Options for Awarding Credit Toward Policy 6116 High School Graduation

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1 INDEPENDENT STUDY The following Independent Study options are approved by the Smyrna Board of Education as means for awarding credit toward high school graduation. In all cases listed, the option or options selected shall incorporate the appropriate state content standards and performance indicators. Independent Study shall be defined as: 1. Senior Volunteer Service/Internship: The student makes a personal contribution to explore a career option and gain valuable pre-employment or post secondary education experience. 2. College Courses: The student takes class(es) off-campus at local college site and in an approved course of study related to a potential college major. Students will be required to schedule no less than one college course (3 credits) for each two high school courses deleted from their schedule during each semester of their senior year. 3. Co-op Program: The student works off campus as part of a Distributive Education Program. Salary may be earned during hours of Smyrna High School regularly scheduled classes. 4. Correspondence Course: The student takes an approved correspondence course to make up credits needed for graduation. All costs, pre-approved courses and completion deadlines are required and the responsibility of the student and parent. Two credits are the limit. 5. Alternative Program: The student attends evening school part-time through partnership with James Grove to earn credits for graduation. A. Senior Volunteer Service/Internship This is a flexible program that allows seniors to make a personal contribution, to explore a career option and to gain valuable pre-employment experience during the school day. A satisfactory proposal contract must be completed and a faculty and site mentor must be secured by the student. For.5 credit, hours of successful service plus a typed occupation report on completion of weekly logs are required. For 1.0 credit, hours of successful service plus a typed occupation report and completion of weekly logs are required. REQUIREMENTS: The student, with the assistance of his/her guidance counselor, must make the program arrangements prior to the first day of school in their senior year. This will include: 1

2 a. A signed contract with an adult mentor from the agency who will develop a job description for the student s service, will assume responsibility for the student s work and advisement on a daily basis. The mentor will submit a monthly evaluation of the student s work and skill development with the student s log of volunteer service hours. This report will be approved by the principal and filed in the student s cum folder. b. The student will obtain a signed contract with an appropriate faculty member to act as an advisor, assist with the report development and evaluate the required reports. c. Volunteer service is defined as the student providing meaningful service that is mutually beneficial to the student, the agency and the agency s clients, while observing all the appropriate rules and regulations of the agency. d. The volunteer internship hours are expected to be spread over a period of months, not a concentration of many hours in a short period of time (less than a month). The learning that is expected to occur takes time to develop and evolve, and would not occur in a concentration of hours to accomplish a great physical task. Time allows for reflection and the development of relationships. e. The school will keep a list of acceptable agencies for volunteer service. Strictly commercial enterprises are excluded. f. The high school principal will grant final permission. B. Dual Enrollment: Courses taken at or through an accredited community college, two or four year college, in high school or electronically. 1. Smyrna High School offers students the opportunity to enroll in dual credit courses. Dual credit course means a course for which a student may receive both high school credit towards graduation and postsecondary credit. The course may be taken in a variety of settings such as in a high school, on a postsecondary institution campus, or electronically. Examples of a dual credit course include Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and Tech Prep courses. Smyrna High School will provide students with information regarding its offerings and dual credit opportunities. 2. Dual credit courses accepted by Smyrna High School shall meet the following criteria: a. All courses for which dual credit is awarded shall incorporate any applicable state content standards. 2

3 b. All courses for which dual credit is awarded shall be taken at or through an Articulation Agreement with an accredited postsecondary institution except for Advanced Placement (AP) courses. c. All courses for which dual credit is awarded through an accredited postsecondary institution shall be taught by an approved Dual Credit instructor. d. Any course that offers dual credit shall have the prior approval for the awarding of dual credit by Smyrna High School s principal or the principal s designee. e. Funding sources such as Tech Prep, College Board waivers or other grants shall be identified as well as the procedures for applying and the procedures for the awarding of such funds or waivers. f. Dual enrollment and dual credit shall be included in the Student Success Plan (SSP) as required in 14 DE Admin. Code 505 for students electing to participate. 3. Smyrna High School students shall receive credit towards high school graduation for enrollment in postsecondary courses by: a. Receiving a passing grade on a College Board Advanced Placement (AP) test. b. All Advanced Placement (AP) courses used for purposes of dual credit shall meet the requirements of the College Board. c. Postsecondary credit for Advanced Placement (AP) courses shall be at the discretion of the credit granting Accredited Postsecondary Institution. d. Enrolling in and successfully completing courses provided through accredited postsecondary institutions. e. For Tech Prep courses, the Accredited Postsecondary Institution shall ensure the student s attainment of competencies as outlined in the Articulation Agreement between Smyrna High School and the Accredited Postsecondary Institution. f. All courses for which dual credit is granted shall meet the requirements of the sponsoring Accredited Postsecondary Institution as outlined in the Articulation Agreement: Wesley College, Wilmington University and the University of Delaware. 3

