St. Vrain Valley Schools
Earn college credit in high school
St. Vrain offers five options for students to begin college-level learning and work toward college credit while still in high school.
Explore college credit options
Compare where each option takes place and how credit is awarded. Students may be able to combine options; your school counselor can help you understand eligibility, scheduling, and next steps.
Concurrent Enrollment
How to enroll in a college course
Concurrent Enrollment lets eligible high school students take real college courses — at their high school or on a college campus — with tuition paid by the district. The State of Colorado created these options so students can begin college early and take courses beyond what their high school offers.
Your final grade appears on both your official high school and college transcripts, so the credit you earn is real from day one. To take a college course, you’ll need to meet the course prerequisites and complete any required placement assessments.
Cost
Tuition paid by the district
You cover course fees and textbooks.
Who
Eligible high school students
Your counselor confirms eligibility and prerequisites.
Where
At your school or on campus
Through partners Front Range and Aims.
When
Before each semester
Key dates and deadlines are in the annual checklist.
Step 1: Start with your high school counselor
Your counselor is your first point of contact. They will review your Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP), explain available Concurrent Enrollment options, and help confirm that courses and prerequisites align with your plan.
View the annual checklistStep 2: Apply and register
Apply to the approved St. Vrain college partner where you plan to take courses. After completing the checklist, meeting with your counselor, and confirming your schedule, register with the college, pay any applicable fees, and purchase required textbooks.
Taking a Front Range course at a St. Vrain site? You may skip college registration, though course fees may still apply. Confirm your next steps with your counselor.
Front Range Community College
Serves Boulder County students, with courses at St. Vrain schools and on campus.
Step 3: Authorize the College Opportunity Fund
The College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend pays a portion of in-state tuition at Colorado public institutions and participating private institutions. Most college applications include an option to authorize COF. The college will bill you if you do not complete this step.
Step 4: Understand tuition and fees
St. Vrain Valley Schools will pay tuition minus COF. The district does not pay additional college fees, textbooks, or other course costs. Tuition processing takes time, so a balance may appear on your account until halfway through the semester. Do not pay the tuition balance; you are responsible only for additional fees owed directly to the college.
College-level challenge, built into the school day
AP courses let students study a subject in greater depth and prepare for a national exam. Every St. Vrain high school offers AP courses, with subjects varying by school.
From course selection to score release
- 1
Choose the right AP course
Review your interests, previous coursework, and overall schedule with your counselor. AP is designed to be challenging, so the best choice is a course you are prepared to engage with deeply.
- 2
Complete both registration steps
Joining the AP classroom and ordering the exam are separate actions. St. Vrain completes exam registration in the fall, so watch for instructions from your school’s AP coordinator.
- 3
Take the exam and send your score
AP exams take place in May. Scores arrive through your College Board account in July and can be sent to colleges for credit or placement review.
International Baccalaureate
A globally focused path to the IB Diploma
Niwot High School offers St. Vrain students an internationally recognized college-preparatory program for grades 9–12.
Explore IB at Niwot01
Grades 9–10
Build the foundation in Pre-IB
Niwot Pre-IB combines honors English, world language, social studies, science, and math. Students also complete 50 hours of community service before entering the diploma years.
02
Grades 11–12
Complete the Diploma Programme
Students study language and literature, another language, social sciences, experimental sciences, mathematics, and either the arts or another academic subject.
Beyond the subject groups
The three-part IB core
These shared experiences connect the academic program and ask students to apply their learning in different ways.
- Extended Essay
- An independent research project culminating in a 4,000-word paper.
- Theory of Knowledge
- A course examining how knowledge is created, justified, and understood.
- Creativity, Activity, Service
- Experiences that support reflection, personal growth, and community engagement.
A meaningful college head start: many Niwot IB graduates enter college with 24 or more credits. Awards depend on exam results and each institution’s IB policy.
24+ credits
P-TECH
A diploma, an associate degree, and industry experience
P-TECH combines high school, college, and career preparation in one coordinated program.
- Start
- Ninth grade
- Students enter as a cohort and build college readiness over time.
- Complete
- Four to six years
- The flexible timeline supports both the diploma and associate degree.
- Graduate with
- Two credentials
- A high school diploma and a no-cost associate degree.
Four P-TECH programs
Four programs connected to growing industries
Each program pairs a St. Vrain high school with a community college and a network of industry partners.
Explore P-TECH programs
FalconTECH
Skyline High School
Computer Information Systems with Front Range Community College
EagleTECH
Frederick High School
Biopharma Manufacturing with Aims Community College
RaptorTECH
Silver Creek High School
Cybersecurity with Aims Community College
TrojanTECH
Longmont High School
Business Administration with Front Range Community College
More than a degree
Mentorship, internships, and industry-recognized certifications help students build a professional network and understand how their coursework connects to a career.
P-TEACH
Explore teaching by stepping into the classroom
P-TEACH gives students a practical way to decide whether a career in education is right for them.
A substantial college head start
Up to 31
CU Denver college credits
Concurrent enrollment courses can count toward education degrees while students are still completing high school.
The classroom is part of the coursework
Learn with students, teachers, and communities
The community-based field experience pairs seminar learning with 60 hours working in a local school or community organization. Students build practical experience supporting children’s academic and social development.
Paid experience may also be available through externships with St. Vrain Community Schools.
Course themes
Understand how people learn and grow
Most P-TEACH courses are open to students in grades 10–12. Offerings and schedules vary by year.
Early childhood
Child development, early learning, health, safety, and family relationships.
Elementary education
Teaching mathematics and making complex ideas meaningful for young learners.
Classroom community
Social-emotional learning, child guidance, and connected learning environments.
Inclusive practice
Language, identity, culture, special education, and equitable learning.
Your counselor can help you identify the right starting course and fit P-TEACH into your high school plan.
View P-TEACH coursesBy the numbers
The St. Vrain Advantage
College-level learning gives students a meaningful head start, from stronger academic preparation to substantial future tuition savings.
Figures reflect the 2024–25 school year unless noted as cumulative.
- AP qualifying score rate
- 75%
- AP exams scoring 3 or higher, above state and national averages.
- College credits earned
- 44,014
- Credits earned through AP, Concurrent Enrollment, IB, and P-TECH.
- Savings for families
- $23M
- Estimated future tuition savings created by credits earned in high school.
- Associate degrees
- 163
- Cumulative total earned before or alongside a high school diploma.
Ready for what comes next
Beyond college credit
Students leave these programs with more than transcript credits. They build credentials, workplace experience, and professional relationships that support their next step.
- Graduate with recognized credentials
- 1,010
- Industry certifications earned in healthcare, information technology, welding, automotive, manufacturing, and more.
- Learn in real workplaces
- 728
- Students participated in internships or apprenticeships that connected classroom learning with career experience.
- Build a professional network
- 500+
- Industry, corporate, government, and higher education partners provide mentorship, expertise, and opportunity.
96.8%
On-time graduation rate
Alongside a 0.4% dropout rate, among the strongest outcomes for large Colorado school districts.
A system built around student opportunity
Investment and access turn ambitious programs into everyday options.
Approximately $71 million in competitive grants supports career and technical education, innovation, and workforce partnerships. Eight St. Vrain high schools have also earned AP School Honor Roll recognition.