Student Placement and Credit Transfers

1 Purpose 1 Classification or Grade Level Placement of Students Entering From Outside of the District 1 Students Entering From An Accredited School 1 Students Entering From A Non-Ac

1 Purpose

1 Classification or Grade Level

Placement of Students

Entering From Outside of the

District

1 Students Entering From An

Accredited School

1 Students Entering From A

Non-Accredited or Home School

2 Kindergarten & 1st Grade

Placement Under Certain

Circumstances

3 Transfer of High School Credit from

Non-Accredited Institutions and

Home School Programs

4 Transfer of Courses and Grades

4 Transfer of High School Credit From

Newly Accredited Institutions

5 Grade Placement Through

Acceleration

5 Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten

Acceleration

5 Kindergarten to Grade 1

Acceleration

6 Grades 1-5 Acceleration

7 Grades 6-8 Subject or Course

Acceleration

7 Grades 9-12 Course Acceleration

8 Kindergarten Assessment for

Acceleration Registration Form

9 First Grade Readiness Checklist

10 1st-5th Assessment for

Acceleration Registration Form

STUDENT PLACEMENT

& CREDIT TRANSFER ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS PURPOSE

This document was developed to serve as a comprehensive guide to appropriate placement of transferring students, credits qualifying for transfer, and how transfer grades will be recorded

ClaSSifiCatiOn OR GRadE lEvEl PlaCEmEnt Of StUdEntS EntERinG fROm OUtSidE Of thE diStRiCt

Board Policies FD & EHDB

Students entering the District from an accredited public, private, or parochial school shall provide evidence of prior schooling outside the District and shall be placed at the grade level reached elsewhere For students in grades 9-12, grade level initial placement will be based upon the number of current credits earned in the sending district and the student’s original year of entry to 9th grade “Accredited” is defined

as accreditation by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), an equivalent agency from another state, or an accrediting association recognized by the Commissioner of Education

StUdEntS EntERinG fROm an aCCREditEd SChOOl

Students entering the District from nonaccredited public, private,

or parochial school, including home schools, shall be placed initially

at the discretion of the principal based on the grade level reached elsewhere, pending assessment appropriate to the student’s grade level, validation of credits, or results of credit-by-examination tests The enrolling student or parent shall request credit validation before

or at the time of registration If the student chooses not to request credit validation, the student will be placed accordingly

StUdEntS EntERinG fROm a nOn-aCCREditEd OR hOmE SChOOlS

The placement of a student entering 6th grade in middle school or

9th grade in high school shall be based on the validation of placement

through demonstration of mastery on DSISD Curriculum-Based Assessments (CBA) or Credit-By-Exam (CBE), as determined by the campus principal, for the previous grade level in English Language Arts

or reading and math There will be no charge for the administration

of these assessments Students who fail to master one of the required DSISD CBAs or CBEs may be re-assessed for placement by taking

assessment results must be available for placement prior to the student’s first day of school If extenuating circumstances exist and/or the grade placement seems unsuitable as determined by the principals of the middle and high school campus for entering 9th graders or the elementary and middle school campus for entering 6th

graders, the principals may consider the following to determine appropriate placement:

• Review or administer additional appropriate achievement or placement tests,

• Acquire recommendations from the sending school,

• Review the prior academic record,

• Review the chronological age and social and emotional development of the student,

• Any other criteria deemed appropriate by the principal

The placement of a student entering 1st-5th grades in elementary or 7th-8th grades in middle school shall be

based on the validation of placement through one or more of the following:

• Demonstration of mastery on DSISD Curriculum-Based Assessments or Credit-by-Exam assessments for the previous grade level in English Language Arts or reading and math (there will be no charge for the administration of these assessments),

• Review or administer additional appropriate achievement or placement tests,

• Acquire recommendations from the sending school,

• Review the prior academic record,

• Review the chronological age and social and emotional development of the student,

• Any other criteria deemed appropriate by the principal

Students who fail to master one of the required DSISD CBAs may be re-assessed for placement by taking University of Texas at Austin, and/or Texas Tech University credit-by-exam assessments at the expense of the parent/s The student may be re-assessed only one time in each required subject area The assessment results must be available for subject validation prior to the student’s first day of school

kindERGaRtEn & 1St GRadE PlaCEmEnt UndER SPECial CiRCUmStanCES

A student who is under 5 years of age on or before September 1 must score 70% mastery on all STAAR exams administered to grade 3 students to enroll in Kindergarten

