Under-age ged program guidelines - Gary Adult High School

Hillsborough County Public Schools Division of Curriculum and Instruction

Department of Adult Education

UNDER-AGE GED PROGRAM GUIDELINES

GED Diploma Option for 16/17 Year Old Students Classroom and Online (Revised March 2014)

PHILOSOPHY

The Under-age GED Program was approved by the School Board of Hillsborough County to provide an opportunity for 16/17 year old students with extraordinary circumstances to earn a State of Florida High School Diploma through the GED test. The program targets students who have been unsuccessful in the traditional high school program and are planning to withdraw or have withdrawn. Students who successfully complete this program will be granted an Under-Age GED test waiver to be eligible to take the GED test prior to reaching the age of eighteen.

ELIGIBILITY/EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES DEFINED AS:

1. Be withdrawn from the K-12 program or planning to withdraw. 2. Be unsuccessful in the traditional high school program. 3. Be 16 or 17 years of age. 4. Be at least two years behind their kindergarten cohorts or exhibits an educational need which can more

effectively be served by the GED program. 5. Be approved by the appropriate Adult Administrator. 6. Online under-age students must also have daily access to the Internet and an email address.

Priority will be given to students who: 1. Are 16 or 17 years of age with a GPA below 1.5. 2. Have been served by the dropout prevention program.

The program curriculum is not designed to serve the special needs of students with learning disabilities and handicaps that have been receiving services offered through the DEES programs. Other diploma earning opportunities are available for these students through the Adult Education Program.

ENTRY PROCEDURE

The following is a summary of the procedure to be followed when a student indicates interest in entering the Under-Age GED Program.

1. The student must be at least 16 years of age. 2. The student is to be advised by a day school counselor or other designee regarding program eligibility and

entry procedure. 3. The day school counselor or other designee is to contact the parents and schedule a conference for the

parents(s) and the student with the Adult Education School Administrator or his/her designee. 4. The parent (s) and student complete and sign all required paperwork including Under-Age GED

Program Information Sheets and the Adult School Registration Form. Online Under-Age students must also Complete the Online registration form. 5. Adult Education School Administrator or his/her designee approves the request. 6. The student must complete the appropriate placement assessment (TABE). 7. If eligible, the student may then begin attending the program.

Revised March 2014

No students will be allowed to enter the program until all of the above steps have been completed including the parent/student/adult administrator conference.

1 PROGRAM POLIC IES The Under-Age GED Program is a non-credit program; therefore, if the student chooses to go into the adult credit program, he/she will have no credit to transfer from this program. The following are policies of the Under-Age GED Program.

1. The student must be at least 16 years of age. 2. The student will attend classes according to the site calendar and schedule. 3. If the program is offered at a K-12 school site during the day, the student will be allowed access to the regular school

busing program and to the school lunchroom program. 4. The student will not be allowed to participate in extras-curricular activities. 5. The student will purchase all necessary textbooks. 6. The student will adhere to the policies, dress code, and procedures of the school district. 7. The teacher/administrator must verify that the student has completed the GED preparation course prior to taking the

GED test.

EXIT PROCEDURES The following is a summary of the procedures to be followed for a student to successfully complete the program and be eligible to take the GED test.

1. The student must have been in attendance at least 57 hours prior to testing in each module of the GED 2014 test. The student will have been in attendance a total of 225 hours prior to finishing all four modules of the GED 2014 test.

2. The student must have a minimum score of 158 on each of the four sections of the GED 2014 practice test. 3. The instructor must recommend that the student be allowed to take the GED 2014 test. 4. The student must have a waiver signed by the appropriate adult administrator that allows the under-age student to apply

to take the GED 2014 test. 5. The student will register and pay for the GED 2014 test. 6. Students should be encouraged to continue attending classes until the GED results are returned. Suggested curriculum

during this period should include workplace readiness skills, computer literacy, etc., or preparation for post-secondary education placement (i.e. CPT, SAT, ACT test preparation)

ATTENDANCE The student must be in attendance at least 57 hours prior to testing in each module of the GED test for a total of 225 hours prior to finishing all four modules of the GED 2014 test. There are no excused or unexcused absences. A student will be withdrawn from other program after accumulating 10 absences. Once withdrawn, a student will not be allowed to re-enter neither the Under-Age GED Program nor the K-12 program but may enroll in the Adult GED Preparation or Adult High School Credit Program day or evening classes. A student who exhibits a pattern of non-attendance will be counseled by the instructor and a letter and/or phone contact made with the parent (s). A continued pattern of nonattendance will result in the student being withdrawn from the program. Online/Distance Learning Under-Age students are required to attend the weekly one hour class session. Online/Distance Learning students will be withdrawn after accumulating two absences from the one hour per week class or if they are not demonstrating adequate weekly progress as determined by the instructor/administrator.

TARDINESS Students are expected to be in his/her assigned seat when the class begins. There are no excused or unexcused tardies. All tardies will be recorded. Students who exhibit a pattern of repeated and/or excessive tardiness will be counseled by the

Revised March 2014

instructor and a letter and/or phone contact made with the parents(s). A continued pattern of tardiness will result in the student being withdrawn from the program.

PARTICIPATION Students are expected to participate in all activities as directed by the instructor. Students are expected to bring pencil and paper to each class session. Students who are disruptive or who are not participating in class activities will be advised verbally by the instructor and a letter and/or phone contact will be made with the parents (s). Continued disruptive or non-participative behavior will result in the student being withdrawn from the program.

2 CONDUCT/DISCIPLINE Students are expected to adhere to the conduct standards including the dress code policy outlined in the day school student handbook. Generally, all student conduct referrals will be handled by the instructor. More serious referrals will be handled by the administrator of the adult school program or, in his absence when necessary, by any administrator at the day school. It should be understood by parents (s) and students that, in most instances, a second referral to any administrator will result in withdrawal from the program. The following infraction will result in immediate withdrawal.

1. Possession of alcoholic beverages, narcotics, or controlled substances. 2. Smoking 3. Stealing 4. Fighting 5. Vandalism 6. Open defiance of a school official

ADULT DAY/EVENING COURSES Students who do not adhere to the policies will no longer be permitted to attend the Under-Age GED Program but will have the option of attending the Adult GED Preparation or Adult High School Credit Program day or evening classes at any of several locations throughout the county, which lead to a high school diploma. All credits earned in grades 9 through 12 will transfer to the adult high school program. No credits are earned in the Under-Age GED preparation course. Students who are enrolled in the Adult GED Preparation Course will not be able to take the GED test until they reach the age of eighteen.

All of the undersigned recognize and agree that this is another opportunity for the student with extraordinary circumstances to qualify for a high school diploma by completing a GED Prep Program and obtaining a State of Florida High School Diploma via General Educational Development (GED) testing. We have read, understand and agree to the conditions outlined on pages 1-3 and also agree to abide by school policies.

_______________________________________________ Signature of Student

_____________________________________ Date

_________________________________________________ Signature of Parent

_____________________________________ Date

________________________________________________ Home Phone Number

_____________________________________ Parent's Work Phone Number

Permission is hereby granted for ______________________________________________ to be admitted to the Under-Age Revised March 2014

GED Program at _________________________________________________________________ APPROVED SITE __________________________________________________ Signature of Community School Administration/Designee __________________________________________________ Date 3

Revised March 2014

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