|
File: LEB
ADVANCED/ALTERNATIVE COURSES FOR CREDIT
Advanced Education Courses
Students entering programs of advanced education, whether academic or career and technical, before they have completed requirements for graduation may petition the principal of the school to leave the school program early and yet qualify for graduation with a diploma if:
1. The student is within two credits of all required units for diploma qualification.
2. Assurance is given by the appropriate officials of the sponsoring institution that courses taken in the advanced program are comparable substitutes for those still lacking in the prescribed high school program. The measure of comparability will be based on course content, course/grading expectations, hours of instruction, and instructor qualifications. A minimum of 140 clock hours of instruction by an endorsed teacher in an accredited program will be minimal requirements for the awarding of a full unit of credit.
3. Assurance must be given that all requirements for a high school diploma are based on Buena Vista City School Division graduation requirements and can fully be met by the completion date of the first year of advanced study.
4. The student must confirm that it is his/her responsibility to transmit all required data and final grades to the high school in order to have them apply toward his/her scholastic credentials and diploma qualification.
5. For college courses, prior written approval is obtained from the high school principal for dual registration, the college accepts the student for admission to the course and the course is given by the college for degree credits.
Alternative Educational Courses
Students, teachers, or others involved in special courses taught outside the standard secondary curriculum and who want these courses recorded on student transcripts and/or reflect credit applied toward diploma qualification will make requests through the school principal to the assistant superintendent for secondary education and instructional services.
In order for the courses or programs to apply toward diploma qualification the following conditions must be met:
1. A full program description must be submitted including:
a. The purpose, instructional content, and expected outcome for the course or program. b. A sequence outline of events and activities. c. An estimate of student time involved in the program ‑including study and preparation time. d. A description of the evaluation criteria.
2. A description of the qualifications of the sponsoring organization and instructional personnel.
3. A description of the course evaluation procedures used including the results of previous evaluations of similar activities.
In order for the course/program to qualify for unit credit which would be applicable toward diploma qualification, the following additional criteria must be met:
1. Evidence will be submitted by the sponsoring organization that there is a minimum of 70 hours of supervised instruction for each one‑half unit of credit.
2. Evidence will be submitted that teachers and supervisors, if applicable, have personal expertise, competence, and appropriate credentials to qualify them as teachers or supervisors.
3. Student performance records, including performance and attendance, will be forwarded to and reviewed by the principal upon completion of the course/program.
4. The student and parent will be informed that no more than one unit of credit can be earned for each course taken and no more than two credits can be applied toward diploma qualification.
Adopted: 08/23/04 _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Legal Ref.: Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, section 22.1-78
Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia, 8 VAC 20-131-70 et seq.
Cross Ref.: IKF Graduation Requirements © 5/01 VSBA |