MBU ECP Achieve

Due to the use of MBU Faculty, some requests for Achieve courses may not be accommodated. Courses which have larger enrollments will be prioritized, and those with fewer than 15 students may not be approved.

The Achieve Instructor of Record (IOR) will be a full-time or adjunct MBU faculty member who has the qualifications to teach the course(s) on campus.  Achieve IORs will be assigned by the division chair or dean.  Assignments will be made on the basis of expertise and availability.  Occasionally, there are no suitable MBU faculty available to serve as IORs and the Achieve course will be cancelled or not approved.

A district or high school administrator, curriculum coordinator, or guidance counselor contacts MBU to request a review of a possible Achieve offering

The MBU ECP director sends a course description and sample syllabus to the high school for initial review of course content.  If the content appears to be aligned, the high school teacher or administrator submits a Course Approval Form which includes a syllabus of the high school course under consideration.  The syllabus should contain learning objectives, text(s), and scope and sequence.   The materials will be reviewed by an MBU faculty member to further determine alignment with the MBU course.

Upon receipt of the proposed Achieve syllabus, the appropriate MBU faculty member reviews the syllabus and other curriculum materials to determine if the high school can deliver the course content, appropriate texts to use, and methods to align with the MBU course and assessments.  The high school may be asked to submit detailed curriculum materials such as lab assignments, quizzes, unit exams, homework assignments, text books, scope and sequence, online resources, or rubrics.  The MBU IOR will verify course alignment and rigor.  If there are MBU learning objectives lacking from the high school class, the high school teacher must verify that they will be added to the curriculum.

If there is some discrepancy between the MBU syllabus and the proposed syllabus, the MBU faculty member may work with the high school teacher and, in some districts, with the appropriate curriculum director, to modify the high school course. If the University determines the high school cannot meet the expectations of the on-campus course, the high school does not receive approval to offer the MBU course.

Once an Achieve course has been identified, the Director of MBU ECP will work with the dean or division chair to obtain a suitable Achieve IOR.  If there is not an Achieve IOR available, the high school will be notified. Concurrently, the high school must identify the Achieve teacher(s) and submit the online Faculty Information Form to the Director of MBU ECP.

If it is determined that course objectives and rigor can be met, the high school teacher has been approved, the MBU Achieve IOR has been identified, and there are sufficient projected enrollment numbers, the course will be approved and an Achieve offering will be created.  The Course Approval Form includes three signatures: a high school administrator’s signature, the appropriate MBU dean’s signature, and the signature of the Director of MBU ECP.   The Director of MBU ECP Student Services then arranges registration procedures with the designated coordinator at the high school.

The Achieve IOR and the high school teacher will meet to determine the details of the course. An Annual Achieve Administrative Outline will be completed and signed by the Achieve IOR.  The Achieve Agreement will outline the details regarding courses, teachers, IORs, assessment policies, content, schedule, and administration.  The signed agreement will be first sent to the Director of MBU ECP, and it will be forwarded to the Achieve teachers, high school counselor, high school principal, and MBU dean.

Teachers seeking to teach Missouri Baptist University courses through Achieve should demonstrate strong credentials in the chosen discipline, experience in teaching the subject, a recommendation by their high school administrators, and a dedication to offering students a challenging college course in the high school setting.

The candidate will be asked to complete the Faculty Information Form.  The Director reviews the form for qualifications such as education, years of teaching experience, and certifications.  The Director will consult with the dean of the appropriate school.

If the candidate is approved, the Director will notify the high school teacher and coordinator.  Candidates will be invited to attend the annual MBU ECP summer workshop to obtain orientation and workshop training to prepare to teach the course.

To maintain the approval to offer Achieve courses and to receive an annual tuition concession for one graduate course, Achieve instructors:

• Are encouraged to attend an MBU ECP summer workshop to obtain annual professional development and MBU ECP program updates.
• Work with the Achieve IOR to schedule exams, a classroom visit, and provide any requested documentation pertaining to the course.
• Maintain communication with the MBU ECP office.

The vast majority of Achieve teachers maintain full compliance to the policies and procedures.  In the rare case that an instructor is found to be in non-compliance, the Director of MBU ECP will make every effort to increase engagement to bring the instructor into compliance.  Instructors who continuously do not meet the expectations are considered non-compliant.

• Non-compliant instructors will receive notice by e-mail from the Director of MBU ECP, their Achieve IOR, and/or the MBU ECP coordinator at their high school sites specifying the area of non-compliance, corrective actions that must be taken, and a deadline for corrective actions.  The high school coordinator will also be notified.
• In the event the instructor does not address the issue by the deadline designated in the first notice, the instructor will be considered in a probationary period and will receive a notice as such from the Director of MBU ECP designating any areas of instructor non-compliance and a deadline for correction.
• If compliance has not been reached by the deadline stated in Step #2, the Director of MBU ECP will notify the high school administration stating that the instructor is no longer approved to teach a Missouri Baptist University Achieve course.

• During each calendar year, a high school teacher who works directly with the MBU ECP program may receive a concession for one free Missouri Baptist University graduate course. The interested partner should contact the MBU ECP office to verify course schedules, request the graduate registration materials, and submit the MBU ECP Concession Form.
• MBU ECP partners whose children are registered for MBU ECP courses may receive a concession for those courses.  An MBU ECP Concession Form should be submitted to the MBU ECP Office.