A student who is at least 5 years of age, but under 6 years of age, on or before September 1 may be enrolled in 1st grade if:

• the student has been enrolled in the first grade in the public schools of another state before transferring

to a Texas public school

• the student has completed kindergarten in the public schools of another state before transferring to a Texas public school

• the student has completed kindergarten in a Texas public school

• the student has compeleted kindergarten in a private school and demonstrates 70% mastery on the DSISD Curriculum-Based Assessments or Credit-by-Exam assessments for kindergarten (there will be no charge for the administration of these assessments)

Transfer of HIGH sCHooL CredIT from non-aCCredITed InsTITuTIons and Home SChOOl PROGRamS

Courses/credits from nonaccredited schools and homeschools shall not be transferable Upon request, the District shall validate high school course credits for transfer for students entering the District from home school programs or nonaccredited public, private, or parochial schools Required credit courses in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies may be validated through credit-by-exam for each credit requested to ensure that the courses meet state board requirements and standards Other course credits may be validated through one or more of the following as determined by the receiving campus principal:

• Demonstration of mastery on a DSISD Curriculum-Based Assessment or Credit-by-Exam assessment for the course for which credit is requested (there will be no charge for the administration of these assessments),

• Demonstration of mastery based on criteria established by the department within which the course is taught and approved by the principal,

• Demonstration of oral and written proficiency in languages other than English based on criteria established by the department within which the course is taught and approved by the principal,

• A review of curriculum, assessment, and performance information provided by the sending school in non-core elective courses

Students who fail to master one one or more DSISD CBA or CBE assessment for validation of credit , may be re-assessed for placement by taking University of Texas at Austin, and/or Texas Tech University credit-by-exam assessments at the expense of the parent/s The student may be re-assessed only one time in each required subject area The assessment results must be available for subject validation prior to the student’s first day of school

Courses/credits for which no CBA or CBE is offered may be validated for credit by other means as determined by the principal The student must provide the following to the principal for validation consideration:

• Evidence that the course/s for which the student is requesting credit validation are equivalent to courses listed in the Texas Administrative Code

• Official documentation (e.g a transcript) from the institution showing that credit was earned for the courses for which validation is being requested; and

• Supporting evidence including standardized test scores, course curriculum, course final exams, student portfoilios, etc

• Any other documentation deemed appropriate by the principal

The principal will be responsible for course credit validation; however, the principal may request assistance from other administrators, counselors, subject area teachers, or others

Students may not rescind a validated credit once the validation process is completed and the request for credits earned to be transcribed (posted on the student’s record) is made by the student or parent Validated course grades are transcribed as regular weighted courses on a 100 point scale

tRanSfER Of COURSES and GRadES

When a student transfers after a semester or full year is completed, the receiving district must honor credits already awarded by the sending Texas public district or charter school (19 TAC §74.26(a)(1)), including high school courses completed prior to grade 9 Student records from non-Texas public schools (i.e., private, out-of-state or out-of-country) will be evaluated for transfer of credit, including courses completed prior to grade 9 Credit will be awarded provided the curriculum of the course is aligned with Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills (TEKS)

Foreign transcripts and supplemental documents should be translated in English and presented to the campus registrar with the original foreign transcript Upon request from the high school registrar or counselor, a course syllabus may be required

DSISD Rank In Class Average (RICA) and Cummulative Unweighted Grade Average standards will be applied to course credits and grades transferring from out-of-district institutions Courses transferred that are not included

in 19 Administrative Code, Chapter 74, Texas Curriculum Requirements shall be posted as local credit courses Honors, Pre-AP, and/or AP courses that are not offered in the District shall not receive weighted points Honors, Pre-AP, and/or AP courses that are transferred shall receive the same weighted points as courses offered in the District If letter grades were given and the numerical equivalent is not provided by the school awarding the grades, the students’ grades shall be recorded according to the following scale:

A+ = 98 B+ = 88 C+ = 78 A+ = 98 B+ = 88 C+ = 78 D+ = 73

A = 95 B = 85 C = 75 A = 95 B = 85 C = 77 D = 72

A– = 92 B– = 82 C– = 72 A– = 92 B– = 82 C– = 75 D– = 70

Validation of course credit from nonaccredited institutions, including homeschool institutions, is optional, but once a credit is validated the credit cannot be rescinded The method for validating course credit is through credit by examination

tRanSfER Of hiGh SChOOl CREdit fROm nEwly aCCREditEd inStitUtiOnS

The process for transferring credits when a non-accredited school is granted accreditation status by TEA, an equivalent agency from another state, or an accrediting association by the Commissioner of Education, is outlined below:

• Students wishing to transfer credits into DSISD from out of district schools, whose enrollment date into

a DSISD school is prior to the school receiving accreditation status, must validate credits as outlined

above under “Transfer of credit from nonaccredited institutions and home school programs.”