4 g. Other Accredited Postsecondary Institutions may be approved by the principal or principal s designee with a signed Articulation Agreement. h. The school shall indicate on a student s high school transcript any dual enrollment courses taken and any courses for which dual credit has been granted. 4. The Smyrna School District will provide a list of fees and funding sources, if any, for students to apply to pay said fees, and the procedures for applying to the funding sources. Conversion of semester and quarter hours to Carnegie Units and Weighted Grade Value (1.06) will be as follows: Quarter Hours ** Carnegie Units ** Grade Weight Value Final Weighted Grade 3 1/ / Semester Hours Carnegie Units ** Grade Weight Value Final Weighted Grade 3 1/ Grades received on transcripts for approved college courses will count in the student grade point average and be tabulated into class rank at Smyrna High School. Numerical grades are preferred from post-secondary institutions for the purpose of accurate grade conversion. If letter grades are received, the numerical conversion will be according to existing high school procedures for converting grades from transcripts received from other schools, i.e., the mid-point of the Smyrna High School grade structure will be used. C. Voluntary community service as defined in 14 Del. C., Sections 8901A and 8902A. The only internship opportunity currently available to the high school students is as follows: HEALTH CAREER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM GRADE LEVELS: 9-12 CREDIT: 0.5 PREREQUISITE: PERMISSION ONLY This program gives students the opportunity to investigate Health Care occupations by interning at a local health facility such as the Delaware Home and Hospital, Kent General Hospital, or the Smyrna High School 4

5 nursing facility. The student may be offered pre-training and on-site experiences in working with persons receiving care in a medical setting. Academic credit is given for the satisfactory completion of at least 67.5 hours. All work is carefully supervised and evaluated. Students volunteer their time after school, on weekends, and, in some cases, during part of the regular school day. ** Department of Education Handbook for K-12 Education A maximum of three (3) credits for any combination of work study/experience, community service, independent study, correspondence, and distance learning may be applied toward a Smyrna High School diploma. D. Supervised work experience in the school and the community which meets the educational objectives or special career interest of the individual student. Where cooperative work experience is an integral part of the vocational-technical education program of study, reference should be made to guidelines establishing the basis for earning units of credit. Two hours of cooperative work experience are equivalent to one hour of instructional time. In order to receive credit for cooperative work experience, a student must be enrolled in a full-time vocational-technical program. The student must also be employed in a work assignment directly related to his/her career pathway with on-site coordination visits provided by the Smyrna School District program supervisor or designee. 1. Up to one-half of credit shall be granted to students by the principal of Smyrna High School for successful participation in each approved summer cooperative work experience program (180 hours). This credit may be applied toward the units of credit necessary for graduation. 2. A minimum of one class period per day for every fifteen (15) students enrolled and counted in a cooperative work program must be provided to the vocationaltechnical teacher for the purpose of making work site visitations and providing the necessary coordination between classroom and on-the-job training. 3. The following cooperative experiences are available: AGRISCIENCE COOPERATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE GRADE LEVEL: 12 CREDIT: 1.0 PREREQUISITE: enrolled in third agriscience career pathway course and/or agribusiness, and instructor's permission. Employment is a requirement for credit. Any Agriscience Career Pathway: advanced course BUSINESS COOPERATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE 5

6 GRADE LEVEL: 12 CREDIT: PREREQUISITES: Instructor's Approval; SENIORS ONLY JDG COOPERATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE GRADE LEVEL: 12 CREDIT: PREREQUISITE: Instructor's Approval MARKETING COOPERATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE GRADE LEVEL: 12 CREDIT: PREREQUISITE: Instructor's Approval DIVERSIFIED OCCUPATIONS COOPERATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE GRADE LEVEL: 11 and 12 CREDIT: PREREQUISITE: Identified students with Instructor's Approval Any senior student who meets the following criteria may elect to participate in the Cooperative Work Experience program. If at any time during the school year a student fails to meet these criteria, he/she will be withdrawn from Cooperative and reassigned to classes at Smyrna High School. For further information and clarification, contact a department instructor. Student must be enrolled in all classes required for graduation. Student must be enrolled in a class related to his/her occupation. Student must be enrolled in a minimum of five classes (credits); Cooperative counts as one of the five. Student must remain in five classes (credits) and a qualified job for the entire school year. A cooperative work agreement must be in place and signed by the student, his/her parents, the instructor, and the employer before the student may be dismissed early from school. Prior to that time the student will be assigned to and must attend study halls. In order to receive credit, students must maintain records of employment, complete job reports, and demonstrate satisfactory performance on the job and in the classroom. This may be an early release, after school, or evening situation. A maximum of three (3) credits for any combination of work study/experience, community service, independent study, correspondence, and distance learning may be applied toward a Smyrna High School diploma. E. Independent Research Study CREDIT: Students in grades may pursue a course through independent study that may or may not be in the current curriculum. Planning must be a cooperative effort between the student and a respective discipline teacher and must have approval of the principal. 6

