MSD Policies
Instruction
127.1 High School Graduation Competencies
For the purposes of assessment of high school course work through the demonstration of student mastery of course competencies, the following definitions are established:
"Competencies" means student learning targets that represent key content-specific concepts, skills, and knowledge applied within or across content domains. Specific and required types of competencies include Manchester School District competencies and graduation competencies.
"District competencies" mean specific types of competencies that are common across the Manchester School District and organized in developmental progressions that lead to achievement of graduation competencies.
"Graduation competencies" means specific types of competencies that are common across the Manchester School District and define learning expectations for each student for graduation from high school.
"Mastery" means a high level of demonstrated proficiency with regard to a competency.
Course credit will be awarded through the demonstration of a student's mastery of the competencies of the course. Course credit granted through demonstration of mastery will be counted through traditional methods. Grades and credit granted through demonstration of mastery will be included in the student's grade point average. Students must be enrolled in the particular course in order to receive course credit.
Students who are involved in an approved extended learning opportunity to satisfy course requirements in whole or in part shall demonstrate mastery through a method or methods as approved by the course instructor, as specified in Policy Instruction 131.2.
Credit may be used to fulfill prerequisites for other courses and/or subject area credit requirements for graduation. Credit will not be granted, however, for a course in a subject area lower in course sequence than one for which the student has already earned credit.
The Superintendent shall establish rules for implementing this policy in cooperation with the high school Principal and shall be responsible for ensuring that all high school courses include appropriate competency assessments. Competency Assessments will be selected, conducted, and reviewed in conjunction with the provisions of Policy Instruction 104.2.
Assessments shall be aligned with clearly defined educational standards that specify what students should know and be able to do. The assessment items and tasks shall be valid and appropriate representations of the standards students are expected to achieve. Assessment standards, tasks, procedures, and uses shall be fair to all students.
NHSBA Note, May 2014: Title of the policy has changed. The policy is now Priority/Required by Law. Changes to the definitions listed on Page 1. The content of the policy remains largely unchanged. Some changes to last paragraph on Page 1. Many changes to the Legal References.
Legal References:
Ed 306.02(d), Competencies
Ed 306.02(g), District competencies
Ed 306.02(j), Graduation competencies
Ed 306.02(l), Mastery
Ed 306.04(a)(16), Tracking Achievement of Graduation Competencies
Ed 306.04(a)(25), (26), Graduation competencies
Ed 306.141(a)(6), Achievement of District and Graduation Competencies
NHSBA Code ILBAA
First Reading Coordination: 08/14/2018
Second Reading and. Approval BOSC: 08/27/2018