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PI6 Basis for Offering Credit

Course credit is defined as part of an academic accounting system that provides a degree of uniformity and equity of programs across the District. It is recognized that a certain amount of a student's time spent in class does not ensure him or her a high quality program, but the time factor does provide quantitative guidelines for granting credit.

Credit Hours

Non-lab Courses: A minimum of 250 minutes per week of directed class activity for 36 weeks, or a total of 150 clock hours shall be required for one (1) unit of credit, excluding passing period.

Lab Courses: A minimum of 250 minutes per week of directed class activity for 36 weeks, 40% of which must be lab oriented, for a total of 150 clock hours (90 hours of class plus 60 hours of lab) shall be required for one (1) unit of credit, excluding passing period.

Career and Technical Education Courses (CTE): Credits shall be in accordance with criteria established by state plans for such courses. High school credits are based on Carnegie units of a minimum of 120 hours which define the course credit in terms of the number of minutes of instruction which must be provided to offer a unit of credit. Nothing in this directive is intended to provide a basis for denying credit to a student who is not present in class for the number of minutes specified. (See Procedural Directive on Attendance).

Testing

No credit will be offered solely on the basis of any test, and no graduation requirements may be met by solely passing a test.

Non-School Day Credit

Credits earned outside the normal school day shall be recorded as any other credit if prior approval has been given by the home school.

Partial Credit

The purpose of this rule is to establish the parameters for awarding partial credits to students identified as adjudicated or mobile and who experience classroom disruption.

DEFINITIONS:

A.  "Adjudicated student" means a student identified as one of the following:

(1)  neglected or abused as determined by the children, youth and families department pursuant to the Abuse and Neglect Act;
(2)  part of a family in need of court-ordered services; or
(3)  delinquent if the parent wishes to disclose the adjudication of delinquency.

B.  "Mobile student" means a student identified as one of the following:

(1)  migrant;
(2)  foster care;
(3)  military dependent;
(4)  placed in a mental health treatment facility or habilitation program for developmental disabilities pursuant to the Children's Mental Health and Development Disabilities Act or placement in treatment foster care; or
(5)  homeless as defined in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act.

C.  "Partial credit form" means the department-approved form that all public schools shall complete upon a student’s transfer.

D.  "Receiving school" means the public school receiving the partial credit form.

E.  "Sending school" means the public school sending the partial credit form.

SENDING SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS:

A.  Sending schools shall award partial credit for work completed to students identified as adjudicated or mobile as defined in 6.30.18.7 NMAC.

B.  Sending schools shall provide the transferring student's records, including a department-approved partial credit form, within two business days of receiving a request from the receiving school.

C.  Sending schools shall certify that the school district, charter school, or institution has implemented a student information system to track student credit accrual and facilitate accurate and timely transfer of student academic credit.

RECEIVING SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS:

A.  Receiving schools shall request the transferring students’ records from the sending school within two business days.

B.  Receiving schools shall apply all partial credits to the same or equivalent course and prioritize the adjudicated or mobile student’s placement in courses required for graduation within two business days of receiving the partial credit form.

C.  Receiving schools shall certify that the school district, charter school, or institution has implemented a student information system to track student credit accrual and facilitate accurate and timely transfer of student academic credit.

 DETERMINATION OF PARTIAL CREDIT:

An adjudicated or mobile student shall receive credit for any work completed prior to the transfer.

A.  Public schools shall award up to a maximum of one credit as follows for courses:

(1)   0.25 credit when a student was enrolled anywhere between ten and twenty-five percent of the total course;
(2)   0.50 credit when a student was enrolled anywhere between twenty-six and fifty percent of the total course;
(3)   0.75 credit when a student was enrolled anywhere between fifty-one and seventy-five percent of the total course; or
(4)   one credit when a student was enrolled anywhere between seventy-six and one hundred percent of the total course.

B.  Public schools shall award up to a maximum of a half credit as follows for semester long courses:

(1)  0.25 credit when a student was enrolled anywhere between five and fifty percent of the total course; or
(2)  0.50 credit when a student was enrolled anywhere between fifty-one and one hundred percent of the total

Maximum Credit

Students may enroll for a maximum of seven (7) credits per school year unless prior approval is obtained from the principal or designee to exceed this number. Enrollment for additional classes shall be on a space-available basis.

Administrative Position:              Chief of Schools

Department Director:   

  • Assistant Superintendent  of Curriculum and Instruction

 References:

Legal References:                                    

    • 6.30.18.7 NMAC - N, 9/29/2020
    • 6.30.18.8 NMAC - N, 9/29/2020                 
    • 6.30.18.9   NMAC        
    • 6.30.18.10 NMAC

Board Policy Cross Ref:                          IH Instructional Program

 Procedural Directive Cross Ref:           Graduation Requirements

NSBA/NEPN Classification: IKF

Revised: May 1995
Revised: April 1996
Revised: May 1997
Reviewed:  January 5, 2023
Revised:  January 20, 2023

This page was last updated on: December 9, 2009.