The Board of Education recognizes that there is a need to allow high school students to challenge a given course by examination for grade and credit in order to accelerate progress towards graduation and to achieve more flexibility in the selection of electives. This opportunity will permit a student to enroll in courses best suited to the student’s educational objectives.
The examination shall be comprehensive and cover all course objectives. Successful completion of the examination shall be at a level which indicates mastery of the content and/or reasonable chance for success in the next level course.
(cf. 5121 - Grades/Evaluation of Student Achievement)
(cf. 6011 - Academic Standards)
(cf. 6143 - Courses of Study)
(cf. 6146.1 - High School Graduation Requirements)
(cf. 6162.5 - Student Assessment)
Students that are currently enrolled in grades 9-12 will be permitted to challenge a course by examination. Department course objectives and procedures for challenging courses will be a part of student orientation and outlined in secondary school handbooks.
Procedures
Prior to the end of the current semester/school year, currently enrolled PAUSD 8th-11th grade students interested in challenging a course for the next year shall file a petition form with the high school principal or designee. New enrollees shall file a petition and take the examination within two weeks of the time of initial entry to high school classes. New enrollees must file a request to take the examination within two (2) weeks of the time of initial entry to high school classes.
The request shall include but not be limited to the following:
- Grades in courses of the subject area of the challenge.
- Student's written rationale or reasons for wishing to challenge a specific course.
- Substitute courses to be taken by the student.
Guidelines
The challenge examination may be offered to requesting students when the course to be challenged is part of a sequence of courses normally taken in specific order, when the course to be challenged is normally required for entry into another course, or when a student’s previous/current experiences suggest appropriate mastery of course objectives.
- During their enrollment in high school, students may challenge no more than two courses. (BP 6146 - Courses of Study) (BP. 6146.1 - High School Graduation Requirements)
- A student may challenge and attempt the competencies of a particular course only once. Failure to meet competency of a required course will result in a regular classroom enrollment.
- A student may not challenge a course in which the student has previously received a failing grade, a course previously taken where credit was received, a course more elementary than a course in which credit has previously been earned, an Honors course, an Advanced Placement course, living skills, or a physical education course.
- A student may challenge only one course per semester. This may be a course in which the student is enrolled or any other approved course offering. A student may not attempt credit for a course below the student’s ability or grade placement.
Test Content Administration
Department Instructional Leads and administrators shall collaborate with teachers in the development of appropriate district-wide testing procedures and materials for the challenged course within each department. Departmentally-developed performance objectives shall determine the content and the type of evaluation to be used. The examination may be written, oral, by demonstration (including lab skills), or any combination thereof.
The student must earn a B- or above to receive credit for challenging a course by examination. The transcript will reflect the grade, appropriate units, and that the grade was earned by challenge examination. This grade is final and will appear on the transcript.