Recording credits for high school students

We believe that students should not be required to fit into a one-size-fits-all system.

Yet most colleges and other schools require transcripts that list grades and credits in classes in specified subjects with specified unit values. Students on a college path need to map their experiences onto an earned credit per course framework.

Credits are earned by mastering the material.

Please do not assign credit and/or grades for Community Service or Work Experience in the Subject area. You should document those under the Portfolio feature. Please assign either a numeric or letter grade for high school level subjects. For courses not listed please pick the closest match and note in the Course Description or Comments area what the course name should be on the transcript.

Students earn one-half (.5) credit  for mastering one semester of high school level course work  or 1 credit for a full year (two semesters). Students in a dual enrollment course at a CC or college earn .33 high school credits per 1 college credit. Please have the college send final grades to the satellite campus office.

Some students can speed through a semester’s worth of work in less than 90 days, while others may take much longer than 90 days. Credits are earned by mastering the material.

Traditional courses with textbooks/ lesson plans typically have ~ 90 units of study per semester. If you are not using textbooks – I recommend that you check out the state of Tennessee’s standards and objectives for high school courses – if the student has covered and mastered the items you may assign a credit for that course.

http://www.tn.gov/education/curriculum.shtml

If you and your student need help finding your own path to our high school diploma you may find consulting with The 5 Point Learning Academy - Satellite Program staff to be helpful. Contact Rev. Shari B Yetto at the main campus regarding consulting fees and establishing meeting times. She and the staff can assist you by:

• Coming up with agreements with you and your family about what you want to accomplish
• Helping you create a path to accomplish your goals
• Providing resources to help you accomplish your goals (including: classes, seminars, workshops, an internet home-base, learning coaches, project advisors, topic experts)
• Helping you keep a portfolio that shows your progress towards your goals

Other Approaches

Real-Time Credit Accounting

Families can map experiences into courses as they occur. For example, a visit to the doctor for an annual check-up gets credited as 1-hour towards a 180-hour/1-credit biology class. Generally one credit is equal to 150/180 clock hours of study/activity in an area that would be the equivalent of a one-year course in high school. A half credit would be given for ~75 /90 hours or a semester-long high school course. The time spent in study/activity is not limited to time reading a textbook and taking exams. It can include anything the student does related to that academic subject.

Portfolio Assessment

Students document their accomplishments and create an index that maps from specific learning objectives (e.g., understands that most common American health problems result from excess not deficiencies) into their work (e.g., a project including a personal health plan).

Below are the Tennessee public high school graduation requirements at http://www.state.tn.us/education/curriculum/gradreq.shtml. If your student is following a traditional path for high school with plans to attend college this information may help guide your course selections.  You may use the Tennessee Public School Curriculum Standards for K-12 as a reference and guide. http://www.state.tn.us/education/curriculum.shtml

 Tennessee Public School Graduation Requirements:
 22 total credits are required for High School Graduation.

Requirements for Tennessee Public High School Students 

TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED: 22 (as of this printing)

MATH: 4 Credits Including Algebra I, II, Geometry and a fourth higher level math course

 (see http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/math/index.shtml scroll to Secondary 9-12 Mathematics

SCIENCE: 3 Credits

Including Biology, Chemistry or Physics, and a third lab course

see http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/sci/doc/High_School_Course_Descr.pdf

and http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/sci/index.shtml

ENGLISH: 4 Credits

see http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/english/index.shtml

SOCIAL STUDIES: 3 Credits

see http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/ss/index.shtml

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND WELLNESS:  1.5 Credits

see http://www.state.tn.us/education/schoolhealth/physed/doc/9-12PEandWellnessStandards2009.pdf http://www.state.tn.us/education/schoolhealth/physed/doc/LifetimeWellnessStandards2009.pdf

PERSONAL FINANCE: .5 Credits

see http://www.state.tn.us/education/cte/standardscurr/doc/fc_persfinance0910.pdf

FOREIGN LANGUAGE: 2 Credits

see: http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/foreign_lang/index.shtml

FINE ARTS: 1 Credit

May be waived for students not going to a University to expand and enhance the elective focus

