OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER
AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
August 10, 2004
TO: Technology Center Superintendents
FROM: Belinda McCharen and Brady McCullough, Associate State Directors
SUBJECT: Academic Course Implementation Guidelines
This is a recap of current law authorizing technology centers to offer certain academic courses to students. Due to the passage of HB 2886 in the 2002-03 legislative session, technology centers have multiple options for offering academic courses to their students. Each option has a unique set of requirements and conditions to assure adherence to law and sound educational practice.
Attached are sets of guidelines for implementing contextual courses, pullout or stand-alone academic courses, Internet-based academic courses, and distance delivery of academic courses. We hope they provide direction for you and your staff as you implement these programs. Remember, the pullout courses must adhere to the State Department of Education requirements for awarding Carnegie units of credit. A unit of credit is given for successful completion of a course that meets 40 minutes a day, five days a week for 36 weeks, or the equivalent of 120 clock hours within the school year.
Anatomy and Physiology
At the July 2003 State Board of Education meeting, permanent approval was granted to offer the following courses at technology centers for contextual science credit in Anatomy and Physiology for juniors and seniors:
Health Science Technology (Grades 11 and 12)
Health Careers Certification (Grades 11 and 12)
Level II Anatomy and Physiology
Level III Anatomy and Physiology
Dental Assisting (Grade 11 or 12)
Medical Assisting (Grade 11 or 12)
Practical Nursing (Grade 12)
The health courses listed above must be taught by certified teachers and approved for credit by local boards of education for both the school district and technology center. The intent is to allow flexibility at the local level while sustaining rigor and accountability in meeting science requirements. The final decision to count these courses for Anatomy and Physiology Science credit is based upon the local district decision. We encourage local
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August 10, 2004
school districts and technology centers to work together closely as you consider your decision to offer this credit. All courses approved must be placed on the student transcript with the approved name if counted for science credit. This decision by the State Board of Education, authorized under HB 2886, does not alter the existing rules related to granting credit for students who have a current IEP.
Computer Science
Several years ago, legislation allowed certain career tech courses to count as computer science for high school credit, OHLAP and college admission. Most BITE courses and many in T & I qualify for computer science credit. The law also allowed computer science courses to count for mathematics credit at the discretion of the local school. This law is still in place, however the new federal requirement under No Child Left Behind requiring all teachers to be Highly Qualified by 2005-06 has placed additional considerations for the awarding of mathematics credit for computer science and requires special oversight to assure that teachers are highly qualified. In a majority of cases a business teacher will not be able to be highly qualified to teach computer science for mathematics credit.
Highly Qualified Teachers
Beginning for the school year 2005-06 each teacher who teaches a course receiving academic credit must be highly qualified. The teacher must first hold a bachelors degree to be considered highly qualified to obtain academic credit for the CTE course they teach. If no academic credit is being offered the highly qualified requirement does not pertain.
The teacher may become highly qualified in one of three ways: 1) The teacher may obtain an additional endorsement in mathematics, science or Biology by successfully passing a competency test. In the case of the Health Careers course in which Anatomy and Physiology is taught, a Biology I certification would be required. In the case of Computer Science being counted as mathematics, the teacher would successfully pass a test for mathematics above Algebra I. 2) With the HOUSSE option, the teacher may provide a transcript with 24 hours of mathematics or science outside of the college of education to have an academic major that meets the highly qualified teacher definition. At least one college course must be Anatomy and Physiology to meet this option for Health Careers teachers. If the teacher is certified to teach Biology and the high school designates the course as a lab science, the Anatomy and Physiology credit may be approved for college admission. This is done at the discretion of the high school and must follow guidelines for school accreditation. 3) If the teacher holds a National Board Cerification they meet all 100 points required for HOUSSE and are considered highly qualified though they hold a CTE National Board Cerification and not an academic National Board Cerification. Go to and click on No Child Left Behind then scroll down to find HOUSSE (Highly Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation) for guidelines, the form and additional information.
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Academic Courses and Sophomores
The 2004 legislative session brought SB 1271. This bill authorizes technology center districts to offer programs for sophomores with an emphasis in a focused field of career study. The sophomores may be approved to attend up to one-half day and may be offered math and science programs above Algebra I and Biology I. Such focused field of career study and the academics integrated into the program must be developed in cooperation with higher education.
Each technology center program is designed for sophomores and is a focused field of career study. The State Board of Education and local comprehensive school boards must approve it. For example, Francis Tuttle was approved to offer a Pre-Engineering Academy and upper-level math and science courses for sophomores at the July 29,2004, State Board of Education meeting. As always, teachers must be certified in the math and science courses they are teaching.
If you are planning to deliver academic course instruction to sophomores, you must be approved through the State Board of Education prior to the beginning of the school year in which you plan to teach the academics. Again, if the student is on an IEP, the plan developed by the team determines the instruction the student is to receive whether sophomore, junior or senior.
Other Academic Courses
In no instance may a technology center offer English, Social Studies, Foreign Language or any other academic course not specifically authorized by law for high school credit. The only exception occurs when the technology center offers an approved alternative education program or dropout recovery program. Internet-based courses may be utilized for academic courses but must be approved by the local board and high school as outlined in the attached guidelines.
Though high schools are responsible for the transcription of credit, technology centers are not currently authorized by law to teach language arts, social studies, or art through any method other than on-line delivery. As always, the State Department of Education regional accreditation officer is the best contact for specific questions regarding high school credit questions.
Please call either one of us if you have questions. Our direct numbers are Belinda, 405.743.5432, and Brady, 405.743.5100. Have a great 2004-05 school year!
B171
Attachment
cc:Kelly Arrington
Greg Dewald
Field Service Coordinators