• Students whose enrollment date into a DSISD school is after the date a school receives accreditation

status from an accrediting institution (or within the DSISD school year the newly accredited school receives accreditation status), are NOT required to validate credits completed prior to the school receiving accredited status

GRadE PlaCEmEnt thROUGh aCCElERatiOn

Education Code 28.023; 19 TAC 74.24; Board Policy EHDC

Examinations for Acceleration are available for students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 Dripping Springs ISD provides cost-free opportunities for a student to be assessed based on an annual Examination for Acceleration assessment calendar developed by the District and posted on the District website and on the approved school year calendar The assessments are used to determine readiness for acceleration to the next grade for students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 5 Students in grades 6 through 12 may be assessed for course credit in core area courses for which exams are available

Examination for Acceleration placement validation may be earned by students taking DSISD Curriculum-Based Assessments (CBA) or Exam (CBE), or University of Texas at Austin and/or Texas Tech University Credit-by-Exam assessments Credit-by-Examination for Acceleration testing dates and registration deadlines are published annually

on the District website and on the approved school year calendar Students testing on these dates may do so cost-free as long as the student is registered for the exam with the school counselor on the established timeline The school counselor will determine the cost-free assessment to be administered and District personnel will administer the initial assessments Time limits for each exam are determined based on the exam and the entity providing the exam Exams administered on dates other than those established on the established examination for acceleration calendar will be at the expense of the parent or student Students who fail to master one or more DSISD CBA or CBE assessment for acceleration, may be re-assessed by taking a University of Texas at Austin

or Texas Tech University Credit-by-Exam assessment at the expense of the parent/s The student may be re-assessed only one time in each required subject area The assessment results must be received from the testing entity for subject/course validation prior to the 10th instructional day of the school year/course Students will not be considered for acceleration to the next course or grade for the current year after the 10th instructional day of the school year or course Exam results will become a part of the student’s permanent school record

Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten acceleration

A student must be at least 5 years of age on or before September 1 to enroll in Kindergarten If younger, the student must score 70% mastery on all TAKS or STAAR exams administered to grade 3 students

Kindergarten to Grade 1 acceleration

Placing a 5 year-old child in a first grade setting with 6, 7, and possibly 8 year olds is a serious decision Although some children enter school with academic skills that are beyond the kindergarten level, acceleration to grade

1 may lead to long term social implications that can adversely impact the student in later years Therefore, the process for acceleration from Kindergarten to grade 1 in DSISD requires a focus beyond the academic strengths

of the student and considers the student’s social skills development Students under the age of 5 on September

1 will not be considered for acceleration to grade 1

1 The student must be 5 years old on or before September 1 and must be enrolled in DSISD

2 The parent must complete the Kindergarten Assessment for Acceleration Form

• Submit form on or before the acceleration registration deadline

• For students new to the district who register with DSISD after the acceleration registration deadline,

a Kindergarten Assessment for Acceleration Form may be submitted no later than 4:00 pm on the second day after enrollment registration Parents will be responsible for the costs of the exam if administered on dates other than those scheduled by the district

3 The school counselor or principal will schedule a pre-assessment conference with the parent/guardian and the student The purpose of this meeting is to hear the parent’s reason for the acceleration request, review the assessment process, and conduct a subjective maturity assessment through an interview of the student The parent will be provided a DSISD First Grade Readiness Checklist to be completed by the parent and the student’s prekindergarten teacher (if available) The completed checklists must be returned to the counselor within 5 days of the conference

4 District personnel will administer the test

5 The counselor or principal will analyze the results of the readiness checklist, the exam for acceleration, and the maturity assessment To be considered for acceleration, the student must:

• Score 80% or higher on each subject area test,

• Score 80% on the DSISD Grade 1 Readiness Checklist, and

• Be recommended for acceleration by the counselor and/or the principal based on student observation

6 Based on the results, the counselor and/or the principal will make a determination regarding acceleration

of the student The parent will be notified in writing of the assessment results The counselor will conduct a post-assessment conference with the parent to review the assessment results if requested

