The Board recognizes that the parent or legal guardian of a scholar, or the scholar themself if emancipated or of majority age, may request a Personal Curriculum for the pupil that modifies certain of the Michigan merit standard requirements under subsection (1) or section 1278a(l)(a) of the Revised School Code. The Personal Curriculum, if requested, cannot provide for anything less than the minimum 18 credits that the scholar must earn under the Michigan Merit Curriculum in order to be issued a diploma. The definition of what will constitute a "credit" under the Personal Curriculum will rest with the Superintendent and be transmitted to the Board for their information.
The Personal Curriculum, if requested, will incorporate as much of the subject area content expectations of the Michigan merit standard required under law as is practicable for the pupil. It will establish measurable goals that the pupil must achieve while enrolled in high school and will provide a method to evaluate whether the pupil achieved these goals; and will be aligned with the scholar's educational development plan (EDP) or individual educational plan (IEP.)
The Superintendent is charged with the responsibility to provide for and meet requests for a Personal Curriculum, including the formulation of the District's definition of the "cut scores" for each subject area, 1 and will follow all Michigan Department of Education requirements and guidelines pertaining thereto.
The "Michigan Merit Curriculum Guidelines for the Personal Curriculum" and the "Michigan Merit Curriculum Supporting Materials and Examples for the Personal Curriculum,"2should be used when implementing the Personal Curriculum component of the District's instructional program.
Granting Credit and Testing Out
Credit earned under a personal curriculum is not a measure of the amount of time a scholar has studied a subject ( e.g., semester, trimester, etc.). Instead, for purposes of this policy, credit will be awarded where a scholar is able to successfully demonstrate mastery of subject area content expectations. This may be done in a variety of ways or through a variety of learning experiences, including career and vocational educational programs, co-teaching, etc. Demonstration of mastery and the earning of credit will be determined in accordance with guidelines developed by the Superintendent.
In some situations a scholar may desire to earn credit by "testing out" of a particular subject. A scholar enrolled in high school, but not enrolled in a particular course, may be granted credit in the course by demonstrating a reasonable level of mastery by attaining a 80% or above on the final year end exam of the course and by demonstrating mastery through the basic assessment process utilized in the course, which may consist of portfolio, project, paper, examination or presentations. Credit earned will be on a "credit" or "no credit" basis, and will be counted toward graduation requirements. The Superintendent will establish guidelines for earning credit by testing out.
1All schools will determine their requirements for scholar proficiency in the subject area content expectations. Schools using their own Secondary Credit Assessments will need to verify to themselves that the assessments used to produce reliable and valid information, are aligned to and cover the content expectations for the credit area, and that the cut score they select is valid for the assessment. (MDE "High School Graduation Requirements - Frequently Asked Questions"). The document can be accessed at: michigan.gov/documents/mde/ FAQ_Entire_Document_l2.07 _217841_7.pdft 2 These documents, in downloadable .pdffo1m, can be accessed by going to: michigan.gov/ mde/0, 1607,7-140-6530 _30334-178576--,00.html
