Skip to main content

College Now Instructors, Counselors and Administrators

Are you a high school teacher interested in teaching a College Now course through JCCC? Here are some frequently asked questions and answers.

Thanks for partnering with JCCC’s College Now program.

College Now logo next to JCCC logo

Johnson County Community College is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and adheres to the standards set by HLC. All College Now instructors are required to meet the same HLC qualifications as JCCC faculty.

Minimum qualifications

Instructors who teach in general education subject areas need one of the following:

  • Master’s degree in the teaching discipline/field
  • Master’s degree in any field with 18 graduate credit hours in teaching discipline/field

Instructors teaching in career and technical education areas need:

  • Bachelor’s degree in the teaching field or a combination of education, training, and tested experience. Each CTE instructor application will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis due to industry-specific criteria.
Applicants who have not fulfilled the minimum qualification may have an opportunity to provisionally teach while completing the required coursework through the end of the Spring 2025 semester. Contact the College Now office for details.

Refer to the Responsibilities list below.

Yes. Every College Now instructor receives a stipend each semester they teach. See the handbook (provided at the beginning of each academic year) for specific details regarding additional stipend amounts.

Refer to the Tuition Reduction Request information below.

The Building Rep is a staff member (usually a counselor) from your high school who is the building’s designated point of contact for College Now. The College Now office works closely with the Building Reps to verify class schedules and stay abreast of new hires/retirements. Your students can also contact your Building Rep regarding enrollment questions.

The District Contact is a staff member or administrator from your school district who is the district’s designated point of contact. This person assists with high-level decisions and escalated issues regarding the College Now program.

You will be assigned to a JCCC Faculty Liaison upon being onboarded to teach for the College Now program. The Liaison is familiar with how your course is taught at the college level and is your faculty point of contact at JCCC regarding course content, pedagogy, assessment, etc. As a College Now instructor, you are also required to attend College Now’s annual professional development session. Your Liaison will host a discipline-specific session for you and your College Now instructor colleagues from the other schools/districts.

Because of your work as a College Now teacher, your students can earn college credit early and be one step ahead when they move on to college. You have the ability to enhance their educational experience and expose them to college rigor while in high school. Whether they matriculate to JCCC or enroll in a four-year university after high school, their College Now experience in your classroom will benefit them in more ways than one.

The application is available online. Apply at least one month before your high school’s first day of school. It may take up to 2 weeks to complete the onboarding process; we must review your transcripts, discuss your eligibility with the dean of the division, and collect all onboarding paperwork before you begin teaching.

Apply to Teach

Have you read the FAQs? If you are ready to move forward with the New College Now Instructor Application, you may apply using the link below.

Before You Apply

If the course you plan to teach is currently not a College Now course at your high school, ask your Building Rep or District Contact to complete the New College Now Course Approval Form below, so we can review your application along with the course request.

If there is a need for a new College Now course at a secondary school site, please complete the steps below. This step must be completed by the Building Rep or District Point of Contact.

  1. Complete the New College Now Course Approval form
  2. Completing this form will notify the College Now office of the request.
  3. The request will be forwarded to the appropriate program area for review and consideration. A meeting may be needed to discuss any details regarding the curriculum. Stipulations or other caveats will be determined as needed during this stage of the process and will become part of the record.
  4. If approved, signatures (of the district point of contact and JCCC Dean) will be required for documentation. Copies of the final signed document will be distributed by the College Now office. If the course is not approved, the district point of contact will be notified.
  5. Each approved College Now course will be subject to ongoing review. Substantial curricular changes at the secondary school site and/or the college may require resubmission for course approval.
  6. Please allow 2 weeks for this process.

Questions

Email Mallory Mitchell at mmitch96@jccc.edu

Johnson County Community College is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and adheres to the standards set by HLC. The College Now concurrent enrollment instructor is required to meet the same qualifications as JCCC faculty.

Minimum qualifications

Instructors who teach in general subject areas:

  • Master’s degree in the teaching field
  • Master’s degree in any field with 18 graduate credit hours in teaching field

Instructors teaching in career and technical education areas:

  • Bachelor’s degree in teaching field or a combination of education, training and tested experience
  • Each CTE instructor application will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis

*Applicants who have not fulfilled the minimum qualification may have an opportunity to provisionally teach while completing the required coursework up through the end of the Spring 2025 semester. Please contact the Early College office for details.

College Now Instructor Application Process

If you are a high school instructor who teaches within the JCCC service area and wishes to teach College Now courses, please follow the process below.

