GRADUATION POLICY FOR NARRAGANSETT SCHOOLS
In
accordance with the Regulations of the Board of Regents for Elementary and
Secondary Education Regarding Public High Schools and Ensuring Literacy for Students Entering High School,
the graduation requirements for Narragansett students include demonstration of
proficiency and apply to all students within the district beginning with
students in the class of 2008. These
graduation requirements include a demonstration of student proficiency that
involves multiple measures of performance for all students consistent with the
grade 10 Grade Span Expectations (GSEs) set by the Rhode Island Board of
Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education.
Only students who demonstrate fulfillment of these
graduation requirements and proficiencies shall participate in the graduation
ceremony and receive a diploma. However,
parent(s)/guardian(s) of a student who has not met
the above requirements, has an active Individual Education Plan (IEP), is
eligible for a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) until the age of
twenty-one, will have completed four years of high school and who wishes to
participate in the graduation ceremony with his or her class, may request that
the student participate in graduation ceremonies and receive a certificate of
participation. That request must be approved by the high school principal. Parent(s)/ guardian(s) must notify the high
school principal prior to February 15 of the school year in which they wish to
have their child participate. Receipt of a certificate of participation under
this policy will not affect a student’s right to receive FAPE, or to receive a
diploma in the event that the student should subsequently meet the above
requirements.
Requirements
The requirements for a
Narragansett High School Diploma shall include:
- Completion of required coursework credits, both in
total and for specific subjects.
Course requirements for graduation are delineated in the Program of
Studies, which is reviewed annually by the School Committee in accordance
with Policy IV. A. 3. a. Annual Review of Program of Studies. Under
extenuating circumstances, the credit requirement for physical
education/health may be waived for medical reasons.
- Participation in the state assessments.
- Completion of a portfolio including work samples
that, when viewed in combination with other graduation requirements,
demonstrate that necessary proficiencies in six core
content areas (English, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts and
technology) are met.
Portfolio standards are delineated in the Portfolio Handbook, which
is reviewed annually by the high school leadership team and made available
both online and in hard copy form to parents, students, and the community.
- Completion of a Senior Project including an in-depth
research paper of the chosen topic, a product showing tangible evidence of
the student’s experience in the field with a mentor, the Senior Project
portfolio documenting the entire Senior Project process, and a
presentation providing an opportunity for the student to showcase the
knowledge gained through the Senior Project experience to a panel of
judges. When viewed in combination
with other graduation requirements, the Senior Project must demonstrate
that necessary proficiencies are met.
Details about the Senior Project process are outlined in the Senior
Project manual, which is reviewed annually by the high school leadership
team and made available both online and in hard copy form to parents,
students, and the community.
- Completion of community service. The Student Handbook will outline a
system for monitoring community service.
Demonstration Timeline
All requirements must be met
prior to graduation. Graduation shall be
available to students when all requirements are met. The following policy timelines are included
to guide staff and students in completion of the requirements for a diploma and
are guidelines, not requirements. A
diploma shall not be denied for proficiencies and requirements fulfilled after
the dates herein, but prior to graduation.
- Coursework should be completed on a reasonable and
manageable schedule throughout the high school career. It is unwise to delay much required work
until later years. School guidance
shall support students and families in this effort.
- The school’s timeline for portfolio completion shall
provide for completion prior to the end of the junior year. This timeline provides an opportunity
for students desiring to concurrently enroll in higher education during
their senior year and for students whose portfolio fails to demonstrate
proficient work to remedy both the proficiency and the portfolio
submission in time for graduation.
- The Narragansett School Committee recognizes that the
implementation of these new graduation requirements must be done gradually
so that students will have had access to the necessary experiences to
permit attainment of these expectations.
Therefore, the requirements for
the classes of 2008 and 2009 for both course requirements and portfolio
entries are abridged. These
expectations are provided in detail in both the Program of Studies and
the Portfolio Manual.
Measurement of Proficiency
The determination of which
students do and do not meet graduation requirements shall be based on a fair
and reliable system. Students who
believe that they have been improperly denied a diploma may utilize the school
system’s appeal procedure, described below, through administrative steps to the
principal, Superintendent, School Committee,
and Commissioner of Education.
- Coursework completion shall be as recorded on the
student transcript as determined by passing grades in each course.
- Portfolios and Senior Project proficiency shall be
assessed according to procedures determined by the High School Principal,
approved by the Superintendent, and presented to the School Committee. These procedures shall be described in
detail in the Portfolio Manual and Senior Project Manual, available online
and in hard copy form. Students may
submit their graduation portfolio for the formal review as early as May of
their junior year, but not later than January of their senior year. Any portfolio or demonstration found to
be insufficient for graduation shall be re-evaluated by at least one other
reviewer or reviewing body.
Transferring Students
It is recognized that students
entering the school system near to graduation may have difficulty completing
graduation requirements, particularly if they transfer from a school with
substantially different requirements.
Consequently, the following standards shall be used for transferring
students.
- In
order to receive a Narragansett High School diploma, a student must have
attended Narragansett
High School for at
least a full semester immediately prior to graduation.
- Students entering Narragansett
with two or more years of coursework necessary prior to graduation
(typically before the start of the junior year) shall meet all
requirements in order to receive a Narragansett diploma.
- Students entering Narragansett
with less than two years of coursework necessary prior to graduation
(typically after the start of the junior year), may either meet the
requirements of Narragansett, or the requirements of the school from which
they transferred. Should the latter
be chosen, the requirements must be verified in writing from the prior
school and the choice noted on the transcript. A student exercising the option of
meeting the requirements of another school must do so in writing, cosigned
by parents if under 18 years of age.
- Individual cases that are
not addressed by this policy may be considered on a case by case basis by
the High School Principal, subject to the approval of the Superintendent
of Schools.
Appeal Procedure
Both students and their
parents/guardians are encouraged to seek informal resolution of their
disagreements regarding attainment of any graduation requirement. This informal procedure is intended to
encourage communication among students, parents/guardians and school staff in
order to facilitate a mutual understanding of graduation expectations. In cases when informal appeals do not result
in resolution, the following formal appeals process should be invoked:
1.
Formal appeals shall be in writing and shall set
forth a statement of the facts and the specific remedy sought. The written appeal shall be filed with the
high school principal. Absent
extraordinary circumstances, the high school principal shall, within five (5)
business days, conduct a formal conference with the student and his/her parents/guardians,
permitting him or her to provide any necessary information relevant to the
appeal. Absent extraordinary
circumstances, a written recommendation shall be rendered within five (5)
business days of the formal conference unless an extension is mutually agreed
to by the parties. The recommendation shall be sent to the complainant and
respondent.
2.
If the appeal is not resolved at the school
level, the parties may appeal to the Superintendent, who shall hold a hearing
within five (5) business days of receipt of the appeal. Absent extraordinary circumstances, a written
recommendation shall be rendered within five (5) business days of such
hearing.
3.
In the event that the appeal is not resolved at
the central office level, the parties may file an appeal to the School
Committee, who will hold a hearing during executive session. At that time, both the High School Principal
and the student and their parents/guardians may present the facts relevant to
the appeal. The School Committee’s decision will then be
communicated to both parties within five (5) business days.
4.
If the student and their parents/guardians wish
to appeal the decision of the School Committee, they may forward their appeal
to the Rhode Island Department of Education in accordance with their
procedures.
1st
Reading: June 20, 2007 Narragansett
School System
Adopted: July 18, 2007 Narragansett,
Rhode Island