ACADEMIC POLICIES
PROMOTION AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Promotion
Philadelphia E & T Charter High School is committed to excellence in student accomplishment and acknowledges the importance of a school wide promotion standard. Such a standard shall recognize that the personal, social, academic, and physical growth varies with the individual student and, accordingly, each shall be placed in the educational setting most appropriate to his/her current needs.
Promotion of students shall occur annually at the close of the school year. In regard to the timing of such action, exceptions to this guideline can be made by the school administration after consultation with the teacher(s) and with the approval of the Board of Trustees.
Successful completion of course requirements through a school approved summer school program shall be given credit in making promotion decisions.
Promotion Guidelines
Promotion from grade to grade is based on credits earned.
Promotion to 10th grade:
Student must have 5 or more credits with at least one full credit in English.
Promotion to 11th grade:
Student must have 11 or more credits with at least two full credits in English and at least one full credit in each of the following subjects: math, science, history.
Promotion to 12th grade:
Student must have at least 17.5 credits with at least three full credits in English and at least two full credits in each of the following subjects: math, science, history.
Graduation Requirements
The Board of Trustees wishes to acknowledge each student’s successful completion of the school’s approved instructional program by an award of a diploma at graduation ceremonies. The school administration shall develop procedures for implementing this policy which include the careful recording of each student’s progress and accumulation of graduation requirements; counseling of students to know what is expected of them for completion of their schooling; issuance of periodic warnings to students in danger of not fulfilling graduation requirements; preparation and submission to the board for its approval of a list of candidates for the award of a diploma; preparation of suitable diplomas; and the planning and execution of graduation ceremonies which fittingly mark this important achievement.
The Board shall award a high school diploma to every student who meets the requirements of graduation. Such requirements shall include the successful completion of courses of study for a four-year high school approved by the board and which meet the standards set by Commonwealth laws and regulations. The Board requires that each candidate for graduation shall have earned 21 credits.
A student who has completed the requirements for graduation may not be denied a diploma for disciplinary purposes but may be denied participation in graduation ceremonies upon the decision of the school administration.
Unit of Credit
Subject
4 English
3 Mathematics
3 Science
3 Social Studies
2 Arts or Humanities or Both
1 Health and Physical Education
5 Five additional courses approved for credit toward graduation by the school including approved vocational education courses.
GRADING
GRADING SCALE:
A: 93-100,
B: 85-92,
C: 76-84,
D: 70-75,
F: 69 and below.
First Honors:
Average of 93% or higher; No D’s, No Failing or Incomplete Grades
Second Honors:
Average of 85% - 92%; No Failing or Incomplete Grades.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Philadelphia E&T Charter High School believes that academic honesty is vital to each student’s success. Therefore, students are prohibited from plagiarism, cheating or any other activity where a student attempts to submit another person’s work as his/her own. Additionally, any student that willingly helps another student violate this policy will also be in violation of the academic honesty policy.
Any teacher or staff member that suspects a student of violating the academic honesty policy will turn in a written notice detailing the infraction to the office of academics. After the notice is received the office of academics will investigate the allegations. If the student is found to be in violation of the academic honesty policy he/she will face both academic and disciplinary consequences.
The severity of the consequences will be based on the seriousness of the infraction. Those determinations are at the discretion of the Head of Academics.
MAKE-UP/LATE WORK Make-up Work
Make-up work is defined as any assignments or tests that students need to complete due to an absence. Students will be allowed the same amount of days equal to the number of days absent to make-up assignments for full credit.
Long term projects
When a student is absent on the day a project is due that student is responsible for that project upon their return to school.
Late Work
Late work is defined as any work completed and turned in after a designated due date. For more details regarding the late work policy, please refer to the student handbook.
Students with IEP’s
It is imperative that teachers refer to and follow a student’s IEP before assessing any late penalty.
KEYSTONE TESTING
All students will take the state required Keystone Exams in the appropriate year. Test administration will take place in January and May and will require the students to follow a testing schedule with early dismissals. Please review the calendar to find the testing schedule.
KEYSTONE STUDENT BEHAVIOR POLICY
The Keystone Exams are a very serious exam required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Student conduct during test administration is a critical piece in ensuring test security and fairness for all students. Proctors, who feel that students are behaving in a manner that is in violation of the Keystone Test Protocol, should take the student’s test booklet and the additional proctor should escort the child and the test booklet to the Testing Coordinator.
The Testing Coordinator will refer the student to the school administration to determine the severity of the offense. Offenses will be categorized, by the school administration, using the following methodology:
Tier 1 Action: Student disrupts testing room, there was no security breach.
Tier 1 Consequences: Student is removed from testing room; detention/in-school suspension may be issued.
Tier 2 Action: More serious disruption of the testing room or test administration, there was not a security breach.
Tier 2 Consequence: Student is removed from the testing room; out-of-school suspension will be issued with immediate referral to the Discipline Committee.
Tier 3 Action: Student violates the test security.
Tier 3 Consequences: Student is removed from the testing room; offense is reported to PDE, out-of-school suspension will be issued with immediate referral to the Discipline Committee for expulsion from school.
ACADEMIC SUMMER SCHOOL
Any PE&T Student who fails an academic course must make up that course before graduating or promotion to the next grade level. Refer to the credit requirements for PE&T to ensure timely graduation. Students with more than two final failures in major subjects may be referred for academic expulsion.