Policy%20-%20WSSDA%202413-Equivalency%20Credit%20Opportunities.pdf

Parent document: Business Board Meeting-01-27-2025.pdf

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The district may also adopt local course equivalencies for career and technical education courses that
are not on the list of courses approved by the superintendent of public instruction under RCW
28A.700.070.

Each high school will adopt core academic course equivalencies for high school career and technical
courses, provided that the career and technical course has been reviewed and approved for
equivalency credit by a district team appointed by the superintendent or a designee.

The district team will include a school administrator, the career and technical administrator, an
instructor from the core academic subject area, an instructor from the appropriate career and
technical course, a school counselor, and a representative from the curriculum department.

Career and technical courses approved for equivalency will be:

1. Aligned with the state’s essential academic learning requirements and grade level
expectations; and

2. Aligned with current industry standards, as evidenced in the curriculum frameworks. The local
career and technical advisory committee will certify that courses meet industry standards.

3. Recorded on the student’s transcripts as the academic course the equivalence credit fulfills.

III. Mastery/Competency-based credits

Students may obtain mastery-
based credit for [ ] passing a district-created assessment that is aligned to state

learning standards or course equivalency requirements adopted by the office of the superintendent
of public instruction (OSPI). Students do not need to have attempted and failed a course before being
eligible for these options. Students may gain the knowledge and skills to earn mastery/competency-

based credits through learning experiences such as independent study or experiential education
including paid wor'k. Ritter ee lise a ener oS eying nO:

e Locally created written or oral test;

e Written report by the student;

e Student-designed portfolio of work;

e Student presentation or oral defense of their learning in the course;
e Hands-on demonstration of knowledge and skills;

e Acombination of assessment approaches, as defined by the district; or

Successful completion of next higher-level course: Credit may be awarded for a course when the
student successfully completes the next higher-level course in a sequence that includes a natural
progression of the state learning standards from the previous course. State or locally determined
learning standards will be used as the guide when making decisions regarding what courses should
qualify.

Mastery-based credit is available in fill in subjects or courses] if the student achieves a C or higher
grade in the next-higher level course.

The mastery/competency examination must be offered in a proctored setting with appropriate
technology. The district will approve the site(s) where the examination is offered, which could include
individual schools, district buildings, community colleges, universities, education service districts, or
other community settings. A student may take the examination [insert number of times. The district
will award credit based on the highest examination score.


The student will be responsible for the cost of taking a mastery/competency examination. The district

will offer financial assistance to students who demonstrate need, such as qualifying for free or reduced
lunch. Eel SEP SS ES NCEE TESTIS TENS VSS HOSTESS TRESS

The district will receive official test results for each student who takes a mastery/competency
examination. The district will provide a letter to the student with a copy of the test results and an
indication of how many credits the student will be awarded. Credits awarded will be recorded on the
student’s transcript with a grade of “Pass.”

To ensure cultural responsiveness and equity in awarding mastery-based credit, the district will collect
and annually review disaggregated data to see which subgroups of students are receiving mastery-
based credit. If disproportionality is found, the district will take appropriate actions to ensure equitable
access to these crediting opportunities.

Elective Credit for Paid Work Experience

Students ages 16 and older may earn up to two elective high school credit through paid work
experience according to the requirements contained in chapter 28A.600 RCW, which include
preapproval of a proposal and assessment of the student's grade-level proficiency on the state
financial education learning standards. Credits earned through this policy do not restrict students from
earning additional credits through cooperative worksite learning (WAC 392-410-315) through
mastery/competency policy.

Students who are legally eligible for paid employment may earn elective credit for paid work
experience. Students who meet the requirements below as determined by the appropriate school
official will be awarded one-half elective credit for each 180 hours of paid, verified work experience.
Students may earn up to a maximum of two elective high school credits through this process.

In order to be eligible to receive elective credit, the student’s High School and Beyond Plan must be
updated to reflect the paid work experience. In addition, the student’s paid work experience must be
approved in advance and in writing by the school counselor, principal, or principal designee. Approval
is contingent upon the student’s submission of the following information:

e Identification of the work-based sponsor (employer) who will serve as the point of
contact for the employer and participate in supervising the student during the
student’s employment;

e A student narrative describing how the paid work experience will enable the student
to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the goals of basic education,
including those essential to understanding the importance of work and finance and
how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future career and educational
opportunities as provided in RCW 28A.150.210(4); and

e A plan for demonstrating or otherwise assessing the student’s:

o Grade-level proficiencies on the state financial education learning standards
for employment and income or financial decisions as provided in the state
financial education learning standards adopted in RCW 28A.300.469; and

o Growth in proficiency in meeting the state financial education learning
standards that occurred between pre-work and post-work experiences.

The hours worked may occur during a student’s school day, outside of the regular school calendar, or

in accordance with WAC 180-51-050 and 180-51-051. The district will verify the number of paid hours
worked by the student at least once per term.

Courses taken before attending high school

The district will award high school credit for computer science courses taken before attending high
school if either of following occurs:


1. The course was taken with high school students, if the academic level of the course exceeds
the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes, and the student has successfully
passed by completing the same course requirements and examinations as the high school
students enrolled in the class; or

2. The academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade
classes and the course would qualify for high school credit because the course is similar or
equivalent to a course offered at a high school in the district determined by the board.

Students who have taken and successfully completed high school courses under the circumstances
above shall not be required to take an additional competency examination or perform any other
additional assignment to receive credit.

IV. Computer Science Courses
AP courses

The board will approve Advanced Placement (AP) computer science courses as equivalent to high
school mathematics or science, and may be used by a student to meet math or science graduation
requirements. The superintendent or designee will adopt procedures to denote on the student's
transcript that AP computer science qualifies as a math-based quantitative course for students who
complete it in their senior year.

Mastery/Competency-based credits

The district may award academic credit for computer science to students based on student completion
of a mastery/competency examination that is aligned with the state learning standards for computer
science or mathematics and course equivalency requirements adopted by the office of the
superintendent of public instruction (OSPI).

To receive mastery/competency-based credits for computer science, a student must take a
mastery/competency examination that OSPI has found aligns with the state learning standards for
computer science or mathematics and that aligns with course equivalency requirements adopted by
OSPI. The number of credits awarded will be based on the student’s performance on the
mastery/competency examination.

Cross References: 2170 - Career and Technical Education
2410 - High School Graduation Requirements
2401 - Financial Education Mastery-Based Learning and Credit

RCW 28A.230.010 Course content requirementsO DDAccess to career
Legal References: and technical course equivalenciesO 0 ODuties of school boards of
directorsO DO Waivers

RCW 28A.230.097 Career and technical high school course
equivalencies.

RCW 28A.230.120 High School Diplomas N00 Issuance- Option to
receive final transcripts 00 ONotice

WAC 180-51 High school graduation requirements
WAC 392-410 Courses of study and equivalencies

Management Resources: 2019 - July Policy Issue
2018 - May Policy Issue


2013 - September Issue

Policy News, August 2006 Legislature Codifies Course Equivalency for
Career and Technical Courses

Last Revised: December 21, 2023
Classification: Essential
Prior Revised Dates: 08.06; 12.11; 09.13; 05.18;07.19; 04/01/2020; 12/22/2020; 02/25/2021