7 Progress reports and grading will follow existing procedures and policy as established by the district for other courses. A maximum of three (3) credits for any combination of work study/experience, community service, independent study, correspondence, and distance learning may be applied toward a Smyrna High School diploma. F. Nationally Accredited Correspondence Courses Special permission may be granted by the Smyrna High School principal to enroll in an accredited correspondence course. The guidance counselor will coordinate the program. Final grades must be received by May 15. All related costs are the responsibility of the student. A maximum of three (3) credits for any combination of work study/experience, community service, independent study, correspondence, and distance learning may be applied toward a Smyrna High School diploma. G. Distance Learning Courses. These courses may be synchronous or asynchronous via videos or online format. Requests for Distance Learning Courses will be reviewed on an individual basis and must be approved by the Smyrna High School principal. A maximum of three (3) credits for any combination of work study/experience, community service, independent study, correspondence, and distance learning may be applied toward a Smyrna High School diploma. H. Course credit transferred from another high school or a middle school/jr. high school's with existing Articulation Agreements End of School Year All courses and credits are transferred as recorded on official documents received directly from the previous school. The information becomes a part of the student's SHS transcript. Students transferring to Smyrna High School from a middle or Jr. high school that has an existing Articulation Agreement will have their credits reviewed on an individual basis. During the School Year The student is placed in the same (i.e. or equivalent) courses as he/she was previously enrolled. The transferred course grade becomes part of the SHS course grade for the equivalent time period (i.e. marking period, semester, etc.). 7

8 Transcripts of students attempting to transfer credits from institutions outside the United States will be reviewed on an individual basis. Smyrna High School may require a formal evaluation of credits by an outside agency at the student's expense. If the student transfers from a block-scheduling situation at the end of the semester, and if the student has not been enrolled in a core subject (i.e., English, math, science, social studies) during the first semester, he/she will be scheduled for second semester courses only. The core subject(s) will be rescheduled the following year (i.e. SHS core subjects are one-year courses). Where there are questions regarding the above situations, the counselor will contact the previous school. I. Course credit earned through summer or evening school classes, as a member of the military service and/or as part of the James H. Groves Adult High School JAMES H. GROVES ADULT HIGH SCHOOL ALTERNATIVE SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAM 1. PROGRAM Smyrna High School has formed a partnership with a James H. Groves center to jointly provide an educational program for students. Students have the flexibility to attend during the extended day, the evening, and/or the extended year summer program to obtain credits toward graduation. A student enrolled in the alternative program remains enrolled in the Smyrna High School provided the student is taking at least one credit at the Smyrna High School. Alternative students must meet the same graduation requirements as other students at Smyrna High School. GED credits or their equivalents are not transferable for a Smyrna High School diploma Students recommended for this program are those who would benefit from an alternative structure and who meet one or more of the following criteria. These students: 1. have been retained, are overage for their grade level or have been administratively assigned; 2. have excessive absences and tardiness; 8

9 3. are not passing the required courses for graduation; 4. need to be employed; and 5. have family obligations and responsibilities. J. Tutoring programs taught by a teacher certified in the subject being taught. A student may make up work toward graduation through a special tutoring program. Credits accepted under a tutoring program shall, however, be subject to these specifications: 1. The tutor must be a certified teacher in the subject being taught. 2. Tutoring may not be used for units of credit taken in advance of the regularly scheduled program. 3. The Smyrna High School principal shall ascertain that the tutoring program meets the state content standards and that the program presentation is comparable to that of the high school that is to grant the units of credit. 4. It is strongly recommended that in the case of tutoring, an examination or other indicator of competency prepared by the regular subject teacher be administered to the tutored pupil prior to the granting of credit. K. Course credit awarded by agencies or instrumentalities of the state other than public schools which provide educational services to students. A description of the program provided to the student, grades given, and the number of clock hours of instruction or a demonstration of competency must be provided to the school district prior to receipt of credit. In a situation where a pupil is returning to Smyrna High School from an agency that is external to the public school system and provides educational services to students, the following comprise means for awarding units of credit and/or placing students: 1. The agency will provide Smyrna High School with a program description or other appropriate information that is descriptive of the content of the program provided the student. 2. In the absence of descriptive materials, the agency will use the state content standards to document student proficiency in each course. 3. The agency will provide grades or other indicators of performance for the work accomplished by the student. 9

10 4. The agency will provide the school the results of performance on standardized tests or any other educationally relevant data. 5. The agency will document the number of clock hours of instruction the student has received in each program. 6. The awarding of units of credit or the educational placement of the student will be determined by Smyrna High School based upon the information provided by the agency and other appropriate standards defined by the Smyrna School District. Permission for and/or exceptions to these options may be made if approved by the Superintendent or designee. Approved by Board of Education, April 19, 2000 Revision approved by the Board of Education, August 18, 2004 Revision approved by the Board of Education, April 8,