Credit Flexibility Handbook

Credit Flexibility Handbook

Sycamore High School

2012-14

Sycamore High School

Chris Davis, Principal

Karen Bare, Assistant Principal Renee Hevia, Assistant Principal Kevin Mays, Assistant Principal Jim Stoll, Athletic Director

Marilee Tanner, Aves Academy Administrator

Dear Parents and Students,

Ohio’s Plan for Credit Flexibility is designed to broaden the scope of curricular options available to students, increase the depth of study possible for a particular subject, and allow tailoring of learning time and/or

conditions. These are ways in which aspects of learning can be customized around students’ interests and needs. Students may now earn credits by:

 completing coursework,

 testing out of or demonstrating mastery of course content, or

 pursuing one or more educational options (e.g., online/distance learning, dual credit, educational travel, independent study, internships, music, arts, after-school programs, community service, or other

individualized projects).

Credit Flexibility is intended to motivate and increase student learning by allowing:

 access to more learning resources, especially real-world experiences,

 customization around individual student needs, and/or

 use of multiple measures of learning, especially those where students demonstrate what they know and can do, apply their learning, or document performance.

Please use this Credit Flexibility Handbook as a guide to understanding what options are available. Each option requires a different level of student independence needed to successfully complete the course work for credit. For this reason, all courses and students’ interest level should be carefully considered. Students interested in accessing Credit Flex should detach and complete the Credit Flex Application and follow the requirements outlined on the timeline in this handbook.

If you still have questions regarding Credit Flexibility, please visit www.sycamoreschools.org and view the information provided within the “Credit Flexibility Information” link on the district home page under “News.” Sincerely,

Chris Davis Principal

Sycamore High School

Table of Contents

Credit Flex Options Available at Sycamore High School ………..……….……1-2

Level One: Primarily Teacher Directed……….1

Level Two: Increased Student Independence………1

Level Three: Greater Student Direction and Independence………....……...1

Level Four: Completely Student-Driven………...……….2

HS Credit Flex Process Timeline ……….………...3

JH Credit Flex Process Timeline ……….………...4

Rubric for Panel Presentations ……….. 5

Additional Information………...…….6

AP Online Courses………...………...…….6

Student Athletes………...………...…….6

Appendix……….7

3 Options for Dual Credit at Sycamore High School………..8

eTech-Approved Online Providers …………...………..9

Credit Flexibility Forms…..………..………...…....………9

NOTE: The Credit Flexibility Application (which includes the Access Plan) is available on the district

website, www.sycamoreschools.org., on the “district forms” web page. Students should complete this form (with attachments: Credit Flexibility Athletic Waiver and Community Mentor Waiver and

Acknowledgment Form) and take it to their initial meeting with their Credit Flex Facilitator.

NOTE: All applicants must provide a 4-year course plan. This document is located on the counselors

Credit Flex Options Available at Sycamore High School

Level One: Primarily Teacher Directed

 Traditional Carnegie Units: Teacher directed classes which follow a traditional schedule, and meet

every day for one or two semesters. Classes TBA.

 Dual Credit: The ability to earn both high school and college credit simultaneously in a traditional high

school class. Dual credit may be offered at reduced college/university tuition, which students can take to college or as articulated credit available at no cost and applicable to specific courses at post-secondary institutions. Dual Credit classes included:

 Accelerated Chemistry  Accelerated Physics

 Honors Calculus

Level Two: Increased Student Independence

 Blended Classes: Classes offered partially online and combined or blended with scheduled classroom/lab sessions. Blended classes (online and face-to-face) include:

 Foundation of Fitness

 Other courses may be added (see counselor for details)

 Capstone Classes: Projects/products resulting from independent student research and guided by an

assigned teacher. Students will meet at specified times with their teacher who will directly oversee completion of the project. Capstone classes include:

 Senior English Capstone

Level Three: Greater Student Direction and Independence

 Online Classes: Classes offered completely online with little or no face-to-face teacher-student or student-student interaction. The following online providers have been approved for as recommended by eTech Ohio, a state agency dedicated to enhancing learning by developing programs and using best practices to serve learning organizations (see Appendix for detailed descriptions and web addresses):

 Butler Tech Online

 Brigham Young Online (NCAA approved)

 Aventa Learning  APEX

NOTE: AP courses taken from an online provider must be audited and approved by The College Board. Students will have to provide proof of the audit and approval from The College Board in order to receive a weighted grade on their Sycamore High School transcript.

 Independent Study: Independent Study provides an opportunity to further explore subjects of special interest or that have been taken in the regular curriculum. Whether they are working on enrichment or advancement of skills and knowledge, students can expand their learning by connecting with resources both within and outside the High School. Examples of Independent Study include local immersion experiences in a foreign language, conducting a musical performance, or creating a book of original short stories or poetry, for example. Students wishing to access Independent Study should find a staff member or community mentor willing to work with them and certify their learning.

