5463 - STUDENT AND CREDIT TRANSFER FROM NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS

The following procedures govern the District's process of enrolling students transferring from a non-public school program.

1. Initial Enrollment Procedures
    
   1. Student Transfer from Non-Public School
      
      Whenever a student seeks to transfer into the District from a nonpublic school, other than a home-based private education program or program not certified or licensed by the applicable State education agency, the following procedures should be used to determine the student's proper grade placement or credits toward graduation.

1. Identify the grade level that the student's age would indicate is the likely grade placement.
2. Review the courses of study for that grade to determine the critical learnings that would be prerequisite for success at subsequent grade levels or courses.
3. Review the student's performance (if available) on tests and/or other means of assessment that were used to assess the student's learning while participating in the nonpublic school. Determine whether the critical learnings identified in the District's courses of study were properly assessed and, if so, how well the student has achieved each critical learning.
4. If no prior assessment data is available, identify which tests (standardized or District-made), as well as other means of assessment (research project, term paper, and the like), could be used to assess the student's achievement of the critical learnings and arrange for the student to be assessed.
5. If the assessment so indicates, assign the student to the grade or course level suggested at the first step (with or without special assistance).
6. Make arrangements for any form of special assistance that will be needed for the student to succeed at that level.
7. If the assessment indicates that another grade or course level is more appropriate, register the student in that grade or course level and make whatever arrangements are necessary to provide for any needed assistance indicated by the assessment.

2. Student Transfer from Home-Based Private Educational Program or Other Nonapproved Program

The following applies to students who are transferring from a home-based private educational program, nonchartered religious school, or foreign school. It does not apply to any school that has been approved or licensed by the Department of Public Instruction or by another State's education agency in which the school is located.

1. The parent is to submit to the building principal written notification of the intent to enter the school no later than ten (10) school days prior to the expected date of enrollment.
2. The pupil services team is responsible for conducting a thorough placement study including an assessment of current learnings relative to each course of study (see item "b" above). The placement study should also include a review of information provided by the parent such as student achievement data, standardized test scores, topics studied, resources used, and samples of student work and accomplishments. It should also include a comparison with the criteria established for private schools under Wis. Statute 118.165, Wis. Stats. No student is to be placed in any school or grade without a written placement review.
3. A final meeting with the parent and student shall be scheduled to review the District's assessment results, establish credits (if applicable), and discuss placement.
4. In the event the advance notice is not provided, a temporary placement decision may be made by the building principal or designee while the placement review is conducted. The parent is to be informed of the District's placement review procedure.
5. Prior to placement, the parent must complete normal enrollment procedures as outlined in AG 5111 - Admission to the District.
6. A parent may request, during the placement procedure, that the child participate in special education programming. If so, the District's special education identification and evaluation procedure is to be followed. If there is no conclusive evidence that special education testing should be initiated or if the student does not qualify, the 504 evaluation procedure (2260.01A - Section 504/ADA Parents' Procedural Rights, Including Due Process Hearing) may be applicable or the school problem solving Team may be notified prior to student placement.
7. If the District's assessment of a student indicates mastery of curriculum objectives that far exceed the normal age/grade placement, and whose standardized test scores indicate qualification for gifted education, the student may be referred to the Advanced Learning Coordinator for placement.

2. Additional Procedures for Enrollment of any Non-Public School Transfer Student (including Home-Based Private Educational Program Students)

1. Admission to Kindergarten Through Grade Eight

Placement into a grade shall be made in accordance with the following:

1. age appropriateness
2. data resulting from the assessment procedure described above (i.e., - Student Transfer from Non-public Schools, Student Transfer from Home-Based Private Educational Program or Other Nonapproved Program);
3. results of the examination of the student's most recent annual academic assessment report which shall include one (1) of the following:
    
   1. results of a nationally-normed, standardized achievement test;
   2. written narrative indicating that a portfolio of the student's work has been reviewed and the student's academic progress for the year is in accordance with the student's abilities;
   3. and the District's applicable courses of study.
4. review of previous regular education program records, if any, to check last grade placement;
5. results of competency tests at the appropriate grade level(s) to measure achievement of performance objectives in each applicable subject.

2. Admission to Grades Nine Through Twelve

Placement into each subject (e.g. English) shall be made based on:

1. age appropriateness;
2. data resulting from the assessment procedure described above (i.e., - Student Transfer from Non-public Schools, Student Transfer from Home-Based Private Educational Program or Other Nonapproved Program);
3. results of examination of the student's most recent annual academic assessment report which shall include one (1) of the following:
    
   1. results of a nationally normed, standardized achievement test in the subject area;
   2. a portfolio of the student's work that demonstrates the student has developed the knowledge and skills at the previous grade level to the one the student should be placed in based on age;
4. review of previous regular education program records, if any, to check last grade placement;
5. results on the appropriate competency tests or normed, criterion-references test in the subject area, if applicable to the grade placement.

Procedures for Receiving Credits

In accordance with Board Policy 5463 - Credits from Nonpublic Schools, no letter or number grades will be recorded for courses for which credit is granted. Credit will be issued on a pass/fail (P/F) basis and the transcript will indicate "transfer" credit. The credit will be recognized for high school graduation requirements. Students entering school at any point following the conclusion of the first grading period will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis for competency in the coursework dealt with during the grading period(s). Credits obtained by the student while enrolled in a non-public school program but obtained through courses offered in the District's schools pursuant to Policy 9270 - Home-Based, Private, or Tribal Schooling, shall be afforded the credit associated with them as would be provided to any District enrolled student at the time.

The maximum number of credits a student may receive for each year of academic study will be evaluated by the counselors in accordance with local criteria.

Procedures for Determining Grade Point Average (GPA)/Class Rank/Transcripts:

1. Students entering the high school shall have no established grade point average (GPA) or class rank until they have completed two (2) consecutive semesters.
2. Inclusion of the student in graduation honors such as Valedictorian shall occur if the student has been enrolled for two (2) consecutive semesters prior to senior year.

Graduation and Commencement Exercises

Before a diploma will be presented, the student must meet all of the Board's graduation requirements. (See Board Policy 5460 - Graduation Requirements).

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