Definitions:
"Course Challenge" refers to the process through which any senior high school student can challenge the outcomes of a course by participating in a formal assessment process, rather than taking the course. The course challenge process must assess a student's achievement of the depth and breadth of the outcomes of the course. Assessment procedures for course challenges must include a variety of formats and strategies.
"Flexible Course Completion Dates" refers to the ability of students to complete a senior high course in a period of time that is either shorter or longer than the time allotted within the semester.
"Credit Recovery" refers to the process of redoing a section or sections of a course they did not pass rather than repeating the entire course in order to earn the credits.
"Assessment" refers to the process of a student performing a number of tasks and showing samples of work that demonstrate the degree to which the student has achieved the expected standards for the outcomes of the course. The student's performance and the quality of the student's work are evaluated by a certificated teacher who has expertise in the subject/course in question.
"Course" refers to a course at any level in a course sequence.
"Course sequence" refers to a sequence of courses that together comprise a complete set of prerequisites (e.g., ELA 10-1, 20-1, 30-1).
"Summative evaluation" refers to the final evaluation of learning outcomes.
Procedures
General
- The superintendent and/or designate shall meet periodically with Grasslands high school principals to discuss this administrative procedure and to ensure that comparable processes are in place in different Grasslands high schools.
- Grasslands principals shall ensure that high school students and parents are aware of course challenge procedures, and options for flexible completion dates and credit recovery.
- Principals shall oversee the implementation of these options to ensure that:
- Students are provided with flexibility in high school completion and course selection.
- Assessments are sufficiently rigorous to assess the breadth and scope of the learning outcomes for the course, as outlined in the program of studies. This cannot be accomplished with a single test.
- Access points for course challenges, plans for altered completion dates for individual students, and credit recovery options are defined early enough to allow the teacher in question to reasonably be expected to assess the student work and/or provide the student with additional, or alternate, material and instruction.
Course Challenges
- If a student chooses to challenge a course, they shall apply to the principal to do so within the first two weeks of the year, or the term in which the course is offered. The student who initiates the course challenge process shall take responsibility for providing evidence of readiness to challenge a course (e.g., a portfolio, other collection, documentation of work and/or experience, a recommendation from a junior high school teacher, transcript from an out of province or country institution demonstrating a passing grade in a course related to the course to be challenged).
- If the challenge is unsuccessful, or if the student wishes to obtain a higher mark, the student may take the course; a second challenge of that course is not allowed. If a student chooses to take the course in the same semester in which she/he attempts a course challenge, either successfully or unsuccessfully, the school shall submit both marks and the higher mark will appear on the student's Alberta Official Transcript of High School Achievement.
- The principal shall consult the Guide to Education and inform the student:
- if applicable, that a course challenge in the course in question is not allowed.
- if applicable, the process for challenging a language course
- that if the student successfully challenges a higher level course, in many cases the student will not be able to challenge a lower level course. If a student wishes to challenge a course sequence, the challenges should occur in sequential order.
- that the principal shall determine the student's readiness and decide whether or not to allow the challenge based on consultation with the student, the parent(s)/guardian(s) and the teacher of the course. The consultation shall include discussion of the student's chance of successfully meeting the acceptable standard for the course and if applicable, the student's apparent capacity to successfully handle the course at the next level.
- The principal shall decide whether or not to allow the challenge and inform student and parents of the decision.
- If the principal approves the challenge, a teacher from that school shall be assigned the assessment required. If no teacher within the school has the expertise to conduct the course challenge, the principal shall work with the Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services to assign a teacher within the division, who has the required expertise, to complete the course challenge.
- If the course is a non-diploma course, the student will be given a final course mark, and, if successful, credits in that course.
- If the course is a diploma course, the mark assigned from the challenge shall be reported as the school-awarded mark and the student shall write the diploma exam at the next scheduled opportunity.
- The percentage mark for the course challenge will be reported in PASI.
Flexible Course Completion Dates
Expedited Completion
When a teacher determines that a student is capable of successfully completing a course in less time, and the student and parent(s)/guardian(s) choose that option, the teacher shall create a suggested timeline, a plan for monitoring student progress, proposed alternative learning opportunities, and an accompanying assessment plan. With the approval of the principal, a revised schedule for course completion will be agreed upon. For diploma courses, the student shall write at the next scheduled opportunity after course completion.
The student could request a shortened timeline for completion of a course. through a meeting with the teacher of the course and the principal. If agreed to by the student, parent(s), teacher, and principal, the teacher shall create a revised timeline, alternative learning opportunities, and an accompanying assessment plan. For diploma courses, the student shall write at the next scheduled opportunity.
Extended Completion
- When it is evident that a student requires additional time to successfully complete a course and credit recovery is not a viable option, the teacher and student, with principal approval, may create a lengthened schedule for course completion that includes a suggested timeline, plan for monitoring student progress and may include alternative learning activities and an accompanying revised assessment plan.
Credit Recovery
- When a student is not successful in a course due to failure to successfully master a section of the course, rather than failure to demonstrate mastery of many units, a credit recovery opportunity shall be provided as an alternative to repeating the entire course. The methods by which the student shall demonstrate that the required outcomes have been achieved, and the timelines for additional assessment, will be prepared by the teacher, with the approval of the principal.
- If possible, the revised timeline will allow the student to complete the course during the assigned term. This may involve the student completing assigned tasks outside of the school day, during periods in which the student does not have another class, or during semester exam periods.
- If it is not possible to have the student successfully complete the course during the assigned term, and credit recovery is determined by the teacher and principal to be a better option than repeating the course, mark submission and, if applicable, the writing of a diploma exam will be delayed.