School Handbook Supplement

Transcription

1 Full-Time Public Program School Handbook Supplement Note: The policies in this Handbook Supplement are specific to the Florida Virtual School Full Time Public Program and are updated as needed throughout the year. If there are any variances between this Handbook Supplement and the General Handbook, the policies in this Supplement should be considered more relevant to Florida Virtual School Full Time Public Program than the policies in the General Handbook, and therefore the Supplement policies should be followed. Pg 1 of 77

2 Table of Contents Eligibility Roles and Responsibilities School Contact Information School Schedule The School Year Calendar Recommended Required Instructional Hours Enrollment, Withdrawal, and Transfers... 8 Enrollment of Students Expelled from Another School... 8 Enrollment for Middle School Students: Enrollment After the Start of the School Year or Semester Dual Enrollment in Another K-12 Program Location Change Mandatory Testing State Testing Calendar Placement Changes during the School Year (K-12) Course Completion Attendance Marking and Verifying Attendance...17 Connexus Attendance Codes Hours of Schooling Learning Coach Responsibilities School Responsibilities School-Initiated Withdrawals Attendance Status and Escalation Systems Truancy...21 Definition of A Day of School at Florida Virtual School Full Time public program Grading and Student Evaluation Promotion and Retention...22 Placement in courses Grade Forgiveness High School Programs and Policies Graduation and Diploma Requirements Pg 2 of 77

3 Graduation Requirements by Cohort Grade Students Entering Grade Nine in the School Year Students Entering Grade Nine in the School Year Students Entering Grade Nine in the School Year Students Entering Grade Nine in the School Year Other Graduation Information Can a student who selects the 24-hour credit program graduate early? What is the distinction between the 18-credit ACCEL option and the 24-credit option? Where is information on Bright Futures Scholarships located? State University System The Florida College System Career and Technical Centers Where is information on financial aid located? High School Promotion National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Eligibility Community Service Early Graduation High School Course Credit Class Rank Release of High School Educational Records Prerequisites Advanced Placement (AP) Courses Grade Forgiveness Schedule Changes Transcripts Credit from other Schools Enrollment After the Start of the School Year or Semester Middle School Courses Credit for Other Experiences Students Driving To Sanctioned Events Education Act (IDEA) Eligible Students...47 Enrollment Requirements During the School Year Conducting IEP Meetings Related Services Attending Special Education and Related Service Sessions Child Find Obligations Pg 3 of 77

4 New Referrals Waiver of the FCAT and EOC Graduation Requirements Gifted Students...52 Gifted Evaluations Instructional Program Modifications and/or Adaptations for Gifted Students Community Events, Trips, and Activities Bullying and Other Forms of Prohibited Behavior...55 Florida Virtual School Policy Against Bullying, Hazing, and Harassment Complaints Discipline and Due Process for Students...67 Discipline Measures Due Process for Students Academic Honesty...71 Plagiarism and Cheating Consequences for Infractions by Students in Grades FS Regarding Academic Integrity Due Process for Parents...74 Parent Remedies Grievance Process Use of Personal Equipment and Software Technology Hardship Scholarships Technology Hardship Scholarship Application Process Use of the Internet Internet Subsidy Debit Card Issuing Schedule Pg 4 of 77

5 Eligibility By Florida state statute, students must meet the following requirements in order to participate in the public program offered by the Florida Virtual School Full Time program (FLVSFT). 1. Students must reside in the state of Florida, AND 2. Meet the age requirements according to Florida statutes. Additional eligibility criteria are determined by the grade level the student is entering. Kindergarten: Students are not required to have been previously enrolled in a Florida public school. However, students must have turned 5 years of age on or before September 1 of the school year in order to be eligible to enter kindergarten in that year. First Grade: Students are not required to have been previously enrolled in a Florida public school. Students may enroll in first grade if they have turned six years old on or before September 1 and have successfully completed kindergarten. Students who are from out-of-state are eligible to enroll in first grade if they turn six years old after September 1, meet the age requirement for public kindergarten admission from the transferring state, and have successfully completed kindergarten. 3.1 Roles and Responsibilities The Title I Administration Parental Program helps parents/guardians become more engaged with their children s education, by building their capacity for involvement, thus ensuring a stronger partnership among the school(s) involved, parents/guardians, and the community, to improve student academic achievement. For this purpose the Title I Parent Involvement Liaisons at Title I schools, assists school-sites, and the District in planning, implementing and delivering educational support programs and special projects, thus helping to meet District and school-site goals and objectives. Pg 5 of 77

