| Newark City School District |
| Bylaws & Policies |
5460.01 - CREDIT FLEXIBILITY
In compliance with Amended Substitute SB 311, the Board of Education will allow high school students to earn credit through alternate means than the traditional Carnegie credit.
Students who, along with the approval and recommendation of their parents, may pursue credits by: completing coursework, testing out of or demonstrating mastery of course content, or by pursuing one or more educational option (e.g. educational travel, independent study, internship, community service or other engagement projects and sports). A plan must be submitted to the Superintendent or his/her designee, which outlines how they intend to earn alternate credit and what course the alternate credit is substituting. The plan must be submitted the semester proceeding the semester the proposed learning is to begin.
The proposal must contain the following:
|
A. |
A plan to test out of course content by achieving a B or better on an end of course assessment that may include an end of course exam, a writing sample, a portfolio submission, a demonstration or through a combination of these methods. |
|||
|
OR |
||||
|
B. |
A plan to demonstrate mastery in an existing course or area of interest which includes achieving a C or better on the completion of clearly explained activities or experiences which align with the Ohio Academic Content Standards, District course of study and/or pacing guide, and other objectives of the course. |
|||
|
This plan would include: |
||||
|
1. |
A timeline for completing the activities or experiences. |
|||
|
2. |
A plan for evaluation of learning and how documentation of the activities or experiences will occur. |
|||
|
3. |
The identification of adult(s) who will supervise or facilitate the accomplishment of the aligned activities or experiences. |
|||
The Superintendent or his/her designee will respond to the student and his/her parents within four (4) weeks after the plan is submitted.
A final course grade (A - F) and credits earned will be issued and noted on the student's transcript.
Successfully completed alternative credit options will be counted towards the student's required graduation credits.
Students will not be limited in the number of alternative credit options they pursue during high school nor will they be limited to a number of alternative credit options pursued at one time.
The student who pursues partial credit for a course must finish the other requirements of the course in order to be awarded credit on a transcript. A student who begins an alternative credit option with the intent of earning all of the credit for the course, but then returns to the traditional course will be required to complete all requirements not completed while pursuing the alternative credit option.
The Superintendent or his/her designee must approve alternative credit options that involve on-line education, postsecondary options, or services provided by another school district.
The Superintendent or his/her designee will collect performance data on number of participating students, total credits earned, and participation rates based on the diversity of the student body. Reports to the State will be submitted in a timely manner.
The District will communicate the option of credit flexibility to parents and students through its District website, through newsletters to 8th grade and high school parents, and/or through meetings with parents run by principals and counselors.
Records of these communiqués will be kept and submitted in a timely manner to the State as required.
Following the adoption of this policy, the District Athletic Council will determine guidelines for eligibility using the credit flexibility option and submit its recommended guidelines to the Superintendent for approval.
Adopted 5/10/10
Revised 3/14/11