005.28.22 Ark. Code R. § 017 Division of Elementary and Seondary Education Rules Governing Grading and Course Credit

• Library: Arkansas Administrative Code
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 12, December, 2023
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 005.28.22 Ark. Code R. § 017

DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION RULES GOVERNING GRADING AND COURSE CREDIT

CHAPTER 1:

REGULATORY AUTHORITY AND DEFINITIONS

1-1.00 REGULATORY AUTHORITY 1-1.01 These Rules are enacted pursuant to the State Board of Education's authority under Ark. Code Ann. §§ 6Flexibility in awarding course credit6-15-216 6Grading scale - exemptions - special education classes6-15-902 6-16-152 6Title6-16-801 et seq 6Purpose6-16-1201 et seq 6Credit for college courses6-18-223, 6Enrollment of private school or home school students6-18-232, and 6Creation6-85-401 et seq.

1-2.00 DEFINITIONS 1-2.01 "Additional Training Plan" (ATP) requires Advanced Placement (AP) and Pre-AP teachers to attend appropriate College Board training. Teachers in the plan have up to three (3) years to complete this requirement. 1-2.02 "Advanced Placement (AP)" courses are those courses taught following guidelines as provided for Advanced Placement courses by The College Board. Advanced Placement courses provide the opportunity for students to take a national examination through which they may qualify for college/university level credit. 1-2.03 "Advanced Placement Course" means a high school preparatory course for a College Board Advanced Placement Exam that incorporates all topics specified by The College Board and the Educational Testing Service on the syllabus for a given subject area and is approved through The College Board and Educational Testing Service. 1-2.04 "Approved institution of higher education" means an institution of higher education that meets the requirements of the definition under Ark. Code Ann. § 6Definitions6-85-402. 1-2.05 "College Board" means The College Board, a mission-driven not-for-profit organization. 1-2.06 "College Board Advanced Placement Exam" means a standardized exam designed to measure how well a student has mastered the content and skills of a specific AP course. An Advanced Placement Exam is administered by Educational Testing Service on behalf of The College Board. 1-2.07 "College Courses" are courses that are offered and taught under the direction of an accredited institution of higher education. Students may qualify for concurrent credit for such courses. For a concurrent college course to receive a weighted grade, it must be approved through the process described in these rules. 1-2.08 "Computer science credit" means one (1) unit of credit earned through the completion of a course or courses approved by the State Board and Division of Elementary and Secondary Education that meet the requirements of Chapter 7 of these rules. 1-2.09 "Computer science teacher" means an individual who holds an Arkansas teaching license or technical permit that includes a computer science certification, endorsement, approval, or technical permit code that meets the Division's requirement for a computer science teacher. 1-2.10 "Division" means the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. 1-2.11 "Elementary school" is a school having any combination of one or more grades from kindergarten through grade 6. 1-2.12 "Endorsed concurrent enrollment course" means a college level course offered by an institution of higher education in this state, that upon completion would qualify for academic credit in both the institution of higher education and a public high school that:1-2.12.1 Is one of the four core areas of math, English, science, and social studies; and 1-2.12.2 Meets the requirements of Section 5-4.00 of these Rules; and 1-2.12.3 Is listed in the Arkansas Course Transfer System of the Division of Higher Education. 1-2.12.4 This definition does not affect the ability of school districts to award concurrent credit for those courses which comply with the requirements of Ark. Code Ann. § 6Credit for college courses6-18-223. 1-2.13 "High school" means any Arkansas public school, including an openenrollment charter school, which provides instruction to students in grades nine (9), ten (10), eleven (11), or twelve (12). 1-2.14 A "Home-schooled student" means a student legally enrolled in an Arkansas home school. 1-2.15 "International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB)" means an international education program offered by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). 1-2.16 "International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program Courses" are those taught following guidelines as provided for IB courses by the IB Organization. IB courses provide the opportunity for students to take a national examination. 1-2.17 "National School Lunch Student" means those students from low socioeconomic backgrounds as indicated by eligibility for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. § 42Congressional declaration of policy1751 et seq. and Ark. Code Ann. § 6-202303. 1-2.18 "Pre-Advanced Placement" course means a College Board developed and trademarked course designed to deliver grade-level-appropriate instruction. 1-2.19 "Private institution" is defined as an institution of higher education accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, or North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. 1-2.20 "Secondary school" is any school containing one or more grades from 7 through 12 or any middle school having any combination of grades 5-8 with the exception of a school having only grade 5, grade 6, or the combination of grades 5-6. 1-2.20.1 A student in grades 9-12 is considered "enrolled" in a public secondary school so long as he/she is counted for average daily membership of the school pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6Definitions6-20-2303(3)(C). 1-2.21 "Standards-based grading" is a system of reporting which focuses on student learning and the demonstration of competency or mastery of a set of standards. 1-2.22 "Weighted Credit" means additional quality points for designated AP and IB courses that will be contingent upon meeting the requirements set forth in Chapter 6 of this rule. "Weighted Credit" also means additional quality points for courses approved by the Division that meet or exceed the standards of a comparable AP course or for approved career and technical education (CTE) courses, as set forth in Chapter 4 of this rule. 1-2.23 "Weighted Credit and AP Training Approval Committee" means a review committee composed of Division program directors and advisors with AP and content expertise, including but not limited to personnel in DESE's curriculum and gifted and talented offices. DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION RULES GOVERNING GRADING AND COURSE CREDIT

CHAPTER 2: UNIFORM GRADING SCALES

2-1.00 PURPOSE 2-1.01 The purpose of this Chapter is to establish the uniform grading scales to be used by all public secondary schools in the state for regular courses. 2-1.02 This Chapter establishes the numeric value given to each letter grade for the purpose of determining grade average in all public secondary schools in the state for regular courses. 2-1.03 This Chapter provides an optional grading scale for public elementary schools. 2-2.00 GRADING SCALE AND NUMERICAL VALUES 2-2.01 The following scale is to be the Uniform Grading Scale and numeric values for secondary schools and the optional Uniform Grading Scale for elementary schools. Grades earned in courses will be assigned the following numeric values when such courses are used to compute student grade point average. A 90 - 100 = 4 points B 80 - 89 = 3 points C 70 - 79 = 2 points D 60 - 69 = 1 point F 0 - 59 = 0 points 2-2.02 Student grades should reflect the knowledge and skills demonstrated by the student through class assignments, tests, presentations, and projects that reflect the Arkansas Academic Standards. The purpose of grading is to communicate how well a student has achieved the learning objectives or criteria for a class. 2-2.03 A public school district may use the grading scale in this section in the public school district's elementary schools or standards-based grading. 2-2.04 Methods for recording and reporting competency maybe used as long as the district has an approved CDM application. DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION RULES GOVERNING GRADING AND COURSE CREDIT

CHAPTER 3:

FLEXIBILITY IN AWARDING HIGH SCHOOL COURSE CREDIT

3-1.00 AWARDING CREDIT BY DEMONSTRATED MASTERY3-1.01 Credit by Demonstrated Mastery is the process by which a student may earn credit for a high school course by demonstrating a deep understanding of the content without course enrollment or the minimum of 120 clock hours required by the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts. 3-1.02 A public school district may submit a Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) application for approval to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to...