6 Parents/guardians of students in Title I schools are able to access information, brochures and documents regarding the components of the Title I Program that are listed below at the school site. Additionally, the documents named below that are marked with an asterisk (*), will be distributed to parents by the school site, and are made available in English and appropriate student languages, based on student population. PROGRAM COMPONENTS: Title I Program Parent Notification Letter Title I School s District Wide Parental Involvement Policy Title I School-Parent Compacts Title I Annual Parent Meeting Should you need further information regarding the Title I program at your children s school please contact the Title I parent involvement liaison. 3.4 School Contact Information School Information School Contact K 8 Program Phone Number (321) HS Program Phone Number (866) K 8 Program Fax Number (407) HS Program Fax Number (407) K 8 Program School Address 5401 S. Kirkman Road, Suite #550 Orlando, FL HS Program School Address 2145 Metrocenter Blvd, Suite 200 Orlando, FL School Hours 8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. EST, M - F Technical and General Support Pg 6 of 77

7 School Information K 8 School Principal 9 12 School Principal Marcie Trombino Katie Santana School Contact WebMail All staff and Support Services are located in the Connexus WebMail address book. 3.5 School Schedule The School Year Calendar Event Date First Day of School August 18, 2014 Labor Day (No School in Session) September 1, 2014 Teacher In-Service Days (No School for Students) October 1 3, 2014 Columbus Day (No School in Session) October 13, 2014 Teacher In-Service Day (No School for Students) October 24, 2014 Veterans Day (No School in Session) November 11, 2014 Thanksgiving Break (No School in Session) November 24 28, 2014 Winter Break (No School in Session) December 22, 2014 January 2, 2015 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No School in Session) January 19, 2015 First Semester End Date January 21, 2015 Teacher In-Service Days (No School for Students) January 22-23, 2015 Pg 7 of 77

8 Event Date Second Semester Start Date January 26, 2015 Presidents Day (No School in Session) February 16, 2015 Teacher In-Service Day (No School for Students) March 13, 2015 Spring Break (No School in Session) March 16-20, 2015 Memorial Day (No School in Session) May 25, 2015 Last Day of School June 10, Recommended Required Instructional Hours Based on a 180 day school year: Grades K 3 = 720 hours (4 hours per day) Grades 4 12 = 900 hours (5 hours per day) Note that these are the minimum hours required by the state and that students are responsible for mastering all material, which may require additional time. 3.6 Enrollment, Withdrawal, and Transfers Enrollment of Students Expelled from Another School Pre-Expulsion If a district has found probable cause for an expulsion but has offered student an alternative program, Florida Virtual School Full Time program may be utilized as solution for providing instruction for said students. Florida Virtual School Full Time program reserves the right to deny enrollment depending on the nature of the misconduct that resulted in the student being considered for expulsion. Expulsion Pg 8 of 77

9 If a student has been expelled from a public school, Florida Virtual School Full Time program may be utilized as solution for providing instruction for said students. Students who have been expelled from a Florida public school and who subsequently attempt to enroll in as either a homeschooled student or through enrollment in a private school program may be denied access to Florida Virtual School Full Time program. Florida Virtual School Full Time program reserves the right to deny enrollment depending on the nature of the misconduct that resulted in the student being expelled. All requests shall be made to the principal for grade levels requested, and approved by, the Senior Director, Instructional Operations. Enrollment for Middle School Students: The Florida Virtual School Full-Time Enrollment department will require an unofficial transcript for students entering FLVS FT Public in grades 6-8. This unofficial transcript must include academic history from previous middle schools: courses taken and courses completed with grades. The transcript must also contain final promotion/retention status from the previous school. All students will be reviewed by Academic Placement Services during the enrollment process to confirm pupil progression requirements have been met. After the student is officially enrolled with FLVS FT Public, official copies of the transcript will be requested from previous school(s), reviewed by the school counselor, and merged with the official FLVS FT Public transcript. This process has been established in order to comply with the Florida State Pupil Progression for Middle Grades Promotion (S ) Enrollment After the Start of the School Year or Semester Students may enroll after the start of the school year or semester up until the point that enrollment is closed. The actual date on which enrollment closes is determined annually and is at the discretion of the school. Students enrolling after the start of the year and mid-year are subject to all the same enrollment and course completion requirements (see section 3.9) as students who enroll prior to the start of the school year or semester. FLVSFT 9-12 students are expected to attend school starting on day one. A student s inability to start school on day one needs the approval of the principal. Any student who has not attended school by day 10 of the school year will be administratively withdrawn as a no show Dual Enrollment in Another K-12 Program Pg 9 of 77

