Districts in which students are earning credits for performance-based, dual credit and other nontraditional offerings are advised to have procedures for documenting their work to meet attendance requirements. KSBA’s Policy and Procedures Service has drafted language that states such procedures should incorporate the following:
• Conditions under which high school credit will be granted in a system in which students demonstrate proficiency and earn credit for learning outside the normal classroom setting, outside of school, or in prior learning. Students can earn performance-based credit while still “in school,” though the instructional setting will not be the traditional “seat time.”
• Performance descriptors and their linkages to state content standards and academic expectations, and evaluation procedures. These are used to determine whether content and performance standards have been met.
• Assessments and the extent to which state-mandated assessments will be used.
• An objective grading and reporting process.
• Criteria for school and community learning experiences, such as internships and cooperative learning, in support of a student’s individual learning plan. These must be supervised by qualified instructors and aligned with state and district content and performance standards.