Other Academic Options

  • WDMCS offers students several additional educational opportunities in addition to the hundreds of courses available on-site.

  • Central Campus

    Central Academy/Campus is an extension of the programs of most high schools in the central Iowa area. Students planning to graduate from Valley High School have the opportunity to attend classes at Central Academy/ Campus on a space-available basis during grades 8-12, provided those courses are not available at Valley High School. Central Academy/Campus offers courses in 24 vocational-technical areas, as well as academic classes not available at Valley. 

    The tuition for courses not offered in the West Des Moines Community School District will be paid by the district, and students must transport themselves to these courses. For more information, contact your counselor at Valley High School.  

  • DMACC/Dual Enrollment

    The courses listed are offered at Valley High School for both Valley High School and Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) credit. Students will earn both Valley credits and college credits at no expense to the student. Students who choose to take any of the following courses must take each for DMACC credit. Students will be required to take all final exams associated with the course and cannot take the course pass/no pass. Finally, students enrolled in these courses will be generating a college transcript from DMACC while in high school. All DMACC policies in regard to 504s and IEPs will be followed. Many Advanced Placement courses are also dual-enrollment courses. Effective for math classes, all students who wish to enroll in a DMACC mathematics course for the first time will be required to take the ALEKS mathematics placement assessment. The results of this exam will determine eligibility for the math course students wish to take. 

    All DMACC dual credits are subject to obtaining a certified DMACC instructor. If no certified DMACC instructor is available to teach the course, no DMACC credits will be issued. Only Valley High School credits can be earned.

    View DMACC offerings in the course catalog

  • DMACC Associate of Arts Degree

    As part of the dual enrollment program, Valley students wishing to earn a DMACC Associate of Arts Degree can use their Valley credits in meeting the DMACC requirements listed below.

    • Communication: Must complete 9 credits
      • Composition I (ENG105) 
      • Composition II (ENG106)
      • Fundamentals of Oral Communication (SPC101)
    • Social and Behavioral Science: Must complete 9 credits
      • U.S. History to 1877 (HIS151: 3 credits)
      • U.S. History 1877 to present (HIS152:  3 credits)
      • Western Civ.: Ancient to Early Modern (HIS110: 3 credits)
      • Western Civ.: Early Modern to Present (HIS111: 3 credits)
      • American National Govt. & Politics (POL111: 3 credits)
    • Math and Sciences: Must complete 9 credits
      • General Biology I (BIO112: 4 credits)
      • General Biology II (BIO113: 4 credits)
      • General/Inorganic Chemistry I (CHM165: 4 credits)
      • General/Inorganic Chemistry II (CHM175: 4 credits)
      • Calculus I (MAT211: 5 credits)
      • Pre-Calculus (MAT129: 5 credits)
      • Statistics (MAT157: 4 credits)
    • Humanities: Must complete 9 credits
      • Intermediate German (FLS241: 4 credits)
      • Intermediate German (FLS242: 4 credits)
      • Intermediate Spanish I (FLS241: 4 credits)
      • Intermediate Spanish II (FLS242: 4 credits)
      • Intro to Literature (LIT101: 3 credits)
      • Contemporary Literature (LIT185: 3 credits)
    • Distributed Credit: Must complete 12 credits
      • Select the remainder from any of the courses in the above categories. 


    Course Electives (must complete 16 credits)

    • Apparel
      • Textiles (APP211: 3 credits)
      • Fashion Analysis and Design (3 credits)
    • Art
      • Drawing Applications (ART 133: 3 credits)
      • Painting Applications (ART 143: 3 credits)
      • Ceramic Applications I (ART 173: 3 credits)
      • Ceramic Applications II (ART 174: 3 credits)
      • Experimental Film Photography (ART 184: 3 credits)
      • Principles of Digital Photography (ART 186: 3 credits)
      • Photoshop for Photography (ART 225: 3 credits)
      • Video Production (MMS 480: 3 credits)
    • Business
      • Personal Finance (FIN121: 3 credits)
      • Intermediate Computer Business Apps. (BCA213: 3 credits)
      • Basic Word Processing (BCA122: 1 credit)
      • Principles of Selling (MKT140: 3 credits)
      • Small Business Management (BUS148: 3 credits)
      • Career and Development Skills (ADM221: 2 credits)
      • Occupational Experience (ADM 936: 3 credits)
    • Culinary Arts
      • Sanitation and Safety (HCM100: 2 credits)
      • Food Preparation I (HCM143: 3 credits)
    • Early Childhood Careers
      • Emergency Care (ECE130: 1 credit)
      • Early Childhood Development (ECE170: 3 credits)
    • English
      • Creative Writing (ENG221: 3 credits)
    • Home Building/Remodeling Technology
      • PLTW Introduction to Engineering (EGT400: 3 credits)
      • PLTW Principles of Engineering 9EGT410: 3 credits)
      • PLTW Digital Electronics (EGT420: 3 credits)
      • PLTW Civil Engineering and Architecture (EGT: 3 credits)
    • Teacher Academy
      • Introduction to Education (EDU213: 3 credits)
      • Initial Field Experience (EDU218: 2 credits)

  • Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Act

    Students must be high school juniors and seniors, or sophomores identified as gifted and talented, to be eligible. Any student anticipating enrollment in a post-secondary course under this act must complete and submit an application form on or before March 15 with the intent to enroll in said course for the next school year. Summer school courses are not included in the program. The October 31 deadline is for the second semester only. 

    Students may enroll in any participating institution of higher learning under the control of the State Board of Regents, an area school, or an accredited private institution as defined in Section 261.0 sub section 5 of the Iowa Code.

    A maximum of two (2) credits may be earned from any institutions other than Valley to be used toward graduation. Students will be granted one (1) high school credit for every three (3) hours of college credit earned. Grades earned in courses taken from other institutions will be recorded on the transcript and included when computing GPAs. Failure or withdrawal from any post-secondary course will result in a failing grade being recorded on the transcript and computed in the GPA. The tuition then becomes the responsibility of the student.

    The West Des Moines Community Schools will make payment to the post-secondary institution for tuition, textbooks, materials and fees upon successful completion of the course. Students will be required to purchase equipment that becomes the property of the students.

    Parents or guardians will be required to furnish transportation to and from the eligible post-secondary institution.

    Support services in the form of counseling will be available to students at Valley as well as the post-secondary institution. These services will include academic, social, and emotional counseling related to participation under this act. 

    Students will be responsible for scheduling post-secondary courses in a manner that does not conflict with their schedule at Valley High School.

    A student may not enroll in a post-secondary course when a comparable course is available at Valley High School. The administration reserves the right to determine acceptability of courses as provided under this act. Students must have prior approval before enrolling in such courses.
Last Modified on September 2, 2022