10 Florida Virtual School Full Time is a full service school of choice. Eligibility for participation in courses outside of the FLVS FT program must be reviewed with a student s guidance counselor to review and ensure academic appropriateness. FS allows FLVS Full Time students meeting specific academic and conduct requirements to participate in extracurricular activities at the public school to which they would be assigned by their resident district. In certain special circumstances where participation in extracurricular activities requires attendance in a course, it may be possible for a student to participate in a course or activity at their local school, within the parameters described below. Seeking such permission should be initiated after the start of the Florida Virtual School Full Time program school year. The parent s decision whether or not to enroll in the Florida Virtual School Full Time program should not be contingent on approval to participate in a course or activity at another institution. To make these arrangements, parents must obtain the Request for Local School Activities form from the Virtual Library. The form essentially outlines the activity, lists contact information, and indicates that the cooperating principal agrees to: 1) not claim or collect any state, local or federal funding for the student, and 2) assume all liability for that student while on the school grounds. Once the form is completed and signed, the parent should present it to the Virtual School Liaison at the student s resident district, who will ensure that the student is in good standing and call the local school principal and make a final approval decision (on the form). Violations of this policy may be grounds for dismissal from the program. FLVS FT 9 12 students wishing to participate in extracurricular sports activities within their home school district need to meet the requirements set forth in the FHSAA policy Location Change Florida Virtual School Full Time polices related to Location Change follow the policies in the School Handbook: General Portion, with the following changes/additions: 1. Permanent In-Area Location Change: change of residence within the school s service area. FLVS families must contact the Enrollment team no later than 10 days after the move. Pg 10 of 77

11 2. Temporary Location Change: Travel or relocation away from student s residence for longer than three (3) weeks. General Handbook policies apply, with the following addition: Relocation that occurs during state testing windows when the student is required to test in the zoned school district (according to permanent address on file) will not be permitted unless the Caretaker confirms that the student will be transported to the test site in the zoned school district and according to the previous address on file. Failure to participate in mandatory state testing may cause the student to be immediately withdrawn from the school. 3. Alternate Learning Location(s) Change: Student learning regularly occurs in an alternate location but there is no change in the student s residence. General Handbook policies apply, with the following addition: Relocation that occurs during state testing windows when the student is required to test in the zoned school district (according to permanent address on file) will only be permitted if the alternate location does not prevent the student from testing in their assigned/zoned school Mandatory Testing Students attending the Florida Virtual School Full Time public program will be required to take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), in accordance with Florida public school requirements. The FCAT, administered to students in Grades 3-11, contains criterion-referenced tests (CRT), measuring selected benchmarks in Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Writing from the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS). More information about the administration of the tests will be posted by the principal once the school year is under way, including specific dates and locations. Kindergarten students are required to participate in the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener (FLKRS) during the first 30 days of enrollment. More information about the administration of the tests will be provided at the time of enrollment. Pg 11 of 77

12 FLVS FT students are required to participate in all state mandated tests. Earning a diploma is contingent upon participation and meeting minimum requirements, as set forth by the FLDOE, including testing. Graduation requirements may change due to legislation. Students are also required to participate in the Florida End of Course Assessments for specific high school level courses. These tests will be administered in accordance with state policy. Note that for some students the End of Course assessment may count as part of the student s final grade for that course; for other students, passage of the EOC Assessment is a requirement to earn the course credit. Check the state website or contact the school counselor for detailed information. These tests are administered by the student s school district. FLVSFT receives a school grade annually. 50% of the grade is based on participation and performance on mandatory state tests. To ensure that our program receives the highest rating possible, which maintains our viability as an education option for our students, FLVSFT requires 100% participation and completion. Failure to participate, failure to complete ALL required testing, or failure to follow test site procedures resulting in dismissal from testing are grounds for dismissal. The tests are administered at the student s zoned School of Enrollment per Florida Statute and the student is responsible for all transportation and other requirements related to attending the testing. The FLVS FT school will work with the student and the zoned school of enrollment to arrange testing dates and times. Household address information must be up to date to ensure student reports to the correct zone school for statewide assessments State Testing Calendar Florida state testing is completed during state testing windows. FLVS FT students will be provided with a specific testing date, time, and location for each required test. Families do not have the ability to choose a date within the state outlined testing window. Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) Dates Assessment Grade Level December 1 19, 2014 FSA English Language Arts Writing Field Test (selected schools only) 4 11 March 2-13, 2015 FSA English Language Arts Writing Component 4*, 5-11 Pg 12 of 77

13 Dates Assessment Grade Level March 23 April 10, 2015 FSA English Language Arts*/Mathematics* 3 4 April 13 May 8, 2015 FSA English Language Arts 5 11 April 13 May 8, 2015 FSA Mathematics 5 8 FSA End of Course Assessments April 20 May 15, 2015 Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 HS *Indicates a paper-based test, all other assessments are computer-based only, with paperbased accommodations available for eligible students with disabilities. Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) Assessments Dates Assessment Grade Level Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test FCAT 2.0 October 6 17, 2014 and March 23 April 10, 2015 FCAT Mathematics Retake (SSS) and FCAT 2.0 Reading Retake Retained 10 AD April 13 May 8, 2015 FCAT 2.0 Science* 5 and 8 NGSS End-of-Course Assessments September 15 26, 2014 December 1 19, 2014 Algebra 1 Retake, Biology 1, Civics, Geometry Retake, U.S. History Algebra 1 Retake, Biology 1, Civics, Geometry Retake, U.S. History HS HS Pg 13 of 77

