Students have an option to audit or repeat a course for a variety of reasons, such as gaining exposure to new content or strengthening understanding of previously taken content.

• Students must complete a form for auditing or repeating a course (PDF).
• When a student repeats a previously passed course, the transcript will reflect the higher grade attained.
• The NCAA will not recognize repeated courses for athletic eligibility. Credit will not be given for an audited course.

1. If a student chooses to audit a course, then the transcript will designate an audited course.
2. An audited course will not count towards graduation honors (awards) or in any athletic eligibility considerations.
3. An audited course will not count in any GPA considerations.
4. An audited course will not count towards meeting any pre-requisite for another course.
5. The student must remain in good standing (i.e., no attendance or discipline problems) to remain on course.

Credits

The recommended number of credits a student should have completed to be on track for graduation in four years are:

• Assignment to 10th grade = a minimum of 5 academic credits
• Assignment to 11th grade = a minimum of 10 academic credits
• Assignment to 12th grade = a minimum of 15 academic credits

Minimum Class Passing Requirements

A student will pass a course if he/she earns a minimum of 0.67 quality points or a D-.

Prerequisites

Some courses have requirements that need to be met before the student can enroll. Check the “prerequisite” or “recommended” section listed after each class.

Course Load

The master schedule of course offerings (teaching assignments) is arranged each year to reflect the student requests made during the spring registration of the previous school year. Request for change will only be honored if space is available. Students with fewer than 12 credits after two years of high school will be required to take a minimum of six (6) classes per semester. All high school students must take a minimum of five (5) courses and no more than a maximum of seven (7) courses per semester. Since the master schedule is designed based on student interest, any changes after its completion will be limited.

A student may graduate at the end of six or seven semesters provided he/she meets the standard graduation requirements of the State of Ohio and Pickerington Local School District. The student and parent must present a formal written request to his/her school counselor who in turn presents it to the principal for his approval. If the principal approves the request, the written request is then forwarded to the Board of Education for final approval. If the student has not met graduation requirements for early graduation by the requested date, they will be required to return as a full-time student.

Early graduation permission must be secured by following Board Policy.

Students in grades 7-12 may take elective courses on a pass/fail basis based on the following guidelines. Courses eligible for the pass/fail option are identified on the Pass – Fail Registration Form (PDF) . The student, his/her parents, the teacher and the school counselor must complete and sign the pass/fail registration form. Interested students may secure this form in the Counselor’s office.

1. “Electives” are defined on the pass/fail registration form that students must complete.

2. Students in grades 9-12 may take up to one (1) elective credit per year,  as a Pass/Fail (in addition to P.E.) in all areas excluding core classes and foreign languages. PE classes may always be taken pass/fail and may be an additional pass/fail class beyond the student’s pass/fail course selection.

3. Foreign Languages will only be considered an “elective” and eligible for pass/fail if, after a student has completed at least two years of a foreign language and wants to attempt a different foreign language.

3. Registration for a pass/fail course must be made during the first four (4) weeks of a course. Should a student decide later to take the course as a grade option (A, B, C, D, F), he/she must do so by the end of the final grading period. For students choosing the grade option (A, B, C, D, F), only the final grade will be changed. If a student elects to change a pass/fail course to a letter grade, this will count as his/her one pass/fail selection for the school year.

5. The procedure for adding or dropping a course shall also apply to pass/fail courses.

6. A grade of satisfactory (pass) or unsatisfactory (fail) will be given for progress in each grading period. The teacher should record all letter grades as usual in his/her grade book. Pass/fail will be recorded only on grade cards and permanent record cards.

7. Given extenuating circumstances, pass/fail grading may be utilized in grades 6-8 as determined by the building principal in consultation with the teaching staff and by approval of the Superintendent/designee for all classes that are not for high school credit.

8. English Learners (EL) students (K-12) may take any class pass/fail as long as recommended by the appropriate teaching staff and by approval of the Superintendent/designee

The master schedule of course offerings (teaching assignments) is arranged each year to reflect the student requests made during the spring registration of the previous school year. Request for change will only be honored if space is available.