 Study at Approved Institutions: Opportunities for credit that students could access through summer camps or college/university courses. Post-secondary institutions approved include:

 Northwestern University Summer Institute  Johns Hopkins University Summer Program  Post-Secondary Enrollment Options

Level Four: Completely Student-Driven

 Mastery Assessment: The three components of Mastery Assessment are: 1. a paper/pencil test

2. a portfolio

3. a presentation to a panel consisting of teachers, administrators and other invited judges Students wishing to access Mastery Assessment have 3 opportunities (see timeline). Students must achieve a minimum score of 80% (with no rounding) on the paper/pencil test to be eligible for completion of the Mastery Assessment process.

Upon successfully completing the paper/pencil test, students will receive specific assignments for the Mastery Assessment Portfolio. They will then have until the next Mastery Assessment testing week to complete their portfolios. All portfolio presentations will be scheduled through the Credit Flex Panel. Credit for Mastery Assessment will be assigned based on the course content: 1 semester = .5 credit; 2 semesters = 1 credit; 1 semester of PE = .25 credit. Students may not select the Mastery Assessment option for only 1 semester of a 2 semester course.

NOTE: There will be no option for Mastery Assessment at Sycamore High School for Advanced Placement courses. Students may choose to access online AP courses (see above) if they do not wish to sit for the regularly scheduled AP class. In addition, there will be no option for Mastery Assessment in courses that require students to work collaboratively together to produce a final group outcome. Examples of this kind of course include performing groups (Band, Orchestra, Chorus) and courses that specifically deliver a team-based product (Journalism).

Individual Research, Internships, Community Service/Service Learning, Educational Travel, or

Combination Opportunities: Projects/products resulting from independent student research as outlined in a

proposal made as part of the Credit Flex planning process. Unlike Independent Study and various capstone opportunities available at the High School (Senior English Capstone, Science Capstone, Biotechnology II), this option is totally student-driven from proposal to presentation

 The Community Mentor Waiver and Acknowledgement form must be completed before beginning any of

these options (see Appendix).

 Other: Other options approved for students for the school year include:  Certifications (lifeguard, scuba, CPR, etc.)

HS Credit Flex Process Timeline

Application for 2012-13

August 13-21, 2012 HS student application/access plans due to the grade level principal September 2012 HS student application/access plans due to the grade level principal February 25-March 1,

2013

HS student application/access plans due to the grade level principal

Credit Flex Panel Approval for Applications for 2012-13

August 22, 2012 Panel review. HS students will have until August 24, 2012 to revise plan according to the panel’s instruction. The decision will be communicated to the student as soon as possible in order to facilitate scheduling.

February 25-March 1,

2013 Panel review. HS students will have until March 8, 2013 to revise plan according to the panel’s instruction. The decision will be communicated to the student as soon as possible in order to facilitate scheduling.

 The Credit Flex Panel consists of content specific teachers/supervisor, a non-district employee mentor, grade level administrator 1 Credit Flex Facilitator.

NOTE: Mentors must have a background check and be fingerprinted in order to serve as mentors. This is the financial responsibility of the family. Mentors cannot be related to the applicant. All documentation must be sent to Central Office and to Renee Hevia, Sycamore High School assistant principal.

Student Presentations to Credit Flex Panel for 2012-13

October 29-November 2, 2012

Student presentation to CF panel and Mastery Assessment if applicable January 7-11, 2013 Student presentation to CF panel and Mastery Assessment if applicable March 4-8, 2013 Student presentation to CF panel and Mastery Assessment if applicable April 29-May 3, 2013 Student presentation to CF panel and Mastery Assessment if applicable

 May 20-25 will be the Mastery Assessment paper and pencil test for the 2013-14 school year.

Application for 2013-14

February 4-May 3, 2013

HS student application/access plan due to grade level principal for the 2013-14 school year.

August 12-16, 2013 HS student application/access plan due to grade level principal for the 2013-14 school year.

JH Credit Flex Process Timeline

(8

graders registering as incoming freshmen)

April 30-May 3, 2013

8th grade junior high applications/access plan due to Assistant Principal Karen Bare at the high school. (Grade level administrator for the graduating class of 2017)

May 6-30, 2013 Panel review of JH student applications/access plan. After the review, the panel may make suggestions on how to improve/revise the plan.

May 6-30, 2013 Revised 8th grade JH applications/access plan due to the student’s grade level administrator (Karen Bare). The panel will review the application again and communicate the decision in order for scheduling decisions to be made. This may take several weeks.

 The Credit Flex Panel consists of content specific teachers/supervisor, a non-district employee mentor, grade level administrator 1 Credit Flex Facilitator.

NOTE: Mentors must have a background check and be fingerprinted in order to serve as mentors. This is the financial responsibility of the family. Mentors cannot be related to the applicant. All documentation must be sent to Central Office and to Renee Hevia, Sycamore High School assistant principal.

Rubric for Panel Presentations

Student name:______________ Date: __________ Score: ______ /165

Panel Presentation Rubric For Credit Flex

3 Superior 2 Adequate 1 Minimal 0 Inadequate TOTAL

Content Knowledge: Student

demonstrates specific knowledge gained through the educational options

experience; mastery of course standards/curriculum is evident.