14 Dates Assessment Grade Level March 23 April 10, 2015 Algebra 1 Retake HS April 20 May 22, 2015 Biology 1, Civics, U.S. History HS July 13 24, 2015 Algebra 1 Retake, Biology 1, Civics, U.S. History *Indicates a paper-based test, all other assessments are computer-based only, with paperbased accommodations available for eligible students with disabilities. Other Statewide Assessments HS Dates July October 2014 August 2014 May 2015 September December 2014 Assessment Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screening (FLKRS) (Administered within the first 30 instructional days of the school year) Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR) (optional K12) ACT Plan October 15 and 18, 2014 January March, 2015 March 2 April 3, 2015 TBD Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Grades 4, 8, and 12 Reading, Mathematics, and Science Comprehensive English Language Learning Assessment (CELLA) Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Disabilities May 2015 Advanced Placement (AP) Exams Year Round Postsecondary Educations Readiness Test (PERT) *Computer-based test **Make-up testing may continue through April 30 Pg 14 of 77

15 3.8.4 Placement Changes during the School Year (K-12) Refer to section 6.0 (High School Program and Policies) in this handbook for information related to changing courses at the high school level. Additional options for acceleration per FS are included in the FLVS district student progression plan. 3.9 Course Completion Courses at the Florida Virtual School Full Time public program are made up of lessons, which are grouped into units. Within each unit are quizzes and other smaller assessments. At the end of each unit there is a unit test which covers the entire unit. At the end of most courses, the last unit test is cumulative over the entire course and serves as a final exam. All lessons and assessments must be completed for a course to be considered complete. Lesson status (i.e., incomplete or complete) is a Connexus tool used to assist teachers and Learning Coaches in their planning, organization and communication. It is not relevant for determining course completion. Learning Coaches or students mark lessons complete when they believe the student has done the requisite amount of work to adequately master the lesson s learning objectives, and the student has completed any assessment associated with the lesson. Student mastery of the course material is the goal of the Florida Virtual School Full Time public program. Therefore, as the student moves through the course, teachers may exercise two options as needed to ensure students have mastered the course material. These options are intended to help the student understand the material and therefore arrive at the end of the course with a passing grade: After the teacher and/or Learning Coach have worked with the student on mastering the material, the teacher may allow the student to take one or more alternative assessments and/or turn in special projects. The teacher will create a custom assessment in the Grade Book and insert the new grade. The teacher may allow the student to retake an assessment after the teacher and/or Learning Coach has worked with the student on mastering the material. Pg 15 of 77

16 * In some exceptional cases, a teacher may request of the school s Curriculum Lead that a student be allowed to skip a lesson, and drop the corresponding assessment, if the teacher believes that the student would benefit from skipping that lesson to spend more time on other lessons. Teachers do not have the authority to skip lessons without the approval of the Curriculum Lead. Requesting permission to skip a lesson and assessment is an instructional decision based on the teacher s understanding of the student s needs; therefore, students/learning Coaches should not ask their teacher for permission to skip a lesson and corresponding assessment. Lessons that are essential to covering a state s standards may not be skipped. The purpose of the final exam is to assist in validating that students have demonstrated mastery of key course concepts and standards. The final exam, unto itself, is not the sole determiner of student achievement; however, students are required to take a final exam in all FLVS courses in order to be eligible for course credit. The FLVS Academic Integrity department may, at its discretion, require a proctored segment exam for any student on a situational basis. Academic Integrity proctored exams must be successfully passed (grade of 60% or higher) in order for a student to be eligible for course credit. As a means of ensuring comprehension and integrity, each course contains built in assignments that are designated to be completed verbally, during a discussion between the teacher and student. A student who does not complete and pass the discussion based assessments in his/her course is ineligible for course credit. Students entering high school grades 9-12 have access to Advanced Placement courses that may result in earning college credit for high school coursework. These courses are used to calculate overall Grade Point Average (GPA) and typically count extra in the calculation. These courses are also available at no charge to Florida public school students, whereas they may have a tuition cost if taken in college. (S , F.S.) Pg 16 of 77

