Transcript Audit Findings Recap An audit of transcripts at RPS - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
RICHMOND PUBLIC SCHOOLS High School Transcript Audit Update & Items for Board Action Presented by: Dr. Tracy Epp, Chief Academic Officer Venue: Richmond City School Board Meeting Date: January 7, 2019 Richmond Public Schools | 301 North 9 th
Richmond Public Schools | 301 North 9th Street | Richmond, VA | www.rvaschools.net
RICHMOND
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Presented by: Dr. Tracy Epp, Chief Academic Officer Venue: Richmond City School Board Meeting Date: January 7, 2019
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High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
An audit of transcripts at RPS comprehensive high schools revealed six distinct errors from school year 2015-2016 through 2017-2018. These errors surfaced broader questions around the program of study, the actual courses offered, counseling practices, and coding issues within Aspen (our Student Information System). The division requested a waiver from the VDOE to prevent students from losing credits, which was denied. As a result
credits were removed and that any other errors were fully corrected. The issues were:
a credit hour.
this effort.
Richmond Public Schools | January 7, 2019
Action Step Status Update Board Policy to correct bell schedules at comprehensive high schools so courses meet 140 Carnegie Unit requirement for credit hours Complete Update the RPS Transcript template to fully align with state and local policies Complete Collect documentation for local courses retroactively eligible for credit and eligible for credit in SY18-19 and bring to Board for approval Complete Review all transcripts for current seniors, updating and correcting, as necessary In Process (Target Completion 2/1/19) Ensure our annual course offering guide only includes state approved or locally approved courses. In Process (Target Completion 2/28/19) Review all transcripts for 9th - 11th graders, updating and correcting, as necessary Not Started (Begins 2/1/19, Target Completion 4/1/19) Based on the recommendations we submitted in September and in response to the VDOE Audit Report, we have made significant progress towards rectifying the issues of the past and setting up systems to prevent them from
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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Each school counseling team is following a prescribed process for reviewing every student’s transcript and tracking their progress in a central database. We met with every counselor and principal to review the process and share explicit instructions, like the review outline below:
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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Here’s where are with the HS transcripts for Seniors
Action 1: Action 1: Retroactively approve select locally-developed courses:
Action 2: Action 2: Approve the reconciliation of specialty schools’ course and credit requirements with current practice and VASBOE policy (no actual change for students; just paper reconciliation).
and add others that have been in effect but were never brought forward for approval.
Action 3 Action 3: Amend RPS board policy 5-6.3 (passed in August) with the following clarifications (FIRST READ).
consistent with previous practice as outlined in the 14-15 Program of Studies, but inadvertently omitted from previous and current policy.
(English, Mathematics, Science, History/Social Science) and foreign language.
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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Recommendation: Retroactively approve select locally-developed courses from 15-16, 16-17, 17-18 and 18-19 school
Context: Virginia requires that local school divisions establish a process for approving locally-developed courses (i.e., those not outlined within the state’s curriculum). While RPS has a policy outlining a process, there is no evidence that local courses have been brought to the Richmond City School Board for approval. Per the Attorney General’s ruling, RPS has the option of securing retroactive approval for such courses. The administration is bringing courses for retroactive approval based on extensive efforts to secure documentation that reasonably outlines the course purpose and content. We used the following criteria for the courses we are bringing to the Board for retroactive approval:
and outlines the specific content/material to be learned.
established by the Attorney General’s response to RPS’ waiver request). Only courses for which we could secure the above documentation are being presented for Board action. Please note that there are certain requirements for when such courses are awarded credit and those business rules have been
future course offerings. The SY19-20 approval will happen formally through our submission of the SY19-20 Program of Studies later this winter.
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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Course Title Sufficient Documentation for Approval 15-16 16-17 17-18 Advanced Biology Lab YES YES YES Advanced Calculus Lab YES YES YES Advanced Chemistry Lab YES YES YES Advanced Environmental Science Lab YES YES YES Advanced Gov & Politics Lab YES YES YES Advanced Statistics Lab YES YES YES
Of 61 local courses offered across various years between 2015-16 and 2017-18, these are the only courses for which sufficient documentation could be found. For many courses, documentation was submitted but it either did not meet a basic standard of content, lacked a date, or both.
Course Title Sufficient Documentation for Approval 15-16 16-17 17-18 SAT Mathematics Prep NO NO YES Scientific Research and Design NO NO YES Sociology NODATE YES INSF CONTENT ESL Content Support English YES YES YES ESL Content Support -Math YES YES YES ESL Content Support Science YES YES YES ESL Content Support-SS YES YES YES
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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At the beginning of SY18-19, we conducted line-item audits of every high school master schedule to ensure they consisted of either state-approved courses or local courses that needed to be submitted for approval. We are submitting these courses now (listed below). Each course was reviewed for rigor and the existence of a clear curriculum and syllabus. Note: Approval today does not equate to future approval, nor inclusion in RPS’s future course offerings. The SY19-20 approval will happen formally through our submission of the SY19-20 Program of Studies later this winter.
*Must be taken concurrently with an AP, IB or DE course **For Pass/Fail only; non-credit bearing
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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To remain in alignment with State policy, local schools boards must approve a request to the Virginia State Board of Education if any course, credit, or other requirement for graduation goes beyond the state standard. Through the transcript review process, the following two areas have been identified as needing attention to ensure practice and policy are in compliance with State requirements. It is the Administration’s recommendation that the Board approve the following for submission to the Virginia State Board of Education for consideration:
and add others that have been in effect but were never brought forward for approval.
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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Specifically, if approved, we will submit the proper paperwork for SBOE approval of the following: Item 1 - All students must earn an Advanced Studies diploma and 32 credits for graduation, as outlined in the table to the
approval was only secured for a 28 credit requirement (in 2011). Item 2 - In addition to the coursework at right, all students must participate in the following (which will be noted as “Pass/Fail” but not be credit-bearing):
Subject Required Credits Honors English 4 Honors Mathematics 4 Honors Science 4 Honors Social Studies 4 Foreign Language 3 (or 2 of 2) Health & Physical Education 2 Fine Arts 2 Career & Technical Ed 1 Economics & Personal Finance 1 AP English Language AP English Literature 2 Community Service (150 hours) (P/F) 1 English 12 Capstone (Senior Thesis) 1 General Electives 3 Total 32
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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Item 3 - Removal of those requirements previously approved and no longer in use:
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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Through the transcript work, we are validating each aspect of a student’s transcript, including business rules to ensure consistently accurate calculation of GPA. In doing so, we have identified areas where confusion and errors can be avoided through more precise language in policy and process guides. To that end, we are submitting (for first read) edits to RPS Board Policy 5-6.3 (passed in August) with the following necessary clarifications:
consistent with previous practice as outlined in the 14-15 Program of Studies, but inadvertently omitted from previous and current policy.
(English, Mathematics, Science, History/Social Science) and foreign language. In clarifying the above through policy, our students, families and staff can all have clarity as to how GPAs are determined.
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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The following reflects courses that we are not submitting for retroactive approval because the required minimum documentation standard was not met:
High School Transcript Audit: Updates & Items for Board Action
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