Other Credit Options (BP 6146.2)
Other Credit Options (OCO) is designed to give students the opportunity to choose learning experiences that are suited to their personal educational needs. The Board values other ways to accomplish learning experiences but OCOs are not shortcuts to learning. Student experiences need to include demonstration of competency to a mastery level. The Chief School Administrator/Superintendent will design a structure to support OCO within the boundaries set by Board policy.
1. Students wishing to take courses for high school credit through one of the following Other Credit Options may do so with prior school counselor and principal approval:
AR 6146.2 (a) Distance Delivery
AR 6146.2 (b) College Course Work
AR 6146.2 (c) Early College Admissions
AR 6146.2 [d] Independent Study
AR 6146.2 [e] Educational Travel
AR 6146.2 [f] Community Service
AR 6146.2 [g] Early High School Credit
AR 6146.2 [h] Physical Education Credit Wavier
AR 6146.2 [i] Supplemental and Non-public School Credit
AR 6146.2 [j] College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
AR 6146.2 [k] Test for Credit
The student must complete the appropriate OCO Form with assistance from the school counselor/principal. After obtaining school-level and parent signatures, the original OCO Form needs to be filed in the student’s cumulative file and a copy kept with the student’s counselor for transcript review purposes. If an OCO is denied, a student and parent/guardian may appeal the decision to the Office of Instruction within five (5) days of the decision. A determination by the Office of Instruction will be made in five [5] working days. These deadlines can be extended upon the mutual agreement of parties involved.
2. Students are encouraged to complete Other Credit Options four (4) weeks prior to the end of the semester. It is the responsibility of the student to know and to meet individual school deadlines.
3. Other Credit Options are only recorded on the transcript after an official transcript has been received. Once the OCO credit is recorded on the transcript, it is included in calculating grade point average (GPA) and class rank.
4. The MSBSD is not the sponsoring agency for the off-campus programs and is not responsible for the student’s personal or financial liability. Expenses for Other Credit Options are the responsibility of the individual.
5. Since Other Credit Options are recorded only upon program completion, OCO is not a course that can be included for calculating eligibility for full-time student status. Weighing the impact of OCO on co-curricular eligibility (MSBSD, ASAA, NCAA, etc.) is the responsibility of the student.
6. To further support students choosing learning experiences to enhance their personal educational needs, counselors and principals, along with students and their parents/guardians can apply for consideration to the Office of Instruction for an OCO that has not been established by these guidelines. The OCO Form 10: Application for Consideration should be used for this process.