  1. Complete the College Now Instructor Application. You will need a Dynamic Forms account to access the application. See Step 1 on JCCC's Apply for Admission page to set up your account
  2. Completing this form will notify the College Now office of the request.
  3. When all documentation has been submitted, it will be reviewed by the JCCC Dean of the discipline/subject. A staff member of the College Now office will follow up with you with further instruction.
  4. Please allow 2 weeks for this process.

New College Now Instructor Protocol

  • New College Now instructors will be paired with a discipline-specific JCCC College Now Faculty Liaison. The Liaison will mentor and support the College Now instructor throughout each academic year.
  • New College Now Instructor Orientation is required. Topics covered in orientation include:
    • Rigor required for the college level class
    • Course assessments and evaluation methods
    • Course grading and grade distribution
    • Course philosophy/departmental philosophy
    • Course materials, including textbooks
    • Overall course alignment with departmental expectations

Forms

Johnson County Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). HLC established updated policy guidelines for dual credit faculty qualifications with an effective date of September 2025. HLC is allowing higher education institutions time to assess individual instructor faculty qualifications and achieve compliance with the policy. HLC fully expects institutions to come into compliance with these expectations.

A high school teacher who is not fully qualified to teach for the College Now program has the opportunity to be onboarded to the program and provisionally teach while on a HLC Compliance Plan. Every College Now teacher is expected to complete some coursework each year according to their approved HLC Compliance plans. College Now teachers are expected to provide evidence of completed graduate coursework to the College Now office on an annual basis.

If you are a College Now teacher who is provisionally teaching dual credit under a HLC Compliance Plan, please complete the HLC Plan Transcript Submission form and attach your transcript to record your annual progress. A representative from the College Now office will confirm receipt of your transcript and will advise you of your next steps.

The College Now office will provide instructors, upon request (within the designated time frame), copies of adopted textbooks per CN course section to the school districts. The approval of each textbook request will be based on prior requests/spending, enrollment history, and JCCC budget availability.

Though the College Now office will purchase books for an entire class section at a time, it is understood that not all students receiving books will choose to enroll as College Now students. Based on funding and enrollment trends, courses with an anticipated enrollment of at least 10 College Now students will be considered for orders first.

  1. Complete the Textbook Request form. You will need your JCCC username and password. If you don't remember your login credentials, see our Username and Password help page.
  2. Completing this form will notify the College Now office of the request.
  3. Please note – Completing this form does not guarantee the request will be fulfilled.
  4. Orders will only be considered if the College Now instructor has received approval of the text from the JCCC Faculty Liaison.
  5. If approved, a staff member of the College Now office will contact the instructor with further instruction. If the request for textbooks is not approved, the instructor (and building representative) will still be notified as soon as possible.
  6. Please allow 4 weeks for this process.

College Now instructors and building representatives are eligible for a tuition discount/reduction if they choose to take a JCCC class during the semester they teach/work (not the summer semester). Their dependents are also eligible.

An eligible dependent for purposes of this benefit is defined as a dependent as provided under section 132(h) of the Internal Revenue Code.2 An eligible College Now Instructor shall be defined as a College Now Instructor teaching one or more College Now courses who must have completed teaching or working two semesters in that capacity. Tuition reduction may only be requested by a College Now Instructor during a semester in which they actively teach a course, from the first day through the last day of the class.

The amount of reduction shall equal tuition plus required course fees for approved credit hours. The cost of books, supplies and travel fees are not eligible for reimbursement. The amount of tuition reduction will be calculated at the Johnson County resident rate. You may check your residency status with the Admissions Office, ext. 3731.

Completed paperwork must be received in the College Now Office no later than one week prior to the semester’s deadline for tuition payment. Any tuition reduction provision not specifically addressed in these guidelines shall be administered according to the “Tuition/Educational Assistance” procedure.

Complete the Tuition Reduction Request form. You will need your JCCC username and password. If you don't remember your login credentials, see our Username and Password help page.

General Information

  1. To provide selected, eligible secondary school students the opportunity for concurrent enrollment.
  2. To provide students the opportunity to get a head start on their college careers.
  3. To provide high school and college faculty opportunities for collaborative professional development.

CN: College Now. A concurrent enrollment partnership in which eligible high school sophomores, juniors or seniors (or 9th grade students identified as gifted with a current IEP) may enroll in selected college classes offered at, and in cooperation with, the high school. Students must be nondegree seeking at the time of concurrent enrollment.

CN District Point of Contact: The administrative contact for the school district who is involved in high-level decisions for the College Now program.

CN Building Representative: An individual, typically a counselor, designated to be the initial point of contact for the College Now program at the secondary school site.

CN Instructor: A qualified and approved high school instructor at the secondary school site teaching a CN course.

