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2232 - PERSONAL CURRICULUM - MICHIGAN MERIT CURRICULUM

The Board of Education, recognizes that the parent or legal guardian of a student or an agent acting on behalf of the student, or the student himself/herself if emancipated or of majority age, may request a Personal Curriculum for the student that modifies certain of the Michigan merit standard requirements under subsection (1) or M.C.L.A. 380.1278a(1)(a). The Personal Curriculum, if requested, cannot provide for anything less than the minimum eighteen (18) credits that the student must earn under the Michigan Merit Curriculum in order to be issued a diploma. The definition of what shall constitute a "credit" under the Personal Curriculum shall rest with the Superintendent and be transmitted to the Board for their information.

The Personal Curriculum, if requested, shall incorporate as much of the subject area content expectations of the Michigan merit standard required under law as is practicable for the student. It shall establish measurable goals that the student must achieve while enrolled in high school and shall provide a method to evaluate whether the student achieved these goals; and shall be aligned with the student's educational development plan (EDP) or individual educational development plan (IEDP).

The Superintendent is charged with the responsibility to provide for and meet requests for a Personal Curriculum, including the formulation of the District's definition of the "cut scores" for each subject area,1 and shall follow all Michigan Department of Education requirements and guidelines pertaining thereto. The "Michigan Merit Curriculum Guidelines for the Personal Curriculum" and the "Michigan Merit Curriculum Supporting Materials and Examples for the Personal Curriculum,"2 should be used when implementing the Personal Curriculum component of the District's instructional program.

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1 All schools will determine their requirements for student proficiency in the subject area content expectations. Schools using their own Secondary Credit Assessments will need to verify to themselves that the assessments used produce reliable and valid information, are aligned to and cover the content expectations for the credit area, and that the cut score they select is valid for the assessment. (MDE "High School Graduation Requirements - Frequently Asked Questions" - On line document - updated 3-10-08.) The document can be accessed via the following URL:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/FAQ_Entire_Document_12.07_217841_7.pdf

2 These documents, in downloadable .pdf form, can be accessed by going to:

http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_30334-178576--,00.html

M.C.L.A. 380.1278a(1)(a); 380.1278b

Adopted 6/18/09