High School Enrollment and Grade Level Placement and Promotion
Requirements for Information Prior to Enrollment
Each student, at the time of initial registration for school placement, must note previous school expulsions, arrests resulting in a charge, arrests pending, and juvenile justice actions the student has had. Schools have the authority to honor the final order of expulsion or dismissal of a student by any in-state or out-of-state public district school board, private school, or lab school, for an act which would have been grounds for expulsion according to the SJCSD Code of Student Conduct SJCSD, according to the following procedures:
- A final order of expulsion shall be recorded in the records of the receiving school.
- The expelled student applying for admission to the receiving school shall be advised of the final order of expulsion.
- The superintendent or designee may recommend to the School Board that the final order of expulsion be waived, and the student be admitted to the school district, or that the final order of expulsion be honored, and the student not be admitted to the school district. If the student is admitted by the School Board, with or without the recommendation of the district school superintendent, the student may be placed in an appropriate educational program at the direction of the School Board.
Grade Placement and Promotion within High School
- The Customized Learning Path (CLP) is unique to each student and is based on his/her academic and career needs.
- Students shall be considered freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors and fifth year seniors based on the credits listed below:
- A student shall be classified as a sophomore with a minimum of 5 credits (after Survey 2 to preserve the correct cohort graduation year for accelerated students).
- A student shall be classified as a junior with a minimum of 11 credits.
- A student shall be classified as a senior with a minimum of 17 credits.
- Students in regular education programs not reaching graduation status in four years shall be provided the opportunity of a fifth year to meet the district’s graduation requirements. Remediation shall be provided to assist the student passing the state-required tests.
- High schools may promote retained students from grade 8 to grade 9, grade 9 to grade 10, grade 10 to grade 11, or grade 11 to grade 12 at the end of the first semester upon documentation of the awarding of required make-up credits.
- A junior who is enrolled in a 24-credit diploma program shall be moved to senior status at the end of first semester if enrolled in the necessary coursework to graduate in the spring.
Students must be enrolled full time until graduation course work requirements are met. Full time is defined in terms of Full-Time Equivalency – 100% FTE:
- Traditional courses @ SJCSD high school site – 7 classes
- Full time virtual – 6 classes
- Full time dual enrollment – 4 courses
If a student chooses to combine options, the number of courses required for full time status defaults to the highest number of courses.
Students are encouraged to maintain full time status throughout high school to take advantage of all the available opportunities:
- Accelerated courses that may result in college credit (AICE, AP, DE, IB)
- Career and technical education courses that may result in industry certifications
- World language courses to broaden language acquisition and qualify for the biliteracy diploma seal
- Elective courses to continue to develop talents and skills
- Leadership opportunities in clubs, athletics, and academic programs of emphasis.
Students may petition the principal of the school to reduce a traditional schedule. Possible reasons to reduce courses during the year include:
- Travel time to DE courses on the college campus
- Advanced schedule – full time college is typically 4 or 5 courses per semester
- Employment or internship
- Medical situation
- Graduation requirements can be satisfied during the senior year without a full schedule if Algebra 1 EOC and FAST requirements have been met.
Consistent with school board rules and in accordance with state statute (1012.28 (5) F.S.), the Superintendent has designated the principal of the school as the final authority in the placement of students in programs or classes.
ACCEL- Grade Placement for Students Enrolled in the Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning Three-Year Graduation Program
Students enrolled in the three-year ACCEL 18-credit diploma program shall be considered freshmen, sophomores, and juniors according to the same criteria that apply to students seeking a four-year diploma. Students in the 18- credit ACCEL diploma program, who have 17 or more credits at mid-year of their third year of high school, shall move to senior status with all senior rights and privileges.
Adult High School Programs
Adult high school (adult education) programs are to be used primarily for students who have exited a traditional high school program. Upon written approval of a high school principal, students may attend an adult high school for credit recovery. In such cases, students shall be allowed, at the principal’s discretion, to be enrolled in both a high school and an adult high school to remain in the cohort group that started kindergarten together. Students who have met all requirements for the standard high school diploma except for passage of the grade 10 Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) in reading and the Algebra 1 End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment, or an alternative assessment, by the end of grade 12 may participate in an adult general program for such time as the student requires to master English, reading, mathematics or any other subject required for high school graduation. Students attending adult basic, adult secondary or vocational-preparatory instruction are exempt from any requirements for the payment of tuition and fees, including lab fees. A student attending an adult general education program shall have the opportunity to take the grade 10 FAST and Algebra 1 EOC whenever offered by the state to receive a high school diploma.
Students on Community Control
The court shall determine the terms and conditions of probation. Conditions specified in this section do not require oral pronouncement at the time of sentencing and may be considered standard conditions of probation. These conditions may include that the probationer or offender in community control shall: 948.03 F.S.
- report to the probation and parole supervisors as directed and
- permit such supervisors to visit him or her at his or her home or elsewhere.
Teacher Notification of Students on Community Control
If a juvenile on community control attends a regular educational school program, then the identity of the juvenile and the nature of the felony offense shall be made known to each of the student’s teachers and appropriate district staff.
Termination of School Placement at Age 16
A student who attains the age of 16 years during the school year is not subject to compulsory school attendance beyond the date upon which he or she attains that age, provided the student files a formal declaration of intent to terminate school enrollment with the district School Board. The declaration must acknowledge that terminating school enrollment is likely to reduce the student’s earning potential and must be signed by the student and the student’s parent/legal guardian.
The following steps must also be taken:
- The school shall notify the student’s parent/legal guardian of receipt of the student’s declaration of intent to terminate school enrollment.
- The student’s school counselor or other school personnel shall conduct an exit interview with the student to determine the reasons for the student’s decision to terminate school enrollment and actions that could be taken to keep the student in school.
- The student shall be informed of opportunities to continue his or her education in a different environment, including, but not limited to, adult education and GED test preparation.
- The student shall complete a survey to provide data on student reasons for terminating enrollment and actions taken by schools to keep student enrolled.
Out-of-State or Out-of-Country Transfer Students in Grade 11 or Grade 12
Florida Statute 1003.433 specifies that students who enter a Florida public school at the eleventh or twelfth grade from out of state or from a foreign country shall not be required to spend additional time in a Florida public school in order to meet the high school course requirements if the student has met all the requirements of the school district, state or country from which he or she is transferring. Such students who are not proficient in English shall receive immediate and intensive instruction in English language acquisition. However, to receive a standard high school diploma, a transfer student must earn a 2.0 grade point average and pass the grade 10 FAST in English language arts or an alternative assessment and pass the FAST Algebra 1 EOC assessment.
For graduation requirements for transfer students, see: Graduation Requirements.
Parent/Legal Guardian Request for Change in Placement Florida
Statute 1003.3101 gives a parent/legal guardian the right to request his or her child be transferred to another classroom teacher based on (1) the teacher’s out-of-field certification status or (2) personal preference. This statute does not give the parent/legal guardian the right to choose a specific classroom teacher. Teachers with out-of-field certification are named on our district website 30 days before the beginning of the semester. Parents/legal guardians may complete a Teacher Change Request form, which is also available on the district website and at schools. When the form is returned to the school, the parent/legal guardian will be contacted to schedule a conference (required). After the conference, the principal will either approve or deny the request with the rationale for the denial in writing. Schools must approve or deny the transfer within two weeks of receiving the request. Any approved change must not impact class size amendment. Consistent with school board rules and in accordance with state statute (1012.28 (5) F.S.), the Superintendent has designated the principal of the school as the final authority in the placement of students in programs or classes.