CN Liaison: A designated JCCC assistant professor, associate professor or professor who serves as the academic liaison for a CN course or discipline.

Concurrent Enrollment Partnership (CEP): "[A]greement means a written memorandum of understanding between an eligible postsecondary institution and a school district for the purpose of offering college-level learning to students who have been accepted for concurrent enrollment partnership in off-campus classes at a high school at which approved high school teachers teach college credit classes during the normal school day." (KBOR IV.8.b.vii)

Concurrent Enrollment Pupil: "[M]eans a person who is enrolled in classes at a high school at which approved high school teachers teach college credit classes during the normal school day, who is in either grades 10,11 or 12, or a 9th grade student identified as gifted with a current Individual Educational Plan (IEP) and is acceptable or has been accepted for enrollment at an eligible postsecondary institution." (KBOR IV.8.b.i.)

JCCC Course Outline: The approved outline for a particular course that serves as the foundation for the JCCC Course Syllabus.

JCCC Course Syllabus: Based upon the JCCC Course Outline and formatted according to the JCCC Educational Affairs Committee Course Syllabus Guidelines, the JCCC Course Syllabus is designed to provide course information, expectations, grading rationale, etc.

On-Campus Classes: Classes taught by JCCC faculty on the JCCC campus or one of the JCCC satellite sites.

Secondary School Site: A public school accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (or a private school accredited by HLC or established in partnership with JCCC prior to July 1, 2010). The college reserves the right to determine partnership eligibility.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities

  1. Be in contact with your JCCC Faculty Liaison each year to go over your syllabus and textbook.
  2. Encourage your students to complete enrollment steps 1 (apply for admission to JCCC) and 2 (complete placement testing) as early as they possibly can. Steps 1 and 2 can be completed over the summer.
  3. Remind your students they cannot enroll after the College Now enrollment deadline.
  4. Check your enrollment roster and submit an attendance report at the beginning of the semester to ensure accuracy. At the end of the semester, check your roster once more to ensure its accuracy before you enter final grades.
  5. Attend at least one professional development event for the school year. This is a REQUIREMENT for all College Now instructors. The College Now professional development events are offered once each fall and again each spring.
  6. Submit grades for your College Now students on or prior to the JCCC grade deadline.
  7. Allow your JCCC faculty liaisons to complete a site visit/observation once every 3 years. You will be notified when you are due for a site visit/observation. If you do not know how to contact your liaison, the contact list is below under the Faculty Liaisons box.

Benefits of being a College Now Instructor

  1. College Now instructors are awarded a yearly stipend for teaching and for fulfilling all the responsibilities listed above. The stipend is determined based on the number of semesters worked (either 1 or 2) each academic year. The full stipend amount is paid at the end of each academic year.
  2. Possible discount of tuition paid for JCCC credit classes taken by College Now instructors and eligible dependents during the fall or spring semester (not the Summer semester). Please see Tuition Reduction Request below for more information.
  3. Faculty access to the Billington Library resources (library card required).
  4. Use of the Lifetime Fitness Center by enrolling in the Lifetime Fitness course (tuition reimbursement is available as described above).
  5. Applicable JCCC Staff Development events and activities.
  6. College Now instructors are eligible to enroll their children in the Hiersteiner Child Development Center on a space-available basis. All enrollment guidelines apply. Call the center at 913-469-4438 or check the website at www.jccc.edu.

Responsibilities

  1. Serve as the point of contact for high school site.
  2. Compile a fall and yearlong course schedule in April – May.
  3. Compile spring course schedule in October – November.
  4. Inform JCCC Early College Office of any concerns or questions.
  5. Attend meetings, as needed, to discuss issues, ideas and suggestions about the high school concurrent enrollment/College Now program.
  6. Encourage students to contact the counseling department to speak with a counselor about JCCC degree programs and/or transferring coursework to another college.
  7. Serve as the official person at the high school site to answer student/parent questions about high school concurrent enrollment/College Now options:
    • Inform students of the College Now Schedules and Counselors webpage*
    • Inform students of the College Now Student Resources*
    • Inform students of the Student Eligibility*
    • Inform students of the Testing Information*
    • Inform students of the Enrollment Procedures*
    • Inform students of the Tuition Payment Options*
    • Inform students of the Metcalf Bank Scholarship.

*See Students and Parents page.

