High School Instructor Handbook

Facilitating Concurrent Enrollment Courses

Greetings,
I am honored to welcome you to your important role as a Concurrent Enrollment Instructor (CEI) for the University of Maine’s Early College Program! Your work is vital to the delivery of our courses in your high schools. You help us maintain the same rigor, quality, and academic standards as those offered on our campus. Together, we’re advancing opportunities for high school students to experience a seamless transition to college, while also fostering meaningful exploration for your students.

The UMaine Early College Program is committed to setting and upholding the highest standards in implementing our concurrent enrollment courses. Your role is essential in meeting these standards and enhancing this important partnership between secondary and higher education.

Throughout this partnership, you will:

  • Collaborate closely with your faculty liaison (FL) to align courses with UMaine’s curriculum and learning objectives.
  • Participate in initial meetings to establish expectations and guide syllabus development.
  • Engage with our faculty through site visits, regular check-ins, and ongoing professional development opportunities.
  • Ensure the grading standards and assessment methods used are consistent with those on campus.
  • Through your interactions, site visits, and professional development, demonstrate alignment with NACEP standards.

We deeply value the time, expertise, and dedication you bring to this partnership. Should you encounter challenges or need additional support, please do not hesitate to reach out. We want you to feel supported in your role. I’m here to assist you in maintaining the quality and success of this program. Thank you for your commitment to shaping the academic journeys of our concurrent enrollment students.

Warm regards,

Kari Suderley
Director, Early College Programs
University of Maine
kari.suderley@maine.edu

Early College Program

The University of Maine has a long history of being a leader in supporting Early College programming. Our signature online program, Academ-e, launched in 2006.

Qualified students may earn a lifetime total of 18 tuition-free credits. Students who exceed the lifetime cap, out-of-state students, and international students may apply for courses as “Self-Pay” students and will be billed at a reduced tuition rate. With an online portfolio of over 70 course offerings each summer, fall, and spring, students have the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of courses online and on campus.

Maine high school students must apply for their courses in the statewide application system that is shared by UMS and MCCS. It requires the following items to be considered a complete application:

  • Signed Student Acknowledgement
  • Signed Parent Consent
  • School Counselor recommendation with GPA listed and any documentation of pre-requisites

Early College students are registered at the end of the appointment calendar as non-degree students, unless it is a registration in a concurrent enrollment course.

Students are supported by DOE Aspirations program at an Early College rate as follows:

  • Concurrent Enrollment: $60 per credit
  • Online or campus: $155 per credit (as of Fall 2026)

Students who pay tuition to attend their high school are considered self-pay and pay the rates as stated above.

NACEP standards

The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) works to ensure that college courses offered by high school teachers are as rigorous as courses offered at the sponsoring college campus. As the sole accrediting body for concurrent enrollment partnerships, NACEP helps these programs adhere to the highest standards. Hence, students experience a seamless transition to college, and teachers benefit from meaningful, ongoing professional development. To advance the field and support its national network of members, NACEP actively shares the latest knowledge about best practices, research, and advocacy.

An institution must comply with 16 accreditation standards for its concurrent enrollment program to achieve accreditation. This includes standards in the categories of Partnerships, Curriculum, Faculty, Students, Assessment, and Program Evaluation, which is where this document becomes salient.

Our office has worked diligently to create templates and guides for the responsibilities you are undertaking to help us a maintain a quality program.

NACEP Logo
  1. Schools apply to offer a UM course
    • Each High School shall recommend potential Concurrent Enrollment Instructors and direct them to apply with the Early College office. Applications include a CV/Resume, transcripts, and credential documentation.
  2. Instructor vetting conducted by UMaine department
    • The University department is responsible for evaluating and approving the credentials of all recommended Concurrent Enrollment teachers. This could be a Dean, Associate Dean, Chair, etc.
  3. Liaisons are assigned to courses/HS instructor
    • Department administration will select/request/assign a faculty member to provide oversight of the course and HS instructor.
  4. Partnership begins
    • Faculty Liaisons will provide all necessary discipline-specific training and onboarding to the assigned high school instructor, review syllabi and assignments, provide professional development opportunities, conduct a class visit, submit end-of-course grades, etc. Please reach out to your liaison if you have any course specific questions. Reach out to the EC team if you have questions about applications or activations.
  5. System MOU for Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships
    • MOU is signed by the school district to formalize this partnership between the school and the Univeristy of Maine System. Our system office handles this process. This document includes roles and responsibilities but these will be delineated in great detail in this handbook. You will not need to do anything with this document as a CEI.