17 A passing grade in the course will be accepted for high school credit. Postsecondary institutions determine college credit awarded, based on the AP Exam score earned. FLVS strongly encourages students who take AP courses to sit for the course AP Exam in May. Students shall be exempt from payment of any fees or costs associated with AP Exam participation, with the following two exceptions: students who incur late registration fees will be responsible for fee payment, and non-military family students who take the test outside the United States will be responsible for registration costs. 4 ATTENDANCE Please refer to SPED policy regarding mandatory attendance for special education and/or related service session(s) (if applicable) as designated on your child s IEP. 4.2 Marking and Verifying Attendance Learning Coaches document student attendance in the Education Management System (EMS or Connexus ); the school verifies that the attendance records are accurate. Connexus Attendance Codes The following attendance codes are available in Connexus: Code Definition of Code Who enters the code? 0 9 Hours of Schooling Learning Coach (and the school, as necessary) V Vacation Learning Coach E Excused Absence The School U Unexcused Absence The School Hours of Schooling Pg 17 of 77

18 In order to meet the state s requirements (located in the School Schedule section of this handbook), families should aim to complete the following minimum hours of schooling each week: Grade (s) Recommended Hours per Week Recommended Hours per Year K Learning Coach Responsibilities Record Hours of Schooling - For each instructional day, Learning Coaches enter a 0 9 in Connexus to indicate the number of hours of schooling that occurred. They should aim to meet the weekly totals listed above to ensure compliance with state regulations. Coaches may also ask for assistance from the school to enter attendance records if they are unable to access a computer on a given day, per the Marking and Verifying Attendance section of the General School Handbook. Alert School of Student Absences Coaches are not permitted to enter E attendance codes in Connexus. If a student is absent, the Coach must send information to the school about the absence, and the school determines if the absence can be classified as excused, per the guidelines listed in the General School Handbook. Complete defined school year Regardless of the number of hours of schooling a student may complete prior to the last day of the school year (as defined in the school year calendar in this handbook), students are required to meet the weekly required instructional hours up to and including the last day of the school year. Vacations or Days Off: Florida Virtual School Full Time public program students are allocated vacation days based on the student s enrollment date as well as the number of weekdays in the school calendar that are marked as non-school days/holidays/vacation. For example, a student may choose to work on President s Day, but then take the following Monday off. The Learning Coach would record hours of attendance on President s Day, as though it were a regular school day, and then mark the Monday off as V for vacation. Whenever a student wishes to take a regular school day as a vacation day (that is, will not be completing any educational activities), the Learning Coach should notify the student s teacher and if possible, seek prior approval. Pg 18 of 77

19 Note that regularly-scheduled school holidays, vacations, etc. must still be marked with a V if the student did not complete any educational activities on that day; they are not automatically recorded as vacation days in Connexus. Students who start after the beginning of the school year will not be permitted to take vacation time for any school holiday or vacation days that occurred prior to their start date. For example, if a student starts school September 5 but school officially started August 18, the student is not entitled to use Labor Day as a vacation day, but is still entitled to all vacation days that are scheduled after his/her official start date. If a student has used his or her allotment of vacation days, any day on which no educational activities are completed (i.e., no hours are recorded) will be treated as zero hours. If that student is able to meet the weekly stated hours requirement on the days in which he/she does work, then the zero hour day will not adversely affect the student s attendance percentage. If the hours are not made up during that same week, however, the student will be considered absent and their Escalation Status could be adversely impacted. School Responsibilities Review Attendance Records Teachers monitor and review attendance records on a weekly basis. They remind Learning Coaches to enter hours of schooling for all days of the week. If a teacher has concerns about the validity of a student s attendance records, he or she may place the student in an alarm status, and contact the school s designated attendance coordinator for further assistance. Monitor Attendance Issues The school s attendance coordinators monitor student attendance. They contact families with low attendance rates, and work to help them stay in compliance. Attendance Coordinators also identify and record excused absences, and can alter Learning Coaches attendance records (with proper documentation), if necessary. Maintaining the Integrity of the Attendance Data After the weekly records are reviewed by the teacher, the school locks the system to prohibit further editing. Any requests for adjustments to the previously verified records must go to the school (in writing) for review, approval and adjustment. Pg 19 of 77

20 Official Attendance Record the Connexus attendance system is the record of Learning Coach documented attendance. It is however only one of many sources used to determine if a student is meeting the minimum instructional hours requirement. In certain cases, where it has been determined that a student has not completed enough work or that certain other program requirement have not been fulfilled, the attendance coordinator may invalidate the Learning Coach record resulting in sanctions up to and including withdrawal. School-Initiated Withdrawals Students will be withdrawn from the school if they have 10 consecutive or 15 unexcused absences in a 90 day period, or if they are out of compliance for two weeks or more with a Performance Improvement Plan or Success Plan that addresses any area of escalation. Other reasons for school initiated withdrawal are if a student is out of compliance with attendance requirements for Exceptional Student Education services, or if they do not participate in all mandatory state testing. If a Learning Coach is logging attendance, but the student is not participating regularly or attaining a passing score in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies, the student may be placed in an intervention program designed to improve support for the student and the Learning Coach. At the end of that intervention the Learning Coach and school staff will evaluate whether or not the student should continue with Florida Virtual School Full Time public program or seek an alternative educational setting 4.3 Attendance Status and Escalation Systems Enrolled students are in one of three attendance statuses at all times: 1. On-Track 2. Approaching Alarm 3. Alarm 4. Exempt On occasion, none of the first three escalation statuses will be appropriate for a student. The student will be placed in Exempt status and escalation will not apply; however, all program requirements will still be applicable. Pg 20 of 77

