What Is the Option Pathway?

What is the Option Pathway?

The Option Pathway is an alternative means for at-risk students to stay in school and earn a high school diploma. The Option Pathway is designed for the student who has credit deficiencies at least one year behind their 9th grade cohort and/or who is at high risk of dropping out due to personal issues or because they are age-inappropriate for their current grade level. Students must be at least 16 years of age and in the 9th, 10th, 11thor 12th grade. A student who is age-inappropriate for the eighth grade may also be considered.

The Option Pathway consists of a blend of Career Technical Education (CTE) courses and the high school equivalency assessment (HSEA). The Option Pathway allows approved students to participate in the HSEA at approved locations without being withdrawn from an accredited high school. The Option Pathway student may receive a high school diploma according to the completion level of the program. Option Pathway students would no longer be considered under the graduation requirements of Policy 2510: Assuring Quality of Education: Regulations for Education Programs but would be under the requirements of Policy 2444.4: Issuance of the State of West Virginia High School Equivalency Diploma

What Options are available?

There are three options available to students. Counties must have been approved for Option Pathway and have Option 1 in place before they can offer Options 2 or 3.

Option 1(Core) is the core of the Option Pathway program and consists of a blend of CTE courses as well as HSEA preparation classes. It allows at-risk students to stay in school, complete a CTE concentration, pass the high school equivalency assessment (HSEA) and receive a high school diploma. To qualify for the Option 1 Pathway, students must be at least 16 years of age and in the 9th, 10, 11th or 12th grades as well as be at high risk of dropping out and/or have credit deficiencies of at least one year behind their 9th grade cohort.

A student in the second semester 11th grade or a student in the 12th grade must already be enrolled in and passing a concentration related to the student’s career interest per Policy 2510 guidance or must be enrolled in a CTE concentration that requires only one year to complete.

Option 2 (Credit Recovery) is designed for high school seniors who have failed one core course and are in jeopardy of not being able to graduate with their cohort. This Option allows seniors to take one content area of the WVDE approved high school equivalency assessment (HSEA) in order to recover credit deficiencies in the one content area.

Option 3 (High School Equivalency Diploma)allows students dropping out of school to take the WVDE approved HSEA prior to dropping out of school. Students enrolling in Option 3 should understand that they will not receive a high school diploma. However, if they successfully complete the HSEA, they will receive the State of West Virginia High School Equivalency Diploma. In order for a student to be considered an Option 3 student, he/she musttake the entire HSEA prior to dropping out of school.

Note:Options 2 and 3 are supplemental programs that may be implemented once a county is approved to offer the Option Pathway program.

What is the criteria for placement of students in the Option Pathway?

Placement in the Option Pathway is a very life-changing decision for the student. Therefore, careful consideration should be given prior to placing a student in the Option Pathway.

Participation in Option 1 (Core) will be restricted to students who are at least 16 years of age and meet the following criteria:

Students must:
have credit deficiencies (a total of one year’s credits behind their 9th grade cohort group) and/or are at risk of dropping out due to inappropriate age; or
be at high risk of dropping out of school due to personal issues.
Prospective students must take and receive the recommended Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) test scores of 8th grade reading level and 7th grade math level (This test helps to demonstrate the ability to perform math skills and to read independently in English at a level sufficient to successfully complete the high school equivalency instruction and testing).
If a history of behavioral problems has existed, documentation must be in the student file that the behavioral issues have significantly improved.

Students with extreme behavior issues should not be permitted in the Option Pathway.

In order for a student to qualify for Option 2 (Credit Recovery), the student must:

be a high school senior;
have credit deficiencies in one core area; and
be in jeopardy of not being able to graduate with their cohort.

Note: Option 2 may be used to recover credits in only one major core content area.

Option 3 (HSE Diploma)is designed for the student who has decided to drop out of school. In order to qualify as an Option 3 student, the student must:

have made the decision to drop out of school;
take and pass a WVDE approved practice test TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education); and
take the entire HSEA before dropping out of school.

How can students enroll in the Option Pathway?

In order for a student to enroll in the Option Pathway, he/she must be recommended by a teacher, counselor or school administrator. The county’s Option Team will then meet to determine if Option Pathway is an appropriate placement for the student. Since this program is voluntary, written consent must be obtained from both the student and the parent prior to the student’s placement in the Option Pathway.

What is the enrollment process?

Enrollment in the Option Pathway is voluntary and requires both student and parent/guardian permission. Students cannot be placed in the Option Pathway without this permission.

