required.  For public Minnesota institutions, they call these the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum.  They are a collection of across-the-curriculum classes that are the basis of a well-rounded experience. The more of these "generals" that high school graduates can transfer into the post-secondary institution, the less they have to pay and take when actually attending college.  It's a win-win program for students and parents (pocket books).  Taking college classes while still in high school also prepare students for the rigor of on-campus classes that they will take as college students.  Our classes are taught by credentialed instructors from OUR OWN building, who are mentored by a post-secondary professor/instructor. Students are given the experience of what it will take to be successful in college courses while still in high school.

The MN Transfer Curriculum are college courses across various 10 curriculum areas totaling 40 credits.  Students can choose from a variety of courses within the ten areas to complete their 40 credits. If completed as a total of 40 credits, Minnesota public colleges, community colleges, and vocational centers, will accept them as a block, completing a student’s requirements for generals. Without the block of 40, these same institutions can pick and choose which courses/credits they will accept. For private institutions, they still have the discretion to accept or not. 

CLHS has structured our existing and our new courses to meet these 10 areas.  Achieving these 40 credits is a task that will take a well-planned and intentional learning path.  This planning process will have to begin as students transition to us from their middle school experience and be a combination of Advanced Placement and College in the Schools courses.  To assist in this process, the guidance counselors meet with students to develop their personal learning plan beginning in 8th grade and continuing throughout the high school years. Moving forward, we will be offering multiple courses in each of the goal areas and will be expanding where limited options now exist.  Our goal will be to soon offer a full “AA (Associate of Arts) degree” for the students without leaving our campus!

But wait there's more.  The Board of Education has challenged us to prepare each of our students to be college and career ready. For the vocational and technical bound student, we also have enhanced their preparation for post-secondary success.  Besides adding to the core for traditional college students, we have added over 22 credits of actual vocational/technical college credit courses.  The classes include Autos, 3-D Cad, Animal Science, Microsoft, Child Development, Cabinet Making, and Medical Health Care. Students can begin to earn credits towards their certificates or diplomas in the vocational and technical courses while still attending high school at Chisago Lakes.
Chisago Lakes High School’s early college program provides our students with over 90 possible college credits, including the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum and a multitude of vocational and technical courses. For more information on the college credit courses offered, please contact High School Principal Dave Ertl at 651-213-2501 or by email at [email protected].

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