| Roane County Schools |
| Bylaws & Policies |
5460 - GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
It shall be the policy of the Board of Education to acknowledge each student's successful completion of the graduation requirements of the State and County by the awarding of a diploma at fitting graduation ceremonies.
The Board shall award a regular high school diploma to every student enrolled in this County who has completed the standard graduation requirements. An eligible student with disabilities who has been determined by an IEP Team to be unable, even with extended learning opportunities and significant instructional modifications to meet State and County standard graduation requirements may receive a modified diploma. Students with disabilities receiving modified diplomas shall be allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies with their same grade classmates and continue with special education eligibility services.
The State Board shall provide for the awarding of a high school diploma to a deceased student, at the request of the parent, guardian, or custodian, if the student:
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was enrolled in a public school in this State at the time of death; |
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was academically eligible, or on track to complete the requirements for graduation at the time of death; and |
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died after the completion of the eleventh grade. |
An Institutional Education Program operated by the West Virginia Department of Education will transfer graduation credits to a school for the awarding of the high school diploma. An eligible student with disabilities who meets the criteria for instruction based on modified standards may pursue either a standard or modified diploma. These decisions are specified on the student’s IEP. The Board is required to accept the transferred credit.
A person who administers a program of secondary education at a public, private or home school may issue a diploma or other appropriate credential to a person who has completed the program of secondary education. Such diploma or credential is legally sufficient to demonstrate that the person meets the definition of having a high school diploma or its equivalent. No State agency or institution of higher learning in this State may reject or otherwise treat a person differently solely on the grounds of the source of such a diploma or credential. However, a State agency or institution of higher learning is not prohibited by State law from inquiring into the substance or content of the program to assess the content thereof for the purposes of determining whether a person meets other specific requirements.
The requirements for graduation from high school include earning
necessary units of credit in grades 9 through 12 as established in State law and West Virginia State Board of Education policy 2510 sets forth with specificity the graduation requirements for students enrolled in school year 2016 - 2017 and thereafter or as otherwise specified.All West Virginia High School students shall be scheduled in the defined high school curriculum, college courses, career and technical programs, credit recovery, Option Pathway, experiential learning, or virtual school courses for the full instructional day for all four (4) years.
The Board shall develop and implement within their attendance policy procedures which shall be approved by the West Virginia State Board of Education that defines the compelling circumstances under which students may attend school for fewer than four (4) full years and/or may be scheduled for courses for less than the full instructional day.
Alternative Means to Earn High School Credit
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Any student who successfully completes a high school level course (one meeting the high school approved content standards and taught by a content certified teacher) prior to grade 9 shall receive full credit for that course toward graduation requirements. The student’s permanent record for grades 9 through 12 shall indicate completion of the courses. The grade for any credit-bearing course taken prior to grade 9 becomes part of the student’s permanent record and is calculated in the student’s grade point average (hereinafter GPA). |
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The Board shall permit a student who masters the approved content standards for a credit bearing high school course that are embedded within a second course to receive credit for both courses. If these embedded credit courses are used to meet graduation requirements, the Board policy and alignment documentation must be reviewed by the West Virginia State Department of Education and approved by the West Virginia State Board of Education. |
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The Board shall allow students to earn credit for completion of college courses and other advanced courses outside the school setting as authorized by West Virginia State Board of Education policy 2510. (See West Virginia Board of Education Approval of District Dual Credit Policy Form) If these courses, including dual credit courses, are used to meet graduation requirements, this policy and alignment documentation must be reviewed and approved by the West Virginia Department of Education and the West Virginia State Board of Education. |
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A dual credit course must meet both the specified course content standards and objectives for secondary offering and the college course requirements. Dual credit courses may be delivered at the high school, on the college campus, another site not located at the high school or college campus, in a virtual environment, or through a combination of these delivery methods. (West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Series 19, http://files.k12.wv.us/npr/oc001/mp0inhm4ovks4o/Series-19--4-27-10-%20-20-.pdf) |
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A course, where a student will earn dual credit, must provide for 180 days of instruction, provide for student assignments on dates when the college may not be in session, and how a missed day of class or instruction at the secondary level will be handled when the college is in session. |