7 If the student does not meet the acceleration requirements, the student will continue in kindergarten The decision may be appealed to the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in accordance with Board Policy FNG (LOCAL)

8 If the student is recommended for acceleration, the student will be placed in grade 1 The grade 1 teacher, counselor, and principal will review the student’s placement throughout the school year

as needed to ensure success If the placement is not successful, the student may be returned to kindergarten as determined by the counselor and principal

Grades 1-5 acceleration

1 The parent must complete and submit the Grade 1-5 Assessment for Acceleration Registration Form

on or before the acceleration registration deadline

2 District personnel will administer the test

3 To be considered for acceleration, the student must:

• score 80% or higher on each subject area assessment in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies,

• the student’s parent or guardian gives written approval of the acceleration, and

• be recommended for acceleration by the principal and/or designee

Grades 6-8 subject or Course acceleration

1 The parent must complete and submit the Secondary Exam for Acceleration without Prior Instruction

Registration Form on or before the acceleration registration deadline.

2 The counselor will validate the request by subject or course for prior instruction

3 District personnel will administer the test

4 To be considered for acceleration through prerequisite subject or course credit, the student must score 80% or higher on each exam by subject or course

5 If credit is earned, the District shall enter the examination score on the student’s transcript

Grades 9-12 Course acceleration

1 The parent must complete and submit the Secondary Exam for Acceleration without Prior Instruction

Registration Form on or before the acceleration registration deadline.

2 The counselor will validate the request by course for prior instruction

3 District personnel will administer the assessment

4 To be considered for acceleration through prerequisite course credit, the student must score 80% or higher on each course exam

5 If credit is earned, the District shall enter the examination score on the student’s transcript and the grade and credit shall be used in the calculation of the cumulative unweighted grade average and the rank in class average Board Policy EIC Local

DRIPPING SPRINGS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

KINDERGARTEN ASSESSMENT FOR ACCELERATION WITH NO PRIOR INSTRUCTION

REGISTRATION FORM

Last First M.I.

Month Day Year

Last First M.I.

Address City State Zip

Home Phone Cell Phone Work Phone

Student’s Assigned Campus: DSE RSES WSES

Preferred Scheduled Testing Date/s:

A student must meet all of the following requirements to be considered for acceleration from kindergarten to 1st grade:

- The student must be five (5) years old on or before September 1st to be considered for acceleration to first grade.

- The student must be a resident of DSISD or an approved transfer student.

- The student must score 80% or above on the DSISD First Grade Readiness Checklist.

- The student must score 80% or higher on each Exam for Acceleration subject area test including language arts, math, science, and social

studies The exam scores shall become a part of the student’s permanent school record.

- The student must be recommended for acceleration by the counselor and/or the principal based on a maturity assessment conducted through a

student interview

- The student’s parent or guardian shall give written approval for the acceleration

I have read and understand the above requirements and approve my child’s acceleration from kindergarten to 1st grade should he/she qualify

Parent Signature Date

Please return the completed form to your child’s counselor on or before the posted registration deadline.

For Office Use Only

Student meets age requirements

Student meets readiness checklist requirement

Exam Scores

LA Math Sci SS Testing Date/s:

1

DRIPPING SPRINGS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

1st-5th GRADE ASSESSMENT FOR ACCELERATION WITH NO PRIOR INSTRUCTION

REGISTRATION FORM

Last First M.I Student’s Assigned Campus: DSES RSES WSES

Student’s Current Grade: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Preferred Scheduled Testing Date:

Grade acceleration requirements and information:

- The student must be a resident of DSISD or an approved transfer student.

- The student’s parent or guardian shall register for the assessment by the deadline established by DSISD posted on the district website and on the back of the district school calendar.

- Only exams offered through Dripping Springs I.S.D, Texas Tech University and the University of Texas will be

considered as a valid assessment for acceleration.

- The student must score 80% or above on each of the four core area assessments including math, English language arts/reading, social studies, and science.

- The acceleration must be approved by the counselor and principal of the campus of enrollment.

- The student’s parent or guardian shall give written approval for the acceleration.

- No student shall be considered for acceleration after the 10th class day of the school year.

I have read and understand the above requirements and approve my child’s acceleration from kindergarten to 1st grade should he/she qualify

Parent Signature Date

Please return the completed form to your child’s counselor on or before the posted registration deadline.

Exam Scores

LA Math Sci SS Testing Date/s:

For Office Use Only

Student meets residency requirements

Student has no prior instruction in the grade