X15 X15 X15 X15

Learning Experience: The rigor of the

learning experience was appropriate for the student; there is evidence that learning was stretched through the learning

experience.

X5 X5 X5 X5

Demonstration of Learning: The student

demonstrates his or her learning through this experience via the presentation to the credit flexibility committee (i.e. artifacts, video, power point, etc.).

X5 X5 X5 X5

Learning Reflection: There is evidence

that the student has reflected on the learning experience(s) through journaling,documentation of learning activities, reflective essays, etc.

X4 X4 X4 X4

Learning Understanding: The student

demonstrates deep understanding of content by defending his/her learning, responding to questions from the credit flexibility committee, and explaining processes used to complete the project.

X5 X5 X5 X5

Role of Mentor: There is evidence that

input, guidance, assessment, and

evaluation has been provided throughout the entire project by the approved mentor.

X5 X5 X5 X5

Contact Hours: There is evidence that the

minimum number of hours ( required to earn designated credit amount) has been fulfilled.

X9 X9

Additional Information

AP Online Courses

Students who take an AP class online must provide proof that the course has been audited and approved by The College Board in order to receive a weighted grade. Unless such proof is provided, a non-weighted grade will appear on the transcript.

Student Athletes

Students should speak with counselors and Credit Flex Facilitators to evaluate the impact of accessing Credit Flexibility on athletic eligibility. Students must also sign and return the Credit Flexibility Athletic Waiver before beginning any Credit Flex option (see Appendix).

 High School Athletics—To be eligible to play interscholastic high school sports, a student must be currently enrolled and must have been enrolled in school in five full credit courses during the immediately preceding grading period (semester, quarter, six-weeks, etc.). A student enrolled in Credit Flex courses must, at the conclusion of the high school’s grading period, be “passing” all Credit Flex courses used to establish athletic eligibility. The student may not yet have completed the courses, but it must be determined that the student was ‘passing” the course(s) at the time the

grading period ended. If it is determined that the student is not passing, no credit toward the five credits (or equivalent) required for eligibility can be awarded.

 College Athletics— Students who anticipate continuing participation in sports at the college level should carefully consider the possibility that the NCAA Initial Eligibility Center may not include some Credit Flexibility options as part of the qualifying core courses required for Division I and II eligibility. For potential college student athletes, the NCAA eligibility requirements specifically address the types of learning opportunities available through the Credit Flexibility policy (e.g., online/distance learning, independent study, one course taken over two years). The NCAA does not allow “credit by exam” (or Mastery Assessment) courses to be applied to core course eligibility requirements. If you expect to play college sports, you must check with your counselor to ensure

that any credits taken through Credit Flex will meet the NCAA Eligibility Center standards.

Credit Flexibility Handbook

Appendix

3 Options for Dual Credit at Sycamore High School

AP (Advanced Placement) Credit

 Students take an AP (college level) course and the designated AP test.

 Colleges/universities decide whether or not to grant credit and how much credit to grant based on the student’s AP test score.

PSEOP (Ohio’s Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program):

 Students may take a college course from an Ohio college/university for both high school and college credit if the student’s high school does not offer the course or if extraordinary circumstances prevent the

student from taking the course at the high school.

 The student must meet the admission requirements of the college/university and must complete the registration process. The student’s home district pays for tuition, fees, and books.

 Such credits are transferrable from the college/university at the discretion of the receiving institution (see above).

Transcripted Credit:

 College credit that appears on an official transcript from the granting college/university.

 All transcripted credit is transferred at the discretion of the receiving institution. It may be transferred in full or partially, in place of actual or similar course work or as elective credit

eTech-Approved Online Providers

Butler Tech Online--http://www.butlertechonline.org/

Butler Tech Online offers online high school courses in the areas of English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, Physical Education, Art, Music, and Family and Consumer Sciences. Advanced placement, college preparatory and foundation level courses are available. Butler Tech Online courses are aligned with the Ohio Academic Content Standards and are composed of recorded lectures and presentations, streaming videos, simulations and animations, online tutorials, self-assessments, exercises, activities, assignments, and topic quizzes. All courses are supported with a fully licensed, highly qualified instructor to facilitate student learning.

Brigham Young Online (NCAA approved) --http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/

BYU Independent Study is a distance education program that offers online and paper/pencil courses and personal enrichment courses that can help high school students make up credit, graduate on time, enhance their curriculum, or earn university credit. Students can sign up at anytime and have one year to complete each course, allowing them to work at their own pace. All courses are accredited and are generally transferable to other educational institution.

Aventa Learning -- http://www.aventalearning.com

Aventa provides AP- approved online courses as well as courses in language arts, math, science, social studies, technology, world languages, and electives. All courses are accredited and generally transferable to other educational institutions

Credit Flexibility Forms

The Credit Flexibility Application (which includes the Access Plan) is available on the district website, www.sycamoreschools.org., on the “district forms” web page. Students should complete this form (with attachments: Credit Flexibility Athletic Waiver, Community Mentor Waiver and Acknowledgment Form) and take it to their initial meeting with their Credit Flex Facilitator.