21 Attendance status is based on several criteria, as outlined in the General School Handbook, and is a combination of measures that indicate if a student is demonstrating adequate participation (and therefore attendance) in the program. This not only includes the actual attendance hours recorded by the Learning Coach, but also lesson and assignment completion rates, and amount of communication with the teacher. Therefore, even though a Learning Coach may record a high number of instructional hours in the attendance records, if a student s work completion rates are not on track or is he or she fails to communicate on a regular basis with the teacher, he or she will be placed in an Alarm status. It is important to recognize that just marking proper attendance will not keep a student s attendance status On-Track. When a student is in the Approaching Alarm status, he or she is in danger if being withdrawn. The school will work with the family to help get the student s attendance back on track. If these efforts fail, the student will be escalated to the Alarm status which could quickly lead to the student s official disenrollment. (See School-Initiated Withdrawals) 4.4 Truancy In order to maximize student learning, regular attendance is imperative. The Florida Virtual School Full Time public program offers a great deal of flexibility about how many hours students spend each day on school work and on what days of the week they complete that work. Due to this flexibility, Florida Virtual School Full Time public program has zero tolerance for truancy. Caretakers are held legally responsible for ensuring that their students are fully participating in school, even if they have designated another individual as their student s Learning Coach. The information below is intended to help Caretakers understand to how avoid having their student be considered truant, and to understand the consequences of truancy. In order to avoid truancy, the Caretaker must ensure that the following activities are taking place: The student completes assigned lessons and assessments. The student participates in educational activities for an appropriate number of hours, as outlined in the Required Hours of Instruction section (3.5.2) of this Handbook Supplement, and the Caretaker or Learning Coach records these attendance hours in Connexus on a daily basis. The student maintains monthly telephone contacts with teachers. The student attends all required LiveLesson sessions. Pg 21 of 77

22 The student is able to demonstrate that he/she is doing his/her own schoolwork. The student attends all mandatory state testing. The Caretaker or Learning Coach has communicated with the homeroom teacher in advance if he or she needs to deviate from the regular school calendar (for example, switching a vacation and school day). If the students teachers become aware that the student is not fully participating in school as outlined above, the student will be marked absent at the teacher s discretion. The principal or homeroom teacher may override the number of attendance hours previously entered by a Learning Coach, changing the attendance hours as appropriate, if the student s teacher(s) believe the student has not participated as required. These absences will be considered unexcused Absences are considered excused only for documented student illness or the death of an immediate family member. The final decision about whether an absence is considered excused or unexcused will be made by the principal. Florida law defines "habitual truant" as a student who has 15 or more consecutive unexcused absences within 90 calendar days with or without the knowledge or consent of the student's parent or guardian, and who is subject to compulsory school attendance. Definition of A Day of School at Florida Virtual School Full Time public program Missing a day of school is defined as missing a day s worth of hours For a Florida Virtual School Full Time public program student in grades K-3, this would be the equivalent of completing fewer than 16 hours of school in a week and for a student in grades 4-12 would be the equivalent of completing fewer than 20 hours of school in a week. 5 GRADING AND STUDENT EVALUATION Florida Virtual School Full Time public program uses the scale below for all work completed in the program. 5.1 Promotion and Retention Pg 22 of 77

23 Grades K-5: In order to receive credit for a course, the student must pass the course (achieve a final grade of 60% or greater) and complete all of the assigned assessments. Incomplete assessments will be assigned a 0%. Promotion into the next grade level is dependent on a final passing score in core classes Language Arts and Math. Final decisions regarding promotion and retention will be made by the school according to the district Student Progression Plan. Grades 6-12: In order to receive credit for a course and be promoted to the next course or level, the student must pass each semester of their four core courses (Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies) by completing all assigned assessments and achieving a final grade of 60% or greater. Incomplete assessments will be assigned a 0%. Final decisions regarding promotion and retention will be made by the school according to the district Student Progression Plan. Percent Letter Grade A B C D 59 F Placement in courses Student placement into courses is based upon academic appropriateness as determined by the student, parent, school counselor and school administrator. Students may be placed to meet graduation requirements, need for acceleration, and/or need for remediation. For more information please reference FL statute ( F.S.) Grade Forgiveness A student in the middle grades who takes any high school course for high school credit and earns a grade of "C", "D", or "F", or the equivalent of a grade of "C", "D", or "F" shall be allowed to retake the same course or a comparable course and replace the grade with a grade of "C" or higher, or the equivalent of a grade of "C" or higher. In all cases of grade forgiveness, only the new grade shall be used in the calculation of the student's GPA. Any course grade not replaced according to a district school board forgiveness policy shall be included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA required for graduation. Pg 23 of 77

