It is the policy of the Highline School Board to provide high school students access to rigorous advanced courses, including dual credit programs. All students are eligible to enroll in advanced courses.  Students who meet or exceed the state standard on the eighth grade or high school English language arts or mathematics statewide student assessment will be enrolled in the next most rigorous level of advanced courses or program offered by the high school.

The course or program in which students are automatically enrolled will be determined by the areas of the statewide assessment in which the student met state standards.

• Students who meet or exceed state standard on the English language arts statewide student assessment are eligible for enrollment in English, social studies, humanities, and other related subjects.
• Students who meet or exceed the state standard on the mathematics statewide student assessment are eligible for enrollment in advanced mathematics courses.

Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, students who meet or exceed the state standard on the Washington comprehensive assessment of science will be enrolled in advanced courses in science.

Students who successfully complete the advanced courses will then be enrolled in the next most rigorous level of advanced courses that aligns with the student’s high school and beyond plan, with the ultimate goal being the student’s automatic enrollment in dual credit courses.

The district will notify students and parents/guardians regarding the academic acceleration policy and the advanced courses available to students. The district will provide the parent/guardian with an opportunity for the student to opt out of participation in the academic acceleration process and enroll in an alternative course or program that aligns with the student’s high school and beyond plan goals.

Academic Acceleration lncentive Program for High Schools

For one-time, competitive state grant purposes, the following students are considered to have earned dual high school and college credit in a course offered by a district high school:

• Students who achieve a score of three or higher on an Advanced Placement (AP) examination;
• Students who achieve a score of four or higher on an examination of the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma programme;
• Students who successfully complete a Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education examination;
• Students who successfully complete a course through the college in the high school program under RCW 28A.600.290 and are awarded credit by the partnering institution of higher education; and
• Students who satisfy the dual enrollment and class performance requirements to earn college credit through a tech prep course.

Online courses for students to earn dual high school and college credit at no cost to the student are considered to be offered by the high school. 

District Cross Reference:
2400 Meaningful High School Diploma
2413 Equivalency Credit for Career and Technical Courses

WSSDA Cross References:
Academic Acceleration - Policy 2195
2013 Policy & Legal News

Legal Reference:
RCW 28A.300.560 Data on College Credit through Dual Credit Courses
RCW 28A.320.195  Academic Acceleration for High School Students
RCW 28A.320.196 Academic Acceleration Incentive Program

Highline School District 401
Adopted by the Board: June 2020
Revised by the Board:
Classification: Essential