EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OPTIONS/FLEXIBLE CREDIT
The New Philadelphia School Board believes that by identifying and adopting the concept of the educational options for all students, the flexibility of its educational program will be enhanced, thus expanding students’ learning opportunities.
Options include, but are not limited to credit recovery courses, tutorial programs, independent study, correspondence courses, educational travel, mentorship programs, summer school, early college entrance, community service program, distance education, testing out, etc. Students in grades 9 – 12 may be eligible to earn credit for certain educational options. Credit earned shall be placed on the student transcript. The credit counting toward graduation shall comply with the State of Ohio standards.
The superintendent or his/her designee is authorized to approve student participation in an educational option in accordance with the State Minimum Standards for Elementary and Secondary Schools.
New Philadelphia High School is providing educational options to students through such areas as correspondence courses, independent study courses, educational travel, mentorship programs, internships, credit recovery programs and distance learning courses. This is not an all-inclusive list of educational options. Although post-secondary enrollment is an educational option, it does not fall under these guidelines. The following criteria must be met in order for a student to seek approval for an educational option:
1. The course is not to be taken as a replacement for a required high school course unless it is part of a student’s IEP, or the student has previously failed the course. Exceptions may be made when a student plans to accelerate in a curriculum area or apply for early graduation.
2. The total credits earned through educational options that are applied to meeting graduation requirements may not exceed seven (7) credits. Exceptions may be made as part of the IAT process or the Ohio Flexible Credit Program.
3. The student must complete the application process two weeks before beginning the requested course.
4. The student must provide a syllabus/course description/outline/trip itinerary of the educational option. It is preferred that the syllabus be submitted with the application: however, if this is not the case, the committee making credit determination will not make a decision on the amount of credit or the type of credit until a syllabus/outline/course description/trip itinerary is submitted.
5. Parents/guardians must pay for the course.
6. Parents/guardian must provide all necessary equipment (computer, Internet hookup, travel, books, etc.) If the course takes place during school hours, the student may use the school computer and Internet hookup.
7. All approved educational option courses will be accepted as Pass/Fail. No educational option courses will be considered for “grade weighting” unless it is an approved Advanced Placement class. Ohio Flexible Credit option courses may be taken for a grade.
8. Educational option courses may be computed as part of the student’s grade point average.
9. Once a student has completed the application, a committee will determine the amount and type of credit a student should receive for the course. The guidance counselor, principal or his/her designee, and the department chairperson will meet to discuss the course, determine the amount and type of credit, and the sign off on the application form. If the department chairperson is not the content area specialist for the course, he/she is to have the content areas specialist attend the meeting to help determine the amount of credit.
Educational Option/Flex Credit Course Approval Process
1. The student submits an application to the Guidance Department.
2. The Guidance Department duplicates the information and sends it to all committee members (principal, department chairperson, content area specialist). If the content area specialist is not the department chairperson, the building principal indicates who will sit on the committee from the specific content area.
3. The committee meets, decides on credit, determines what needs to be turned in at the end of the course, and signs off on the application or denies the application.
4. A copy of the approval or denial is sent to the student by the Guidance Department.
5. The student completes the course and submits any final materials to the department chairperson. If the department chairperson is not the content area specialist, the content area specialist reviews the final materials and makes a recommendation tot the department chairperson. The student has two weeks following the completion date of the course to submit his/her materials for review. If the materials are not submitted within the two-week time period, the student loses the opportunity to receive credit.
6. The department chairperson or content area specialist processes the final grade with the Guidance Department.
* Flexible Credit Applications are located in the Guidance Office
Placement
Based upon a student’s previous academic record, a student may be placed in a course beyond the traditional sequence, with the parent’s approval. The student does not receive credit for the course that has been bypassed. Example: An 8th grade student has a history of academic success, including both grades and achievement tests; thus the student is “placed” in English 10 CP, bypassing English 9 CP. The student does not receive credit for English 9 CP and will need to earn four credits of English for graduation.
Click the link below to view the various Educational Options that are available to New Philadelphia High School students for the 2011-2012 school year.
Educational Options