Benefits of being a College Now Building Representative

  1. College Now building representatives receive a stipend for their work with the College Now program. The stipend amount is paid at the end of each academic year.
  2. Possible discount of tuition paid for JCCC credit classes taken by College Now building representatives and eligible dependents during the fall or spring semester (not the Summer semester). Please see Tuition Reduction Request below for more information.
  3. College Now building representatives are eligible to enroll their children in the Hiersteiner Child Development Center on a space-available basis. All enrollment guidelines apply. Call the center at 913-469-4438 or check the website at www.jccc.edu.
  1. Designate instructors with educational qualifications who meet the college’s minimum requirements to teach approved CN courses.
  2. Assist the College Now office in obtaining essential paperwork from CN faculty, including but not limited to transcripts and course syllabi.
  3. Cooperate with the College Now office in establishing course equivalency and assure that the rigor of instruction, objectives, assignments, testing, and evaluation will be aligned with that of on-campus classes.
  4. Assure that students meet the admissions requirements of the college to enroll in CN classes.
  5. Designate one person (typically a counselor) to serve as the CN Building Representative for each high school building within the district.
  6. Cooperate with the college in providing professional development opportunities.

The College Now liaison will collaborate with Early College Office to facilitate communication among members of the department/program and help integrate College Now faculty into the college community.

The College Now Liaison will:

  • Assist with reviewing College Now faculty educational qualifications.
  • Conduct College Now faculty site visits and schedule follow-up meetings (when appropriate with the assistant dean), maintain site visit reports.
  • Assist with preparation of reports relating to College Now faculty.
  • Assist with facilitation of College Now faculty responsibilities (i.e., textbooks; course syllabi and outlines; student assessment procedures; discipline-related professional development activities; and questions related to policies and procedures of the department/program, division, and college.)
  • Provide a forum in the College Now discipline specific canvas community to increase communication and the dissemination of information.
  • Bring forth College Now faculty concerns when appropriate and assist with awards and recognition of College Now faculty.
  • Plan and implement discipline-related meetings at JCCC.
  • Coordinate the teaching materials of College Now faculty, ensuring that College Now faculty have all necessary materials.
  • Mentor College Now faculty regarding course preparation, presentation and testing.
  • Approve textbook requests from College Now faculty.
  • Conduct College Now orientation and in-service activities, including follow-up sessions.

Current College Now Liaisons

Animation & Computer Desktop Publishing

Jennie Mynhier
Assistant Professor, Desktop Publishing
FADS 231, Box 70
913-469-8500, ext. 4761

Automotive Technology

Jack Ireland
Professor, Automotive Technology
CTEC 217, Box 17
913-469-8500, ext. 3337

Biology & Environmental Science

Deb Williams
Professor, Environmental Science
CLB 426, Box 19
913-469-8500, ext. 4671

Jeff Oden
Adjunct Faculty, Environmental Science
SCI 209B, Box 19
913-469-8500 ext. 5929

Business
Entrepreneurship

Leroy Cox
Dean of Business & Technology
OCB 272 D, Box 37
913-469-8500, ext. 3250

Chemistry

Phil Franklin
Professor, Chemistry
SCI 224B, Box 19
913-469-8500, ext. 4178

Communications

Terri Easley-Giraldo
Professor, Communication Studies
LIB 313H, Box 80
913-469-8500, ext. 4587

Computer Science

Perla Weaver
Associate Professor, Computer Science
RC 348M, Box 28
913-469-8500, ext. 3304

Criminal Justice

Frank Galbrecht
Professor, Criminal Justice
PA 138, Box 72
913-469-8500, ext. 4558

Economics

Daniel Owens
Associate Professor, Economics
GEB 257A, Box 37
913-469-8500, ext. 2603

Education

Craig Butler
Associate Professor of Education 
OCB 261B Box 36
913-469-8500, ext. 2656

Electronics

Hugh King
Associate Professor, Electronics
ITC 190H, Box 86
913-469-8500, ext. 3204

Emergency Medical Science

Charles Foat
Director, Emergency Medical Science
SCI 110E, Box 64
913-469-8500, ext. 4564

English

Michael Carriger
Associate Professor, English
GEB 165 D, Box 80
913-469-8500, ext. 2861

Fire Science

Tim Whitham
Director, Fire Science
WCMT 182B, Box 52
913-469-8500, ext. 4405

Foreign Language

Spanish

Sam Sommerville
Professor, Foreign Language
LIB 342B, Box 31
913-469-8500, ext. 4586

French and German

Luz Alvarez
Professor, Foreign Language
LIB 342A, Box 31
913-469-8500, ext. 4354

History

Sarah Boyle
Professor, History
OCB 236, Box 36
913-469-8500, ext. 3482

Horticulture

Lekha Sreedhar
Professor, Horticulture
HSC 117, Box 72
913-469-8500, ext. 3763

Journalism and Media Communications

Gretchen Thum
Associate Professor of Journalism & Media Communications
LIB 301E, Box 80
913-469-8500, ext. 3190

