The Board believes that the grade placement and class assignment for a student transferring from another school should reflect the grade level and/or program of study which is appropriate to academic, social, and emotional needs.
Students entering the District by transfer from other public schools outside the District or from private or parochial schools shall submit evidence of achievement in the grade last attended as a prerequisite to enrollment. Grade placement of a student may be adjusted on the basis of achievement tests administered by District personnel, or on the basis of other factors which the principal and the staff of the school concerned believe make such adjustments desirable. In the junior and senior high schools, a transcript of an entering student’s record shall be obtained from the school last attended.
Transfers from Accredited School
The grade level achieved or the units of credit completed in the previous school(s) that the student has attended shall be accepted provided these schools are accredited schools. Units of credit shall be determined on the basis of the Carnegie Unit or credit given for the successful completion of a year’s study of one subject in a secondary school. Accredited schools shall be those schools classified by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or the equivalent. If the school is located out of state and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools or other regional accrediting associations, or is listed as an approved school by the Committee on Accreditation of Schools, nonpublic, it shall be considered accredited. A student who transfers to the District from these accredited schools shall be enrolled in the appropriate grade level, continuing at the current grade placement. If transfer is effected at the beginning of the school year, the students shall be placed in the grade to which previously promoted. After careful observation and evaluation of the student’s progress, chronological age, previous educational experience, achievement tests and consultation with parents/guardian, a student may be reassigned to a program that more adequately meets the needs of the student.
Transfers from Unaccredited Schools
Should a student present records and/or credit from an unaccredited school, or home instructional program, the building principal shall place the student according to an evaluation based upon the student’s chronological age, previous educational records, current psychological and achievement tests, criterion referenced tests, and other educational
Data pertinent to the assignment of the student. The principal will also consult with the student’s parent/guardian. A student received as a transfer from any unaccredited school or home instructional program shall not be placed permanently in a grade or program of study until the student can be evaluated by the building principal and other appropriate professional staff members.
Furthermore, a student transferring from a school that is not accredited must be enrolled for two (2) complete semesters and earn at least five (5) units of credit to provide adequate time for evaluation, before credits earned from the unaccredited school may be accepted to meet graduation requirements.
Transcript credits from an unaccredited school will be evaluated by the building principal and counselor(s). When approved by the building principal and counselor(s), only transcript credits which correspond to course offerings accepted by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or which correspond to course offerings of the District may be accepted to meet graduation requirements. A maximum of seven (7) units of credit may be accepted from unaccredited schools for any academic year including summer school and correspondence courses.
The decision of the building principal regarding student placement and acceptance of credit may be appealed to the Superintendent with a final hearing before the Board.