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If dual credit is not earned, a student may earn high school credit through credit recovery. |
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The high school grading scale will be utilized to award grades for dual credit courses. |
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The tuition and cost of college text books and materials will be paid by the student. |
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Students who fail high school courses shall be provided with an opportunity to recover credit for such failed courses. Research-based successful credit recovery programs that require students to successfully master content rather than repeat an entire course shall be made available to allow students to recover credit for failed high school courses. |
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West Virginia Virtual School (WVVS) - Pursuant to State law, the WVVS was created to assure consistent high quality education for West Virginia students while utilizing technology delivered courses. In order for students to receive credit for an online or virtual course, s/he must be enrolled as a full or part-time student in a West Virginia public school. |
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To ensure student success as productive citizens upon exiting juvenile facilities, students must be provided with marketable job skills equal to those in nonresidential settings. Personalized learning options for students enrolled in Office of Institutional Education Programs (hereinafter OIEP) schools are intended to be rigorous in delivery yet flexible in terms of graduation requirements. Career Integrated Experiential Learning (hereinafter CIEL) is a CTE concentration that provides opportunities for students to test for multiple nationally recognized certifications while earning credit for relevant job-readiness skills, helping students to be career- and college ready. CIEL can only be initiated at the OIEP schools. CIEL concentration credits will transfer to the receiving high school allowing for the continued enrollment for concentration and graduation credit for those who are unable to complete the concentration while in the juvenile setting. These CTE courses may be delivered in a traditional classroom setting or a virtual environment. |
If the college or university awards the grade, the scale may differ from West Virginia State Board of Education policy 2510 and expectations and scale detailed in the county Policy 5421 - Grading. The Board shall work with the college or university to conform the grade awarded to the provisions of West Virginia State Board of Education policy 2510 - Uniform Grading and the expectations and scale detailed in County Policy 5421 - Grading prior to the student enrolling in the course. Therefore the final grade would count toward the student's final grade point average and class rank.
Credit may be earned at an accredited postsecondary institution.
A student who transfers into a West Virginia school that has higher graduation requirements may not be able to complete these requirements. In such cases, the student's credits shall be evaluated to determine if one or more County and/or State requirements will be waived by the County or State Superintendent.
If a student has been enrolled continuously in grades 9-12, the student shall be expected to meet the graduation requirements that were in effect when he/she entered 9th grade unless amended by West Virginia State Board of Education policy.
If a student has enrolled after dropping out of school, the requirements that a student must meet depend upon the length of time s/he has been out of school. If the student has been out of school less than one (1) year, s/he would be expected to complete the graduation requirements that were in effect when s/he entered grade 9 for the first time. If the student has been out of school one year or more, s/he would be expected to complete the graduation requirements in effect upon re-enrollment.
Every high school may permit students below the ninth grade to take advance work for credit. This work shall count toward the graduation requirements if it was both:
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taught by a content certified teacher; |
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a high school level course (one meeting the high school approved content standards and objectives). |
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Commencement exercises will include only those students who have successfully completed requirements for graduation as certified by the high school Principal. No student who has completed the requirements for graduation shall be denied a diploma as a disciplinary measure. A student may be denied participation in the ceremony of graduation when personal conduct so warrants.
The Board also shall grant a diploma of adult education to all County residents over the age of twenty-one (21) who meet the requirements established by the West Virginia State Board of Education.
The Option Pathway is a blend of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway and the High School Equivalency Assessment. This pathway provides an opportunity for the high school students behind their ninth grade cohorts a second opportunity to graduate on time rather than dropping out of school.
Credit Recovery
Students who fail high school courses shall be provided with an opportunity to recover credit for such failed courses. Researched-based successful credit recovery programs require students to successfully obtain mastery of content rather than repeat an entire course shall be made available to allow students to recover credit for failed high school courses.
The Superintendent shall establish whatever administrative guidelines are necessary to comply with State rules and regulations.
WV Code 18-2-39; 18-2E-9, 18-8-6, 18-8-12, 18-2-32, 18-8-32
West Virginia State Board of Education policy 2510
Revised 9/16/08
Revised 3/10/09
Revised 6/28/12
Revised 8/19/14
Revised 10/23/14
Revised 11/19/15
Revised 11/9/17
© Neola 2017