January

  • Early College office will send a second communication to all High School Instructors for the Spring with welcome information, resources, account activation reminders, FERPA & Title IX Training, etc.
  • Students apply for their Concurrent Enrollment Spring semester courses. Applications due by 2/8.
  • Students complete Fall semester course evaluations (in their maine.edu email) prior to the end of the course.
  • High School Instructors submit grades in ExplorEC for completed Fall semester courses. Faculty Liaisons confirm & submit grades in MaineStreet.
  • Faculty Liaisons must review and approve final syllabi before the High School Instructors upload in ExplorEC. High School instructors teaching a Spring course must upload their syllabi in ExplorEC by 1/15.

February

  • Student applications for Concurrent Enrollment Spring semester courses due by 2/8.
  • High School Instructors conduct a roster verification in ExplorEC by 2/12.
  • Students who wish to drop their Concurrent Enrollment course(s) must make a request in ExplorEC by 2/12. Requests after this date are considered withdrawals.
  • High School Instructors teaching a Spring course must complete online FERPA & Title IX Training by 2/26.
  • Early College office will reach out to partnering high school teams to start scheduling course requests for the upcoming Academic Year.

March

  • Early College office conducts upcoming Academic Year planning for program continuation with each partnering high school.

May

  • Faculty Liaisons will meet with Early College office to review end-of-year survey and address concerns.
  • Faculty Liaisons will make outreach to instructors assigned to them for the upcoming Academic Year.
  • Early College office will send a communication to all High School Instructors for the Fall with welcome information, resources, account activation reminders, FERPA & Title IX Training, etc.
  • Concurrent Enrollment student applications for Fall semester open.

June

  • Students complete course evaluations (in their maine.edu email) prior to the end of the course.
  • High School Instructors submit grades in ExplorEC for year-long and Spring semester courses that have ended. Faculty Liaisons confirm & submit grades in MaineStreet.
  • Complete end-of-year instructor survey by 6/25.

August

  • Faculty Liaisons will reach out to instructors assigned to them for the upcoming Fall semester. Begin discussions surrounding syllabi requirements if this has not already been done. Begin planning a class visit.
  • Early College office will send a second communication to all High School Instructors for the Fall with welcome information, resources, account activation reminders, FERPA & Title IX Training, etc.

September

  • Faculty Liaisons must review and approve final syllabi before the High School Instructors upload in ExplorEC. High School Instructors teaching a Fall course must upload their syllabi in ExplorEC by 9/16.

October

  • Student applications for Concurrent Enrollment Fall semester courses due by 10/8.
  • High School Instructors conduct a roster verification in ExplorEC by 10/12.
  • Students who wish to drop their Concurrent Enrollment course(s) must make a request in ExplorEC by 10/12. Requests after this date are considered withdrawals.
  • High School Instructors teaching Fall courses must complete online FERPA & Title IX Trainings by 10/30.

November

  • Early College office will reach out to partnering high school teams to confirm and finalize offerings for the Spring semester.

December

  • Early College office will send a communication to all High School Instructors for the Spring with welcome information, resources, account activation reminders, FERPA & Title IX Training, etc.
  • Faculty Liaisons will reach out to instructors assigned to them for the upcoming Spring semester. Begin discussions surrounding syllabi requirements if this has not already been done. Begin planning a class visit.
  • Concurrent Enrollment student applications for Spring semester open.
  • Submit Materials: Provide all required documentation and forms to the Early College office.
  • Compliance Training: Complete annual FERPA and Title IX online compliance training.
  • Syllabus Development: Develop a course syllabus and required materials with guidance from the Faculty Liaison to align with UMaine standards.
  • Site Visit Coordination: Coordinate a class visit with the Faculty Liaison for observation and discussion.
  • Program Assessment: Participate in scheduled grade norming and/or program assessment activities.
  • At-Risk Students: Notify the Early College office regarding any students requiring additional support or interventions.
  • Communication: Maintain regular contact with the Faculty Liaison for ongoing support and guidance.
  • Grade Submission: Input final grades in ExplorEC as part of the course completion process.
  • End-of-Year Feedback: Complete an end-of-year survey to provide feedback on the program and its implementation. Encourage students to complete online course evaluations to gather feedback on the learning experience.

