Frequently Asked Questions for Administrators and Counselors

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Why should a student take a HSDL course?

• There are a number of reasons to have a student take a HSDL course. Some reasons would include:
• Our school does not offer a course a student would like take.
• A student did not earn credit when he/she took the course at our local school, and needs credits to graduate.
• Our school schedule has a conflict, and the student cannot take the requested course.
• A student cannot fit in all the courses needed into the regular school day.
• We don’t have a summer school option.

What courses are available?

• To find out what courses are available, take a look at our courses page.

How can we register a student for a course?

• The first thing to do is to fill out a registration form from Kirkwood HSDL. If one is needed, please contact us and we will send more forms to you. There is also an online option where the form may be filled out, printed, and then may be mailed in.

*The registration form must be signed by the student, parents (if under 18) and a district official to be valid.*

• After the registration materials and payment has been received at Kirkwood, a course guide and text will be mailed to the school for the student to begin the course for correspondence courses.  If a student enrolled in an online course, orientation materials will be sent to the e-mail address provided.

How much does it cost?

• The tuition for a Kirkwood HSDL course for Iowa residents is $125 ($150 effective 6-1-09) per semester course, $175 ($200 effective 6-1-09) for those students who live outside Iowa. A $60 deposit is also required for courses having a textbook.

Is there homework?

• Every course has required homework. Individual course requirements vary, and details are provided with each course. The course is considered incomplete without the homework submitted.

How is testing accomplished?

• When registering for a course, a test monitor is identified. Tests are sent to the test monitor indicated on the registration form. Usually, this is a local high school counselor, but may be another responsible adult at the school.
• It is best for students to test at your local school. When they go to test they will need to bring completed homework for the unit to be checked by the monitor for completion.
• After the test is received at Kirkwood, it will be graded, and then a notification of the score will be sent.

How many classes can be taken at a time?

• More than one class can be taken at a time, however it’s highly recommended that students start with one class and see how it goes before deciding to do more than one at a time.
• The goal is for the student to achieve success, so it’s best not to overload them right away, as that may discourage them from continuing.

How is high school credit awarded?

• When your student has successfully completed the course requirements and returned the textbook to Kirkwood, an official grade and credit form is sent to the local high school accepting the credit from Kirkwood. The credit is usually added to the high school transcript.

When is the best time to enroll?

• This is really up to you! Kirkwood HSDL accepts students at any time of the year. Upon registration, the student will have six months to complete the course for correspondence courses, and five months for online courses. (Effective 6-1-09 students will have 4 months to complete all courses.)
• The best time to enroll would be when the student will have the most time to work on the class. Try to avoid those times of the year when there are other obligations or commitments.

How can we help our students to be successful?

• The biggest thing you can do is to designate someone at your school that can serve as a contact for the student. The test monitor may be the best person to do this.
• Encourage and let the student know that they can come to a staff member for assistance if they are having troubles with the course.
• Because distance learning courses may be new to students, assisting them in setting up a routine for the course would be very beneficial. Organization and time management are two critical elements for successful completion of a distance learning course.
• If your student is having difficulty with the course and you cannot assist them, encourage them contact Kirkwood HSDL, or contact Kirkwood HSDL for them.

What if I have further questions?

• If you have further questions, please contact Marcel Kielkucki, HSDLCoordinator at mkielku@kirkwood.edu.