Students with fewer than 12 credits after two years of high school will be required to take a minimum of six (6) classes per semester. All high school students must take a minimum of five (5) courses and no more than a maximum of seven (7) courses per semester. Since the master schedule is designed based on student interest, any changes after its completion will be limited.

A. Within the first ten days of school students are expected to make all schedule adjustments prior to the opening of school. Student/parent initiated schedule changes made after school begins may be made with parent permission and only during the first ten (10) school days. When a course is dropped within this timeframe, the course will be deleted from the student’s transcript. Courses will be dropped and/or added within this timeframe if space is available, and with counselor or administrative approval for the following reasons:

1. to balance classes between semesters/trimesters;
2. to accommodate a senior who may need to make a change to meet graduation requirements;
3. to adjust for courses completed, with a passing grade, in summer school or through correspondence;
4. to drop a study hall and add a class;
5. to accommodate an original request that was not honored due to a scheduling conflict;
6. to change the teacher – only if the student has had the teacher previously for the same course and he/she failed that course;
7. to adjust for special/alternative programming; or
8. to change an inappropriate course level as dictated by the prerequisite.

B. After the first ten days of school Schedule changes made after the first ten days of school must be approved by the parent, teacher, counselor, and building administrator. Courses will be dropped and/or added within this timeframe if space is available with counselor and administrative approved for the following reasons:

1. Adding a course: After the first ten days of a semester/trimester, no courses will be added with the exception of students enrolled in a CCP class. Students who drop a CCP class in accordance with the post secondary partner’s timeline should be permitted to add the HS equivalent if it is required for graduation. The student is responsible for making up missed material.

2. Dropping a course: Before dropping a course, students must complete the Course Drop Request Form/Procedure (PDF). Upon receipt of a Drop Request Form it must be determined: (1) whether the student is passing or failing. The teacher makes this determination by averaging the grades from all preceding grading periods, including the current grading period, to arrive at a cumulative grade; and, (2) whether or not the course has passed the midway point of the semester/trimester or year depending upon the length of the course. When both of these determinations have been made, the following will apply: Before the course is midway through, the following criteria will be applied for all high school courses:

a. Before the course is midway through, the following criteria will be applied for all high school courses:

• If the cumulative grade is a D- or above, the student will receive an F for the current grading period and a WDP (Withdraw Passing) for the remainder of the course.
• If the cumulative grade is an F, the student will receive an F for the current grading period and a WDF (Withdraw Failing) for the remainder of the course.

b. For students in grades 9-12, after the midway point of the course, the following criteria will be applied:

• Upon receipt of the request to drop, the student will receive an F in the current grading period and, regardless of whether the cumulative grade is passing or failing, a WDF (Withdraw Failing) will be the grade for the remainder of the course.

3. Level change: A level change means moving up or down a level within the same subject area course. Once a student, parent and/or teacher recognize that the level of difficulty is not appropriate, a level change should occur immediately. Students wishing to change levels shall complete the appropriate Course Level Request Form/Procedures before a level change will be permitted.

1. Student obtains credit flexibility information/application from school counselor or online.
2. Student and parent develop credit flexibility plan, complete application and submit to school counselor by deadline.
3. School counselor submits completed application to Secondary Curriculum Coordinator.
4. Secondary Curriculum Coordinator convenes credit flex committee.
5. Within 30 days, committee reviews application and Secondary Curriculum Coordinator communicates decision to student and parent in writing.  (If revisions are required, the request returns to the committee at a later date.)
6. If denied, the student may appeal to the district superintendent.
7. If revisions are approved, the student implements the credit flexibility plan. Then, one of the two following processes occur:

For course proficiency/test out:

• Test fee applied to student account (if applicable), School counselor/administrator orders test materials and schedules the exam (work with Teacher of Record/504 Coordinator if testing accommodations are needed.) 
• Secondary Curriculum Coordinator communicates status to student, school counselor, registrar (Registrar records grade on transcript).

For educational options:

• Student proceeds with plan.
• Student completes plan and confirms with teacher of record.
• Teacher fills out grade report and submits to registrar.
• Registrar records grade on transcript and counselor communicates status to student and principal.
• School log is updated.

• https://sites.google.com/plsd.us/secondary-curriculum/home/graduation-requirements/credit-flexibility-info?authuser=0