Course Challenge, Equivalency, External Credentials

Policy

The Course Challenge, Equivalency, and External Credits policy follows the Ministry Policy.

Learners may earn credits toward graduation in a variety of ways. In addition to earning credits by successfully completing courses delivered by a BC public or independent school, learners could be awarded credits through this policy.

Students enrolled with a Board of Education are entitled to undertake a free Challenge or Equivalency process to assess their documented and undocumented prior learning for any Ministry developed graduation program course offered by any Board of Education in the Province that school year, as well as any Board Authorized (BAA) course taught in the enrolling district that school year, provided the student has not already challenged the course and received a passing grade, or completed the course through previous enrolment, or been granted equivalency for the course. Students may also receive credit towards graduation through certain external credentials approved by the Ministry.

This policy affords learners at the high school level the right to be assessed to receive credits for courses taken elsewhere, for their prior learning, and to challenge courses.

Course Challenge Procedures

We undertake a course challenge to honour and credit excellent work a learner has already completed independently or in the community.

Course challenge requests are accepted when

a learner has a portfolio of learning they have already developed
it is not a course we offer
there is an established need for the credit in a timely way.

We do not undertake challenges to save a learner time or trouble of taking a course. Course challenges are not available if the student has already challenged the course and received a passing grade, if the student has already completed the course through previous enrolment, or if the student has already been granted equivalency for the course.

Prior to engaging in a Challenge process, the Principal or designate will review any documentation of prior learning that a learner presents in order to determine if credit can be awarded through Equivalency.
Where necessary, the Principal or designate will assign an appropriately certified educator to conduct the Challenge who must deliver and document the Challenge assessment delivered to the learner.
To receive credit for a course that does not have a required exam, a learner must obtain at least a C- (50% minimum) grade/score in the challenge course assessment. This course assessment is created by SelfDesign educators.
The Principal or designate must document the Challenge assessment delivered to each learner, including a pre-Challenge Equivalency review, and the documentation must be made available to Ministry auditors, if requested.
Learners should be able to demonstrate their readiness to Challenge a course based on factors such as a recommendation from a previous teacher, or from evidence that relevant learning has been acquired outside the regular classroom setting. The demonstration should not be an onerous process. School staff, in consultation with learners and parents, will make the decision about readiness. Examples of assessment strategies that could be used in a Challenge process include such things as hands-on demonstrations, oral performances, interviews, written examinations, or presentations of a collection of work.
SelfDesign will award credit through Challenge based on the same standards used for learners who have taken the course through enrolment. A Challenge is considered successful when a student has achieved at least a C- and 50%.
For reporting and transcript purposes, SelfDesign will assign a letter grade and percentage to all credits awarded through Challenge processes.
For reporting and transcript purposes, SelfDesign will assign a letter grade and percentage to all credits awarded through the Challenge processes.
After the Principal signs off on the Challenge process, successful course Challenges will be reported to the Ministry through the Transcript and Examination (TRAX) system by June 30 the July reporting period of the school year in which the Challenge occurred.

Equivalency Policy

Courses taken outside of B.C. may be eligible for equivalency credit if they closely match the learning outcomes of some Grades 10, 11 or 12 courses. Courses (or programs) taken outside of the B.C. school system may qualify for equivalency credit if they match approximately 80% or more of the prescribed learning outcomes of an approved B.C. course
Learners provide documentation that the learning outcomes of the course were successfully completed.

The following will be taken into account in reviewing the documentation

comparison of learning outcomes
comparison of general subject matter
comparison of depth or breadth of coverage of subject matter
comparison of assessment methods, instruments, and standards.

SelfDesign will assign a percentage to all credits awarded through equivalency. If the student’s documents show only a letter grade or level, SelfDesign may choose to assign a percentage, based on the mid-point of the matching British Columbia letter grade range. SelfDesign may use “Transfer Standing” (TS) if it is not possible to determine a letter grade and a percentage from the documentation.

External Credential Procedures

Although external credentials may contribute towards graduation requirements, they may or may not meet general or specific admissions requirements for post-secondary institutions. It is students’ responsibility to verify admissions requirements for the post-secondary institutions they plan to attend.

In order to earn credit for an approved credential, students must provide the appropriate documentation proving successful completion of the external assessment, course or program.
Students may have earned an approved external credential prior to entering Grade 10. If so, they are awarded credit if they present their credential any time after they enter Grade 10.
For reporting and transcript purposes, schools must assign all credits received as a result of an external credential either a letter grade and percentage, if possible to determine. If impossible to determine, “Transfer Standing” (TS) may be used.

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