Please review the Non-Compliance Statement for CEIs. All of the CEI requirements are meant to ensure the quality of classes offered by the Early College Program at the University of Maine.

  • Instructor Support: Conduct an initial meeting and orientation with high school instructors, documenting the process for accreditation purposes.
  • Instructor Support: Assist high school instructors in developing their course syllabi, ensuring alignment with UMaine guidelines, and approve the final syllabus.
  • Communication and Reporting: Maintain regular communication with the high school partner, reporting any issues or concerns. Contact log required for accreditation purposes.
  • Course Oversight: Conduct at least one site visit per year for the first two years of a new course, then every three years thereafter. Document observations and discussions during visits.
  • Course Oversight: Coordinate and track initial course-specific training for new concurrent enrollment instructors.
  • Professional Development: Provide and document professional development activities, including agendas, attendance sheets, seminar descriptions, event minutes, conference reports, and individualized meeting summaries.
  • Grade Submission: Enter final grades into MaineStreet at the end of the course, noting differences in high school and university schedules. (This work is often done outside of the regular contract year and is compensated as such).
  • Checklist Submission: Submit a final checklist at the end of the course, including all required documentation, to initiate stipend payment.

Once CEI is approved, the Early College office will:

  • Send communication to all High School Instructors for the term with welcome information and resources for FERPA & Title IX Training, etc.
  • Provide administrative onboarding including ExplorEC and account activation instructions.
  • Connect CEI with Faculty Liaison if a new partnership.
  • Provide instruction on class roster verification and other required measures per accreditation standards.

Liaison Steps:
These items must all be documented. Please upload documentation through this online form.

  1. Initial Meeting
    • The faculty liaison will meet with the CEI to begin their partnership. They deliver discipline-specific training to encompass course delivery, pedagogy, and the next steps for student engagement and grade morning. This ongoing partnership provides support throughout the course delivery.
  2. Syllabus Creation and Review
    • The liaison ensures the concurrent enrollment courses reflect the learning objectives and pedagogical, theoretical, and philosophical orientation of UMaine disciplines. To that end, the faculty liaison will provide a UMaine course syllabus to the CEI for review and assist the teacher in their own syllabus development. The CEI will provide a course syllabus that meets the learning outcomes of the UMaine course for the liaison to review and approve. The revision process of the syllabus will continue until it complies with UMaine standards (courses will not be listed until this is complete.)
  3. Site Visit
    • The faculty site visit aims to improve alignment with NACEP standards. These standards are measurable criteria that address quality in concurrent enrollment programs. The standards ensure that UMaine courses offered in the high school setting are of the same quality and rigor, and that course objectives and outcomes are consistent with the same course standards as those offered at the University of Maine.
  4. Professional Development
    • Concurrent enrollment instructors must participate in university-provided annual professional development and ongoing collegial interaction to further enhance instructors’ pedagogy and breadth of knowledge in the discipline. This can be done in different modalities but must be delivered and documented by the content area expert.
  5. Grade Submission
    • Concurrent enrollment students’ proficiency in learning outcomes must be measured using comparable grading standards and assessment methods. Liaisons should promote transparency and fair grading practices. The CEI will provide sample assessments and the faculty liaison will review to assist in aligning assessment practice. Upon course completion, the CEI will submit grades to the Faculty Liaison for approval and posting in Mainestreet.

Providing professional development to concurrent enrollment instructors ensures they align with university-level expectations for course rigor and pedagogy, maintaining the quality and consistency of the program.

Why should CEIs engage in University provided Professional Development?

  • Alignment with Institutional Standards – Ensures instructors understand and adhere to the university’s academic expectations, policies, and curriculum standards. It is required by our NACEP accrediting body.
  • Enhancement of Teaching Practices – Provides access to research-based instructional strategies, assessment techniques, and best practices to improve student learning outcomes.
  • Consistency Across Courses – Helps maintain alignment between concurrent enrollment and on-campus courses, ensuring a seamless experience for students.
  • Networking and Support – Offers opportunities to connect with university faculty, share experiences, and receive guidance, fostering a collaborative academic community.
  • Professional Growth and Credentialing – Enhances instructors’ professional development, keeping them updated on disciplinary advancements and potentially strengthening their credentials for future opportunities.

