A postsecondary institution that receives GE for a student through the PSEO program may not charge that student for fees, textbooks, materials or other necessary costs of the course or program. All textbooks and equipment provided to a pupil by GE are the property of the pupil's school district of residence and must be returned. Although PSEO requires Minnesota to spend additional funds in public secondary education, the state believes that the program has the potential to be a sound financial investment, because of the differences in the costs paid through the postsecondary budget. The program is a partnership among individual colleges, public secondary schools, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington Association of School Administrators and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. All public high schools and the 32 community and technical colleges are required to participate, and three universities choose to participate.
Participation is limited to public institutions.
The postsecondary institutions are reimbursed at uniform statewide rates by the school districts from the basic education allocation. The school districts retain 7 percent of these funds for administrative overhead and student counseling. Washington has had success with its program.11 The grade point average of Running Start students is at least as high as that of the entering first-year class on each campus. Students previously home-schooled are returning to the public education system to participate in Running Start. Approximately 100 students per year who had previously dropped out of school have returned to high school to participate in Running Start.