Brian Jeffries Graduation Policy Director OSPI Washington State Assessment Conference December 5,2008 High School Graduation Requirements: Meeting State Standards

State Graduation Requirements: 1. High School and Beyond Plan 2. Culminating Project credits from required courses 4. Demonstrate proficiency in meeting state content standards or individual standards as set by IEP Team

Third Math Credit The SBE adopted the new math credit rule to be effective as a graduation requirement for the Class of 2013 The three credits consist of: Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II; or Integrated Math I, Integrated Math II, and Integrated Math III; or An approved career and technical education (CTE) course that aligns with the standards may be taken to complete any of these credits The third credit may also be completed through election of an alternative math credit that leads to a specific career goal identified in the High School and Beyond Plan

Standards Graduation Requirement READING AND WRITING: Standards met with … High School WASL, or Assessments for students in special education, or Certificate of Academic Achievement Options (state-approved alternatives) MATHEMATICS: Standards met with... High School WASL, or Assessments for students in special education, or State-approved alternatives OR Earn one math credit after 11 th grade (class of 2008) or two math credits after 10 th grade (classes of ) and annually take the “appropriate” math assessments

“Appropriate Math Assessments” Collection of Evidence (COE) SAT/ACT scores AP Calculus or Statistics scores WAAS Options for students in special education

CAA Options 1. Collection of Evidence (COE) Collections of classroom work samples that demonstrate concepts and skills assessed on WASL COE for each content area 2. WASL-Grades Comparison Senior year only Compare student’s subject GPA with cohort of students who met standard on WASL 3. SAT/ACT scores State board set cut-scores on college tests Cut scores based on students who met standard on WASL and took college tests 4. AP test scores (level 3 or higher on selected AP tests)

CAA Options Eligibility Take the High School WASL once and generate a score For COE and WASL/Grades Comparison, students also must attend school and get academic help per their Student Learning Plan For WASL/GPA Comparison, students must be in 12 th grade and have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher The law says … CAA Options must be “comparable in rigor” to the WASL Schools/districts must tell students of the CAA Options annually

Students in Special Education Students with IEPs must meet graduation requirements to earn a high school diploma Requirements for students with IEPs (beyond the credits, plans, projects): Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) or Certificate of Individual Achievement (CIA)

Assessment Options for High School Graduation for Students with IEPs: WASL with or without accommodations WASL-Basic WAAS-Portfolio WASL-DAW in grades 11 and 12 Locally Determined Assessments Awareness Level Waiver

Assessment Options for Students with IEPs

WAC Procedures for granting high school graduation credits for students with special educational needs. (1) No student shall be denied the opportunity to earn a high school diploma solely because of limitations on the student's ability. The board of directors of districts granting high school diplomas shall adopt written policies, including procedures, for meeting the unique limitations of each student. Such procedures may provide for: (a) The extension of time the student remains in school up to and including the school year in which such student reaches twenty-one years of age; (b) A special education program in accordance with chapter 28A.155 RCW if the student is eligible; and (c) Special accommodations for individual students, or in lieu thereof, exemption from any requirement in this chapter, if such requirement impedes the student's progress toward graduation and there is a direct relationship between the failure to meet the requirement and the student's limitation. (2) Unless otherwise prohibited by federal or state special education laws, such procedures may not provide for exemption from the certificate of academic achievement graduation requirement under RCW 28A (3)(c).28A.15528A

RCW 28A Certificate of individual achievement Beginning with the graduating class of 2008, students served under this chapter, who are not appropriately assessed by the high school Washington assessment system as defined in RCW 28A , even with accommodations, may earn a certificate of individual achievement….The determination of whether the high school assessment system is appropriate shall be made by the student's individual education program team. …. When measures other than the high school assessment system as defined in RCW 28A are used, the measures shall be in agreement with the appropriate educational opportunity provided for the student as required by this chapter. The superintendent of public instruction shall develop the guidelines for determining which students should not be required to participate in the high school assessment system and which types of assessments are appropriate to use. 28A

Expected Graduation Year WAC Applicable standards for graduation for students under age twenty-one — Applicable standards for graduation for students age twenty-one or older — Amendments to this chapter. (1) All students entering a high school program in Washington state shall be assigned an expected graduation year as required by federal law and this section. Once students are assigned a graduation year, they will be aligned to the requirements for that specific graduating class and subject to the provisions of this section. (a) Students shall be assigned an expected graduation year based on the year they commence 9th grade, or for out-of-district and out-of-state transfer students, based on local district policy: Provided, That the expected graduation year for students receiving special education services shall be assigned and based on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team determination in the year in which the student turns sixteen. (b) Students shall have the right and the obligation to meet the minimum graduation requirements in place for their expected graduation year designated at the time they enter a district high school, regardless of what year they actually graduate.

Graduation Decisions: Considerations for Students Eligible for Special Education – A Resource Guidebook for IEP teams Expected Graduation Year Graduation Requirements Assessment Options ( sourceGuidebook.pdf )

Contact: Brian Jeffries