Professional development should equal two contact hours, and UM/EC should be able to provide this documentation to CEIs.

Please review the Concurrent Enrollment Instructor Orientation.

  1. Activate your ExplorEC Account
    • Use the information provided in your acceptance email and CEI Orientation to access your ExplorEC account by clicking on HS Instructor. This is where you will upload your syllabus and verify your roster.
    • If you are an instructor that has an active HS counselor account, you have a different login for your course. Your counselor account is tied to your school email, your instructor account is tied to your maine.edu account that is created (or reactivated) for this purpose.
  2. Activate your Maine.edu Account
    • You will have an MSID or Mainestreet ID created for you (or reactivated if you had a previous Maine.edu account).
    • NEW: You will go to accounts.maine.edu to use your ID# and Activation Key to set up your password. (An email from UMaine payroll will confirm your POI Person of Interest status).
    • PREVIOUS: You will go to accounts.maine.edu and use your ID# and previous username (typically first.lastname) to recover or reset an old account.
  3. Syllabus Requirements
    • This guide/template provides all the needed language and structure for your HS/UMaine syllabus to aid in your approval process with your liaison.
  4. Submit Course Grades
    • This walk-through shows you how to acces the grade roster in ExplorEC so that you can enter grades for your students. Please make sure you have discussed grading norms with your liaison. (Note: UMaine does not issue an A+)

Student Guides

Please reach out to our team if you want to schedule a zoom to walk your class through this process. We recommend using your first class session to allow students to start their applications. This process can sometimes take a week or more to complete so it is paramount that you start them ASAP.

  1. Create an ExplorEC account
    • This guide provides a step by step instruction for students to create or reactivate an account on our application portal.
  2. Apply for a Concurrent Enrollment Course
    • This video shows students how to apply for courses that take place at their high school. Can be shared with students.

Concurrent Enrollment Courses

An experiential course designed to assist students with exploring and identifying career interests and goals through the utilization of a structured career development process (3 credits).

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A systematic study of the basics of the Spanish language. Equal emphasis on developing reading, comprehension, speaking and writing skills. For students with no previous study of Spanish or fewer than two years in high school (3 credits).

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Lecture on and discussions of basic psychological processes, including learning, perception, motivation and emotion, higher mental processes, individual differences, personality and additional selected topics (3 credits).

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Introduction to the application of computers to solving chemical engineering problems.  Commercial and public domain computer software for equation solving and spread sheeting will be covered.  The application of these programs to chemical engineering problem solving will be introduced through a series of analysis and design projects. (3 credits).

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This course covers the basic topics in algebra needed to enter a mathematics course at the precalculus level. The covered topics include a brief review of the real number system (including absolute value, exponents, roots, and radicals), linear equations and inequalities, quadratic equations, graphs, functions (primarily linear and other polynomial), factoring, rational and radical expressions. Optional topics include systems of equations, variation, exponential and logarithmic functions (3 credits).

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An introduction to the mechanical engineering profession, including codes, standards, ethics, and professionalism. Introduces the core areas of mechanical engineering and the processes involved in the design, analysis, and operation of components and systems, including spatial visualization, engineering graphics, computer aided design, and experimental methods, as well as teamwork, communication, and design projects (3 credits).

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This is an introductory course in outdoor and adventure activities, forming the foundation of an outdoor leadership education. The course focuses primarily on participation in four different activity categories: cross-country skiing and snowshoeing; bouldering and climbing; hiking and orienteering; and challenge course (3 credits).

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A beginning course studying surveying instruments and their use in the measurement of angles, distances and elevations.  Also includes mathematics, computational methods, adjustments and measurement analysis used in plane surveying.  RTK GNSS and creating ground surfaces is included (3 credits).

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Regardless of one’s field of study, students need to be able to identify problems and generate solutions, communicate these solutions effectively, and test and implement them successfully.  In this course, you will use the Innovation Engineering process and system, that incorporates skills and teaches students how to rapidly innovate and solve everyday problems.  This course is designed to provide a complete overview of the Innovation Engineering system (3 credits).

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An introduction to basic concepts of physics intended for the non-science major (4 credits).

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High School INstructor Handbook

Questions?

Email um.earlycollege@maine.edu.