           Dance: http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/arts/doc/ART_DAN_9-12.pdf

           Theatre: http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/arts/doc/ART_TH_9-12.pdf

Music:

General: 9 - 12

Instrumental: 9 - 12

Vocal/Choral: 9 - 12

Class Guitar: 9 - 12

Class Piano: 9 - 12

History: 9 - 12

Theory: 9 - 12

Visual Art:

see: http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/arts/doc/ART_VA_9-12.pdf

Art History:

see: http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/arts/doc/ART_VA_9-12.pdf

ELECTIVE FOCUS: 3 Credits

Math and Science, Career and Technical Education, Fine Arts, Humanities, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB)

Grading scale (used by HomeSchool Reporting Online)

Standard GPA Scale (add 1.0 for College Placement: Dual Enrollment  & Advanced Placement https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse )

A+ (100) 4.0, A (99-94) 4.0, A- (93) 3.670

B+ (92) 3.330, B (91-86) 3.0, B- (85) 2.670

C+ (84) 2.330, C (83-78) 2.0, C- (77) 1.670

D+ (76) 1.330 , D (75-71) 1, D- (70) 0.670

F (69-0) 0.0

Driver's Student Permit or Intermediate License
See http://www.tn.gov/safety/driverlicense/gdl.shtml

From the Department of Safety & Homeland Security website:
Proof of School Attendance

Applicants under the age of 18 must prove they are enrolled in school and making satisfactory progress. If they have already graduated, they must bring their high school diploma or G.E.D. certificate with them when they apply. If not, they need to ask their school to complete a Certificate of Compulsory School Attendance and take the original part of this form with them to a driver license station. The form is valid for only 30 days.

If a student fifteen years of age or older drops out of school or fails to make satisfactory academic progress, the school is required to notify the Department of Safety. This suspends the student's driving privileges. The first time a student drops out, he or she may regain the privilege to drive by returning to school and making satisfactory academic progress. There is no second chance, however. The second time a student drops out he or she must wait to turn 18 years old before being eligible to apply.

 We supply a letter on school letterhead. Requirements for Proof of Attendance and Progress letter for the Department of Safety & Homeland Security

Please note our policy regarding DMV proof of attendance and progress letters:

If a student under the age of 18 requests a DMV letter from us during the school year and does not
a) submit semester reports in a timely manner
b) obtain GED or graduate,
c) transfer to another school

or
e) re-enrolls with us for the next school year on or by Aug 1
then we are required to report the student to the DMV.  

Students requesting proof of attendance and progress letters must be currently enrolled with us and in attendance for at least 30 days – that means if you request a DMV letter on or after July 1, of this year – you must be enrolled for our previous school year. For example July 1, 2014 request, you would have to be enrolled in our 2013/2014 school year.

Please ensure that course work (grades to date) and attendance have been turned in and received by the school administration.

Send form with the following information:

Student's FULL LEGAL name
Date of birth
FULL Address (including COUNTY - not country)
Parent/legal guardians name

We do not accept rush requests for this letter.

You will be notified by email when your request is completed.

Please allow 1 full work week for these forms to be processed and postal mailed.

Download and Submit Proof of Attendance Form  CLICK HERE

Requirements for requesting a high school transcript

In the comments area of the form include:

FULL name of student

Provide college names and addresses to which the transcript should be postal mailed. The transcript will include the most recent ACT / SAT score if applicable.

Allow 2 weeks processing time from date of final approval of draft transcript by the parent.

No rush processing.

Please ensure that you have all high school credits and grades updated and submitted to the school Administration.

For students who plan to attend college as the next step in life we recommend using the graduation requirements used by the public schools as a guide.

Download and Submit Request Form  CLICK HERE

Receiving You Diploma

Please ensure that all of your information has been updated and submitted.
Submit your request to the school administration - Be sure to include:

FULL name of student (as you want it printed on the diploma)
Graduation Date : Month Day Year

If not picking up at the TAO Church/School in Jackson, Tennessee,  include student's current postal address in comments area.

Download and Submit Diploma Request Form CLICK HERE