The Answers
Q. What are the exact
requirements for students?
Answer: See Board Policy
BP 6146.1.
Q. What’s new
for the class of 2005?
Answer: Beginning with the Class of 2005, students must pass a course
in first year algebra. Algebra 1-2 or Algebra P1-P4 meet this requirement
(Ed. Code 51224.5.) Students who have completed Algebra 1-2 in middle
school will have met this requirement. Students who complete Algebra
P1-P2 in middle school need to complete Algebra P3-P4 in order to fulfill
this requirement.
Q. What’s
new for the class of 2006?
Answer: Beginning with the Class of 2006, students must pass the High School
Exit Exam in English and mathematics in order to earn a diploma (Ed. Code 60851,
60856, 60859.)
Q. Are there alternative
ways for students to meet the outcome proficiency standards?
Answer: Yes. See Administrative Regulation
AR 6146.1.
Q. Must all students
meet these requirements in order to earn a diploma?
Answer: Yes, except for students whose IEPs include specific modifications
of the standards or prescribe alternative methods of assessment. Students
who have 504 plans may have accommodations in how they meet the requirements
(such as extended time). ESL students may use translated materials in
order to meet requirements in their primary language (except for the
reading and writing which are required in English).
Q. What about students
who transfer into the district?
Answer: Transfer students must meet the district’s graduation requirements
in order to earn a district diploma. However, by state Education Code,
students who meet the state-mandated proficiency requirements in reading,
writing, or mathematics (Outcomes #1,2,5) in their previous district
will be given full credit for having met those requirements. For other
outcomes (such as Computer Literacy) or when a student’s date of
enrollment in the district precludes access to the district’s assessments,
students may present alternative evidence upon which to evaluate proficiency.
The Principal is charged with evaluating such alternative work and determining
whether or not it meets district standards. The district also has a procedure
for waiving specific graduation requirements other than those required
by the state. Such Waivers must be recommended by the Principal and approved
by the Board of Trustees. See Board Policy BP6146.3 and Exhibit E6146.1(b).
Q. What support
will be available for students?
Answer: The most important support is the on-going instructional program
in which each teacher is well informed about the requirements and performance
tasks required and provides opportunities for students to master the
skills and knowledge required. In addition, supplemental instructional
services will be made available such as: 1) tutoring (inc. peers), 2)
summer school sessions, 3) tutorial/office hours, 4) if needed, additional
diagnostic testing to help identify skill/knowledge weaknesses, 5) short
workshops before or after school designed to help with a particular requirement,
6) Adult Education courses, 7) lists of supplemental programs available
outside the school (such as College of Marin, private learning centers,
etc.). The options will vary among the district’s schools, so it
is best to ask your student’s counselor.
Q. How will I know
if my students haven’t met a requirement yet?
Answer: Teachers can see which outcomes their students have met using
PowerGrade.
Q. What’s my
responsibility?
Answer. First, know which requirements are the direct responsibility
of your discipline or program. For these, you need to ensure that instruction
prepares students for the tasks. Second, know all the requirements and
be clear about which ones you can support through instruction. All teachers,
for example, must understand the Core Literacy Portfolio requirements
and provide opportunities for students to produce work which helps fulfill
them. Third, all teachers will be involved in the development and scoring
of assessment tasks as appropriate. Fourth, believe that all students
can achieve the standards and communicate this belief to them.
Q. What happens if
a student does not meet the standards?
Answer: Students will have multiple opportunities to complete the requirements.
The options may vary according to the particular requirement. For some,
scores on different assessments will be accepted. For others, students
will retake the assessment. For some, such as the Core Literacy Portfolio,
the student may revise the work and resubmit. Students who do not meet
the standards required for graduation will not receive a diploma.
Q. How will these
assessments affect my grading system?
Answer: Each teacher has the authority to develop and implement a grading
system based upon criteria spelled out in BP/AR 5121. Unless a particular
outcome indicator is explicitly built into the curriculum of a course
(such as the sportfolios in Physical Education or the Exhibitions in
Foreign Language) you, as the teacher, have the discretion to determine
how the work will be incorporated into your grading. Obviously, grading
communicates what’s important to students–so not counting
the outcome work at all would send a wrong message. Teachers are encouraged
to work with colleagues to reach agreement across similar courses/programs.
Q. Should there be
a correlation between a student’s grade in my class
and their performance on the outcome indicators?
Answer: The outcome indicators are designed to assess the skills and
knowledge graduates should have as a result of instruction. There should
be a high degree of correlation between the performances required in
a course, or sequence of courses, and the related outcome indicators.
Some of the outcome indicators, such as the literacy ones, should be
embedded across the curriculum in reading, writing, and speaking activities.
However, since grades are based upon a number of criteria, it is possible
that a grade might be high or low because of variables not assessed in
the outcome indicators (such as attendance, handing in homework).
Q. What support will
I get as a teacher to help me prepare students for these
requirements?
Answer: Teachers who are directly responsible for particular outcomes
will receive teacher support materials which fully describe the requirements
and provide suggested instructional strategies, exemplars, practice tasks.
In addition, staff development will be organized based upon teacher requests.
The best way to internalize the standards is to participate in the scoring
and followup dialogue with colleagues.
Q. What are the responsibilities
of department facilitators and chairs?
Answer: Department facilitators are responsible for coordinating districtwide
activities related to the outcomes such as facilitating curriculum/indicator
development workshops, serving as liaison to ETF/Office of Instruction
in ordering/distributing materials, securing scorers and designing staff
development. Department chairs are responsible for making certain all
teachers understand the outcomes related to that department and the expectations
for assessment/instruction, and that they have the support materials.
Department chairs work with facilitators to coordinate administration
of assessments.
Q. How will these
outcomes impact my evaluation?
Answer: There is not a direct link between how your students perform
on these assessments and your evaluation. However, the evaluation criteria
include many references to student achievement and adherence to district
curriculum. Many data sources are used to evaluate a teacher’s
performance on these criteria.
Q. If a student is
in Special Education, ESL, or has a 504 plan, what accommodations/modifications
will be made in these performance standards?
Answer: During a student’s IEP or 504 planning process the team
will consider what, if any, accommodations or modifications, need to
be made based upon the student’s learning disability. These adjustments
should be written in as part of the individual instructional plan. ESL
students are required to meet the district standards just as other students
unless they are served as Special Education or 504 students.
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WHAT
are the exact requirements for students?