• Become familiar with the registration process and be able to answer students’ questions or direct them to the Director of MBU ECP Student Services.
• Assist students with the online registration process and submit course evaluations to the MBU ECP Office by the assigned date.
• Notify MBU ECP of anticipated changes in course content and/or text, overall curriculum, instructor, or any other situation, which may affect the quality or suitability of an Achieve course.
• When appropriate, speak with students about the transferability of Achieve courses within Missouri and outside the state.  If students have questions that you can’t answer, please direct the students to the MBU ECP office rather than leaving them with incomplete or incorrect information.  Encourage the students to check with the colleges/universities they are considering because the choices of institutions and majors can make a significant difference in how courses transfer.
• Serve as a liaison between your students and the Achieve IOR.  Students who wish to communicate with the Achieve IOR should do so through the high school teacher.

The MBU IOR will strive to assess the students over the content that has been covered in their classroom for the given period.  This includes using nomenclature and phrasing that is used in the classroom.  The first time an assessment is given in a certain school or district, the MBU IOR will provide a preview of the assessment to the teacher(s) at least one (1)  week prior to the scheduled exam.  This allows the MBU IOR time to edit the exam and/or the teacher to inform the students of the additional content. Grading rubrics may be shared at this time.

Instructor-specific policies such as time allowed, exam weights, the use of note cards, calculators, replacement exams, etc. can be determined by the MBU IOR.  Generally, this determination is made through consultation with the high school teachers and tends to be a combination of the high school policies and the instructor’s on-campus policy.  MBU IOR’s should not allow policies in the high school that they would not also allow for on-campus courses.

The expectation is for each Achieve course to include a final, comprehensive assessment, regardless of the policy at the high school.

In some schools, there are common mid-term and final course exams that are given to all students.  The Achieve IOR may choose to use these exams as a part of the MBU grade if they have reviewed the assessments and deemed them to have the content and rigor required for an MBU course.  In most cases, however, the Achieve IOR writes the final assessments.

Dates and times for the assessments and make-up assessments will be established before the start of the fall semester for fall and year-long courses, and before the start of the spring semester for spring courses.  Many districts choose to give the assessment outside of normal classroom hours either in the evening or the afternoon of early-release days.  Dates and times of assessments should be clearly communicated to students at the beginning of the term so that they can make allowances in their schedules.  When establishing dates, after-school activities and competitions should be taken into consideration, and schools are encouraged to establish times that would not prevent students from taking the Achieve course due to their involvement in extra-curricular activities.  Schools that choose to give the assessment during normal classroom hours may give the assessment to non-Achieve students.  However, proctors should submit only the assessments of the students who have registered for the Achieve course.  The MBU IOR will not grade assessments of non-Achieve students.

Make-up exams are allowed only for students who are unable to attend due to school related activities.  Exceptions may be made according to the MBU IOR on-campus policies and must be approved by the MBU IOR.  The MBU IOR is not expected to write a separate make-up exam for students and maintaining the integrity of the exam will be considered. Policies such as dropping the lowest test grade, replacing the lowest test grade with the final exam, and other such replacement policies should be established prior to the start of the semester and clearly communicated to the students.

The Achieve model can be more challenging than other modes of delivery, and it is unique to MBU.  Therefore, students may be ill-prepared for the amount of content tested and the rigor in a college level assessment and some students choose to drop the Achieve offering. Achieve IORs should work with the high schools to ensure that the first assessment can be completed and graded by the stated drop dates.  Click here for drop procedures.

Proctors will be assigned for each exam.  Proctors may be teachers or administrators in the high school.  Proctors cannot be other high school students.  If a proctor cannot be provided by the high school, arrangements should be made well in advance with the MBU ECP office to provide proctors.  It is recommended that proctors are chosen who are familiar with the content.  Proctors should not answer questions from students that would be considered “helping” the students to arrive at the proper answer, but they may answer questions of clarification.

Proctors are expected to securely gather exams and transmit them per the agreement made at their school.  This may include scanning, emailing, or mailing the exams.

Proctors are paid a stipend of $75/exam, and they can receive payment by completing the online Proctor Payment Form.  Payment forms must be submitted by the end of the academic year in which the exam was proctored.  Payments are made through the MBU Accounts Payable office, and proctors should allow up to six weeks for processing.

Depending on the technology available at the high school, the high school’s proximity to MBU, and the Achieve IOR’s location, there are various options for administering and transporting the assessments.  The preferred method is to transfer the documents electronically as it provides the shortest turn around time, it is the most cost effective, it is the most secure, and it provides the best documentation.

In all cases, the Achieve IOR will write the assessment and post it to a Canvas module that has been provided for the Achieve course.  The Achieve high school teachers must activate their MyMBU account and their MBU Canvas account, and they will become “students” on the Achieve IOR Canvas shell.  The Achieve IOR will post the assessment at least one week prior to the scheduled date.   The Achieve IOR will post the assessment feedback to Canvas once the assessment has been graded.

High schools that are near MBU or to their Achieve IOR may choose to utilize a courier for exams.  The courier could be an MBU ECP staff member, a faculty member, or the Achieve IOR.  High school proctors are strongly advised to scan all exams prior to sending them on for pick-up in case the package is misplaced or lost during transportation.

High schools that are far from MBU or their Achieve IOR may choose to utilize the US Postal Service. High school proctors are strongly advised to scan all exams prior to sending them in case the package is misplaced or lost during in shipment.  Allow 4 business days for the flat rate envelopes to arrive at their destination.

The MBU IOR will grade the assessment and provide the grade and other feedback to the teacher.  The content of the feedback will be agreed upon by the MBU IOR and the teacher.  The MBU IOR may request that the students not be allowed to keep their graded assessments.  The MBU IOR will provide a grade within 10 days of receipt of all student assessments, including the make-up assessments.