24 6 HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND POLICIES Graduation and Diploma Requirements NOTE: Florida Virtual School Full Time program will begin awarding diplomas in the school year to students who have met Florida graduation requirements. A student must finish school before or during the year in which s/he turns nineteen (1(9) years old. Students who cannot meet graduation requirements as outlined below, prior to the end of the school year during which they attain the age of twenty (20) in the fall semester of that year, shall not be permitted to attend beyond that academic year. To be eligible to receive a diploma from FLVS-FT, a student must: 1. complete the required number of credits as outlined in the FL graduation requirements, 2. earn at FLVS-a minimum of 6* of the credits (or 12 courses) required for graduation, with at least 3 of these credits (or 6 courses) earned in the semester immediately prior to graduation, 3. pass all state-mandated graduation tests, 4. earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, and 5. meet any other additional graduation requirements required by the state. *AdvancED Accreditation requires the assurance that the institution ensures that students graduating from the institution complete at least 25% of the courses for graduation at the institution. Exceptions must be approved by the Senior Director, Instructional Operations. Graduation Requirements by Cohort Grade Students Entering Grade Nine in the School Year What are the diploma options? Students must successfully complete one of the following diploma options: 24-credit standard diploma 18-credit Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) option Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) curriculum International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma curriculum What are the state assessment requirements? Pg 24 of 77

25 Students must pass the following statewide assessments: Grade 10 reading (or ACT/SAT concordant score) Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) if Algebra I is taken after or a comparative score on the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (P.E.R.T.) Students must participate in the following EOC assessments: Algebra I (if enrolled after ) Biology I (if enrolled after ) Geometry (if enrolled after ) U.S. History (if enrolled after ) What are the requirements for standard diploma designations? Scholar Diploma Designation In addition to meeting the 24-credit standard high school diploma requirements, a student must Earn 1 credit in Algebra II; Earn 1 credit in Statistics or an equally rigorous mathematics course; Pass the Biology I EOC; Earn 1 credit in Chemistry or Physics; Earn 1 credit in a course equally rigorous to Chemistry or Physics; Pass the U.S. History EOC; Earn 2 credits in the same World Language; and Earn at least 1 credit in AP, IB, AICE or a dual enrollment course. A student is exempt from the Biology I or U.S. History assessment if the student is enrolled in an AP, IB or AICE Biology I or U.S. History course and the student Takes the respective AP, IB or AICE assessment; and Earns the minimum score to earn college credit. Merit Diploma Designation Pg 25 of 77

26 Scholar Diploma Designation Meet the standard high school diploma requirements Attain one or more industry certifications from the list established (per s , F.S.) What are the requirements for the 24-credit standard diploma option? 24-credit standard diploma option 4 Credits English Language Arts (ELA) 4 Credits Mathematics One of which must be Algebra I and one of which must be Geometry Industry certifications that lead to college credit may substitute for up to two mathematics credits (except for Algebra I and Geometry) 3 Credits Science One of which must be Biology I, two of which must have a laboratory component An industry certification that leads to college credit substitutes for up to one science credit (except for Biology I) An identified rigorous Computer Science course with a related industry certification substitutes for up to one science credit (except for Biology I) 3 Credits Social Studies 1 credit in World History 1 credit in U.S. History.5 credit in U.S. Government.5 credit in Economics Pg 26 of 77

27 24-credit standard diploma option 1 Credit Fine and Performing Arts, Speech and Debate, or Practical Arts Eligible courses are specified in the Florida Course Code Directory at 1 Credit Physical Education - To include the integration of health 8 Elective Credits 1 Online Course Students must earn a 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Students Entering Grade Nine in the School Year What are the diploma options? Students must successfully complete one of the following diploma options: 24-credit standard diploma 18-credit Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) option Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) curriculum International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma curriculum What are the state assessment requirements? Students must pass the following statewide assessments: Grade 10 reading (or ACT/SAT concordant score) Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) if Algebra I is taken after or a comparative score on the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (P.E.R.T.) Students must participate in the following EOC assessments: Algebra I (if enrolled after ) Biology I (if enrolled after ) Geometry (if enrolled after ) U.S. History (if enrolled after ) and performance on the EOC constitutes 30 percent of the final course grade Pg 27 of 77