Since the high school equivalency assessment (HSEA) is very rigorous, careful consideration should be given prior to placing a student in the Option Pathway.

In order to enroll a student in the Option 1 (Core) Pathway, the following guidelines should be followed:

Teacher/counselor/administrator identifies at-risk student:
One (1) year or more behind ninth grade cohort; and/or
High risk of dropping out of school due to personal issues; and/or

Age-inappropriate according to grade level

Student is referred to the Option Pathway teacher for TABE testing (Students with IEPs should be tested using allowable accommodations).

Note: Although not mandatory, it is highly recommended that, in addition to the TABE test, a HSEA practice test be administered to students with IEPs (using accommodations) to see if it is possible for the student to pass the HSEA in a timely manner.

Option Pathway teacher administers the TABE Reading and Math subject area tests (must have written permission from parent/guardian before testing).

Parental permission to administer TABE test must be obtained prior to testing.
Student recommended scores are 8th grade Reading level and 7th grade Math level.

The Option Team (including teacher and counselor) meets to determine if the Option Pathway is the best placement for the student.
If student is approved for Option Pathway, a meeting is held with the student and parent/guardian.
Option Team member goes over the Option Pathway program requirements and expectations (i.e., behavior, attendance, participation in required testing, etc.) as outlined on the Student/Parent Application and Contract.
Option Team member ensures that student and parent/guardian both understand that the student may have to return to the grade level he/she was in when he/she entered the Option Pathway if he/she returns to regular classes or moves to a county/state where Option Pathway is not offered.
Parent/guardian and student sign Student/Parent Application and Contract (required before student is allowed to enter the Option Pathway).
Copy of Contract is given to student and parent/guardian (Original must be kept in student’s permanent file).
Counselor (or other designated staff person) codes the student in WVEIS on the Web (WOW) using the appropriate Option Pathway attribute. (See the Alternative Means to Earn High School Credit, Appendix 10).

Guidelines for enrolling students in Option 2 are as follows:

Teacher/counselor/administrator identifies at-risk student:
Senior with credit deficiencies in one core content area
Counselor contacts Option Pathway teacher to arrange for student to take HSEA practice test
Option teacher:
Administers WVDE approved HSEA practice test
Assists student in self-registering for HSEA
Ensures student has current photo ID
Counselor (or other designated staff person) codes the student in WOW using the appropriate Option Pathway attribute.
After testing, the home school counselor is responsible for sending test scores for Option 2 students to the Option Pathway teacher.

Guidelines for enrolling Option 3 students:

Teacher/counselor/administrator identifies at-risk student who has declared his/her intention to drop out of school.
Counselor contacts Option Pathway teacher to arrange for student to take HSEA practice test
Option teacher:
Administers WVDE approved HSEA practice test
Assists student in self-registering for HSEA
Ensures student has current photo ID

What are the guidelines for completing the Option Pathway?

Option Pathway (Option 1) students will receive a high school diploma upon successful completion of all Option Pathway requirements:

Attends HSEA preparation classes;
Adheres to county attendance and behavioral policies;
Participates in state-required testing for his/her grade level;
Passes a WVDE approved HSEA practice test;
Completes the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) test (by passing all 5 subject area tests); and
Completes the four (4) courses of an approved State Department Career Technical Education (CTE) program of study or completes a local

concentration approved by the County Board of Education consisting of four related courses correlating to the student’s Personalized Education Plan (PEP).

Option 2 students will receive a high school diploma upon successful completion of all Option Pathway requirements:

Must pass the HSEA subject area test for the major core area in which he/she has credit deficiencies.

Note: If the credit deficiencies are in English, student must pass both the Reading and Writing subtests of the HSEA.

Must continue attending and maintaining passing grades in all other classes as required by Policy 2510.

Option 3 students will receive the State of West Virginia High School Equivalency Diploma upon successful completion of the HSEA.

If student passes the entire HSEA prior to dropping out of school, the student is marked as a completer in WVEIS.
If student does not pass the entire HSEA prior to dropping out of school, the student is marked as a dropout. If the student passes the HSEA prior to the October report, the student is changed from a dropout to a completer in WOW.

This information was developed from the following resources:

Test Assessing Secondary Completion

GED/Option Pathway

Alternative Means to Earn High School Credit

State Policy 2444.4: Issuance of the State of West Virginia High School Equivalency Diploma

State Policy 2510: Assuring Quality of Education: Regulations for Education Programs

Alternative Means to Earn High School CreditManual