Marketing

Pamela Hulen
Professor, Marketing & Management
OCB 305, Box 37
913-469-8500, ext. 4961

Mathematics

Calculus and Pre-Calculus

Brenda Edmonds
Professor, Mathematics
CLB 237, Box 29
913-469-8500, ext. 4246

College Algebra

Melissa Weston-Puett
Associate Professor, Mathematics
CLB 230, Box 29
913-469-8500, ext. 4215

Statistics

Donna Helgeson
Professor, Mathematics
CLB 133, Box 29
913-469-8500, ext. 2967

Music

Ryan Heinlein
Associate Professor, Instrumental Music
OCB 148, Box 36
913-469-8500, ext. 3275

Physical Education, Health and Recreation

Shannon Baisden
Assistant Professor of Health & Wellness
GYM 033, Box 18
913-469-8500, ext. 4623

Physics

Dan Martinez
Professor, Physics
CLB 333, Box 19
913-469-8500, ext. 3397

Political Science

Andrea Vieux
Associate Professor, Political Science
GEB 257B, Box 36
913-469-8500, ext. 3387

Practical Nursing and Health Occupations

Christina Rudacille
Director, Practical Nursing and HOC
OHEC 221F, Box 66
913-469-8500, ext. 2383

Psychology

Gladys Mwangi
Assistant Professor of Psychology
OCB 205C Box 36
913-469-8500, ext. 4304
  1. Establish and maintain a cooperative working relationship with each secondary school site.
  2. Provide, upon request (within the designated time frame), copies of adopted textbooks per CN course section to the school district. Provision of textbooks will be based on prior requests and/or other criteria.
  3. Share course materials used in on-campus classes with CN instructors.
  4. Coordinate professional development events for the College Now instructors.
  5. Conduct studies to determine various aspects of the program including: Annual CN Student Survey, One/Five-Year Former CN Student Follow-up, and Five-Year Impact Study. Results can be shared with the secondary school sites and may be used as a basis for program improvement and change.
  6. Maintain overall responsibility for the program.

Guidelines

The College Now program guidelines are subject to interpretation of applicable provisions within the following:

  • K.S.A. 2000 Supp. 72-11a01 through 72-11a05: The Kansas Challenge to Secondary School Pupils Act.
  • KBOR Policy and Procedures IV.8: Concurrent Enrollment of High School Students in Eligible Public Postsecondary Institutions. (6-11-08)
  • K.A.R. 88-26-3(b) through 88-26-3(c): Admissions (community college).
  • National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) accreditation standards.

Copies of these materials may be obtained by contacting the JCCC Early College office.
  1. The student's public school district, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (or private school accredited by HLC or established partnership with the JCCC CEP prior to July 1, 2010) must have a signed concurrent enrollment partnership agreement with the college. The college reserves the right to determine partnership eligibility.
  2. Students wishing to enroll under the CN program must complete a JCCC Application for Admission.
  3. Prior to enrollment, students must complete the college assessment process as outlined in the current enrollment information provided to the secondary school site.
  4. CN students will pay the same tuition and fees as on-campus students.
  5. Classes will be held on the secondary school site during the normal school day.
  6. CN classes will be taught by qualified and approved secondary school site faculty who, for the purposes of the CN program, shall remain employees of their respective district.
  7. Classes will be part of each participating faculty member’s regular high school teaching load.
  8. CN classes must adhere to the number of contact hours on a per-semester basis required by the KBOR for community college classes. (CN classes may exceed the minimum contact hour requirement.)
  9. Classes will be equivalent to classes offered on the college campus as prescribed in the individual college course outline and other documentation. Additional objectives, competencies or material beyond those specified in the course outline may be included in the curriculum and may be appended to the course syllabus.
  10. Courses may be considered for approval in response to requests from the secondary school site.

Each participant within the College Now program has a defined role to play. Within the administrative policy and practice guide the roles, duties, guidelines and expectations are explained in detail.

These operational guidelines highlight various aspects and responsibilities associated with the College Now program. The focus is intended to be on the ongoing collaboration upon which the program is based. However, in the event that the secondary school site cannot or does not meet the applicable guidelines stated herein, it may be necessary to cancel a section or course. Of particular importance are those guidelines related to course syllabi, instructor qualifications or other factors that may immediately compromise the equivalency and/or collegiate-level instructional integrity of the section or course.

If necessary, issues that may arise from conditions of these guidelines may be mediated by a committee comprised of representatives of the college and representatives of the secondary school site. Due to the ultimate responsibility for the program, the final decision-making authority shall rest with the college administration.