Big Walnut Local School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

5460.01 - FLEXIBLE CREDIT

In accordance with SB311, the Big Walnut Local Schools offers a variety of learning opportunities for students with a focus on performance, differing learning styles, paces, and interests, and enables students to demonstrate creativity, explore academic and career interests, and practice critical thinking. Students may earn credits by:

 A.successfully completing traditional high school level courses for which one credit shall be granted per 120 hours of class time (150 hours for lab courses).
 B.testing out of or demonstrating mastery of course content; and/or

 C.pursuing one or more educational options in accordance with Big Walnut Educational Options Plan (BWEOP).

The BWEOP operates in accordance with Ohio's Core Curriculum initiative, provides that:

 A.any student is eligible to be considered for alternative ways to earn credit toward graduation, but must meet the criteria of the conditions prescribed in order to earn credit;
 B.student who "test out" or coursework must pass locally-developed assessments which may include both written and practical criteria;
 C.approval of individual educational options applications and the issuance of credit will be determined by a BWEOP team appointed by the high school principal or designee; the team will include teachers in various academic areas including teachers who are highly qualified (HQT) in the academic area(s) being considered (or as closely as possible related/comparable), a counselor, and administrators in building administration, gifted services, special education services and others as appropriate;
 D.when educational options are utilized, the school, students, and parents will pre-identify and agree on learning outcomes;
 E.provisions of the plan will be communicated to students and parents on an ongoing basis (at least annually), using a variety of communications strategies (data concerning methods and frequency of communication will be reported as required annually to the Ohio Department of Education;
 F.performance data shall be collected and analyzed, including the number of students participating in the BWEOP, total credits earned, and demographic diversity of participants;
 G.an appeals process shall be available in the event that a proposed credit alternative is denied by the school or District;
 H.credits earned under the BWEOP shall be reported on student transcripts in the same way that traditional coursework credit is reported;
 I.the District reserves the right to reassign a student participating in an educational option to a traditional course or other placement at its discretion if the student fails to meet the standards for ongoing participation and satisfactory progress as described in his/her educational options plan;
 J.the Board will review the policy provisions and the BWEOP regularly.

The following components of Ohio Core Curriculum Initiative shall be included in the development, review, and implementation of the BWEOP:

 A.demonstrated proficiency options shall be allowed on an ongoing basis;
 B.demonstrated proficiency option shall be allowed to count toward graduations course requirements as well as toward elective credit;
 C.the plan shall not cap nor limit the number of courses or credits that may be earned through approved options;
 D.the plan shall allow for simultaneous credit to be earned in academic and career-technical content more than once (1) academic content or course (academic department) area, and in secondary and post secondary study;
 E.the plan shall allow for partial credit (1/4, 1/2, 1) to be earned;
 F.as with is the practice with traditional courses, graded and pass/fail options should be allowed for demonstrated proficiency options.
  Graded options will count in GPA/class ranking;
 G.the plan shall determine credit equivalency for the Carnegie unit;
 H.the plan shall allow student access to on-line or virtual education, post secondary options, or programs offered by another district approved by the Board. The plan may allow for credit to be accepted from other districts and education providers (including on-line providers) in accordance with Ohio's Operating Standards;
 I.the plan shall provide for instances when students do not complete specified requirements for earning credit;
 J.the plan shall provide for student transfer between Districts and early graduation;
 K.the plan shall provide for student eligibility in accordance with OSHAA Bylaw 3 (Administrative Responsibility) Section 4 (Scholarship) for interscholastic athletics; documenting ongoing participation and satisfactory progress on the part of the student for the purpose of satisfying academic eligibility requirements.

Adopted 8/17/10