28 What are the requirements for standard diploma designations? Scholar Diploma Designation In addition to meeting the 24-credit standard high school diploma requirements, a student must Earn 1 credit in Algebra II; Earn 1 credit in Statistics or an equally rigorous mathematics course; Pass the Biology I EOC; Earn 1 credit in Chemistry or Physics; Earn 1 credit in a course equally rigorous to Chemistry or Physics; Pass the U.S. History EOC; Earn 2 credits in the same World Language; and Earn at least 1 credit in AP, IB, AICE or a dual enrollment course. A student is exempt from the Biology I or U.S. History assessment if the student is enrolled in an AP, IB or AICE Biology I or U.S. History course and the student Takes the respective AP, IB or AICE assessment; and Earns the minimum score to earn college credit. Merit Diploma Designation Meet the standard high school diploma requirements Attain one or more industry certifications from the list established (per s , F.S.) What are the requirements for the 24-credit standard diploma option? 24-credit standard diploma option 4 Credits English Language Arts (ELA) Pg 28 of 77

29 24-credit standard diploma option 4 Credits Mathematics One of which must be Algebra I and one of which must be Geometry Industry certifications that lead to college credit may substitute for up to two mathematics credits (except for Algebra I and Geometry) 3 Credits Science One of which must be Biology I, two of which must have a laboratory component An industry certification that leads to college credit substitutes for up to one science credit (except for Biology I) An identified rigorous Computer Science course with a related industry certification substitutes for up to one science credit (except for Biology I) 3 Credits Social Studies 1 credit in World History 1 credit in U.S. History.5 credit in U.S. Government.5 credit in Economics 1 Credit Fine and Performing Arts, Speech and Debate, or Practical Arts Eligible courses are specified in the Florida Course Code Directory at 1 Credit Physical Education - To include the integration of health 8 Elective Credits 1 Online Course Pg 29 of 77

30 24-credit standard diploma option Students must earn a 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Students Entering Grade Nine in the School Year What are the diploma options? Students must successfully complete one of the following diploma options: 24-credit standard diploma 18-credit Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) option Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) curriculum International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma curriculum What are the state assessment requirements? Students must pass the following statewide assessments: Grade 10 ELA (or ACT/SAT concordant score) Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) or a comparative score on the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (P.E.R.T.) Students must participate in the EOC assessments and the results constitute 30 percent of the final course grade. These assessments are in the following subjects: Algebra I Biology I Geometry U.S. History Algebra II (if enrolled) What are the requirements for standard diploma designations? Scholar Diploma Designation Pg 30 of 77

31 Scholar Diploma Designation In addition to meeting the 24-credit standard high school diploma requirements, a student must Earn 1 credit in Algebra II; Earn 1 credit in Statistics or an equally rigorous mathematics course; Pass the Biology I EOC; Earn 1 credit in Chemistry or Physics; Earn 1 credit in a course equally rigorous to Chemistry or Physics; Pass the U.S. History EOC; Earn 2 credits in the same World Language; and Earn at least 1 credit in AP, IB, AICE or a dual enrollment course. A student is exempt from the Biology I or U.S. History assessment if the student is enrolled in an AP, IB or AICE Biology I or U.S. History course and the student Takes the respective AP, IB or AICE assessment; and Earns the minimum score to earn college credit. Merit Diploma Designation Meet the standard high school diploma requirements Attain one or more industry certifications from the list established (per s , F.S.) What are the requirements for the 24-credit standard diploma option? 24-credit standard diploma option 4 Credits English Language Arts (ELA) ELA I, II III, IV ELA honors, Advanced Placement (AP), Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), International Baccalaureate (IB) and dual enrollment courses may satisfy this requirement Pg 31 of 77

32 24-credit standard diploma option 4 Credits Mathematics One of which must be Algebra I and one of which must be Geometry Industry certifications that lead to college credit may substitute for up to two mathematics credits (except for Algebra I and Geometry) 3 Credits Science One of which must be Biology I, two of which must have a laboratory component Two of the three required credits must have a laboratory component. An industry certification that leads to college credit substitutes for up to one science credit (except for Biology I) An identified rigorous Computer Science course with a related industry certification substitutes for up to one science credit (except for Biology I) 3 Credits Social Studies 1 credit in World History 1 credit in U.S. History.5 credit in U.S. Government.5 credit in Economics with Financial Literacy 1 Credit Fine and Performing Arts, Speech and Debate, or Practical Arts Eligible courses are specified in the Florida Course Code Directory at 1 Credit Physical Education - To include the integration of health Eligible courses are specified in the Florida Course Code Directory at Pg 32 of 77