COURSE CHALLENGE

Background

Course challenges follow the rules as indicated within the Ministry of Education document BC Graduation Program – Handbook of Procedures.

The District recognizes that relevant learning can be acquired by students outside the school system. Course challenge is an acceptable avenue for students to have prior undocumented learning acknowledged and to receive credit for this learning.

Procedures must be in place for students to challenge courses.  The purpose of challenge is to permit students to obtain full credits for a course (Grade 10,11, or 12) without having to take the course when they can provide strong and compelling evidence that they have acquired the appropriate learning elsewhere.

Definition

Course challenge is a process by which students demonstrate that they can meet the learning outcomes of a Grade 10,11, or 12 provincially or locally developed course to the same standard as students who take the course through regular classes.

Procedures

1. Only students enrolled in the District are eligible to challenge a course.
2. Students must apply for a course challenge.The readiness and relevancy for a challenge to proceed will be determined by the Principal in consultation with the student, parent(s) and subject chair.
3. A course challenge is a two-stage process:
   1. When a student is able to give compelling evidence that he or she will succeed in a challenge assessment.
   2. When a student demonstrates that he or she has successfully met the learning outcomes prescribed for the provincially or locally developed course.
4. Principals will develop challenge procedures within Ministry and District guidelines.These procedures are to ensure equity of student access.
5. Students must challenge the full course.The exception to this is the 30-hour work experience component of Career Life Education.
6. The course challenge must be linked to the student learning plan.
7. Students cannot challenge courses they have previously taken or courses for which they have received credit for similar learning outcomes (eg. take English 12 and then challenge English 12 First Peoples).
8. Students will be granted only one opportunity to challenge a specific course.
9. The following courses may be challenged:
   1. Locally or provincially developed courses at the Grade 10, 11 or 12 levels only.
   2. Courses currently being taught in District schools.
10. Externally developed courses recognized for credit by the Ministry cannot be challenged (e.g. International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement).
11. Course challenge cannot be used to upgrade existing marks in a course.
12. Students will be awarded credit for a successful challenge and will receive a letter grade and percentage for the course as per Ministry reporting policy.
13. The final decision to award credit will be approved by the Principal.
14. Students will be assessed a charge for each course challenged in accordance with the fee schedule approved by the Board annually.An exception will be made for the 30-hour work experience component of Career Life Education.
15. Procedures will be communicated to students and parents through regular school communication channels.
16. Considering timetabling and resources available, principals will establish and communicate appropriate timelines for challenges.
17. Principals will ensure that:
    1. Course safety expectations and applicable safety procedures as per WHMIS and WorkSafeBC are learned and examined.
    2. A variety of assessment strategies may be used to attain a reliable evaluation of understanding and achievement as measured against the prescribed learning outcomes of the course.
18. Principals are not required to offer challenge opportunities until one year after new curricula are scheduled for full implementation.
19. Principals are required to accept challenge only for courses taught in their school and for students registered in their school.However, they may facilitate challenges for students from other schools.