World History/World History Advanced – Academic Support Class

Student Eligibility

 Students who fall below a 70% in World History will be recommended for an Academic Support Class. Students earning a 70% through an 89% may also enroll in an Academic Support Class to raise their class percentage (up to but not exceeding 90%). Students who have a 90% or higher may attend an Academic Support Class for reinforcement and review if it is recommended by the teacher, parent or upon student request; however, no increase in grade will be given in that case.

The Academic Support Class will run concurrently with the regular semester course. All unit work used in the Academic Support Class have been created by WJUSD history instructors specifically for the purpose of intervention.

Grading Policy

No student will earn more than 10% per grading period or 30% per semester through the Academic Support Class.  No student can raise their final grade higher than a 90% through the use of an Academic Support Class.

Students may only take and complete Academic Support units for courses in which they are currently enrolled. 

Academic Support units cannot be used to modify current progress report grades or prior semester grades. Completed Academic Support units will be credited to the student at the end of the semester.

Teachers will have the discretion to indicate on a student’s final report card, via comment code, whether a semester grade was modified using intervention.

Academic Support Unit Structure

• One unit, designed to be 10-12 hours in length, must be completed at a proficient level to earn a 10% increase in the regular class.  Typically, no unit should be completed in less than 10 classroom hours.

• A minimum of 70% of total points must be earned for a unit to be considered proficient and complete.

• Four (4) units of World History will be offered per semester; a student may complete a maximum of three (3) units per semester. 

• Each unit is distinct and individual; the points earned in one unit cannot be used in a later unit. 

• Unit work will be derived from a list of common essential assignments. 

• Grading rubrics will be supplied and utilized for each unit assignment.

• The instructor of record will select a student’s assignments to be completed for each unit prior to that student being enrolled in the Academic Support Class, -OR- the instructor of record will give written authorization to the ASC teacher to select the student’s unit assignments.

• Units must be completed sequentially; units for the same class cannot be taken concurrently.

• Each unit, once completed, cannot be repeated for an additional percent increase.

• Each unit will have a required exam.

 Academic Support Program Deadlines

Academic Support Classes will begin one week following the end of the first grading period. The final deadline for starting an Academic Support unit will be five weeks prior to the end of the semester. Students may start the Academic Support class at any time within these parameters. Information on the Academic Support Class will be posted in classrooms.

Each Support Course Unit will have a specific starting and ending timeframe.  

All Academic Support Classes must be complete by the week preceding scheduled semester finals.

First Semester

Second Semester

• At the end of each grading period, all World History teachers will review course grades and refer appropriate students to the Academic Support Class.

   Classroom teacher expectations in regards to the Academic Support Class are as follows:

  • Inform eligible students and parents of the Academic Support Program

  • Give and explain to eligible students the support unit materials upon the request of the student or parent

  • Modify individual assignments as dictated on individual student IEP or 504 plans, and make the modifications known to the student, parent and Academic Support Class teacher

  • Use completed Academic Support Units to calculate individual students’ overall semester grades

  • Report final semester grade percentages in a manner consistent to the standardized grading scale

  Student responsibilities in regards to the Academic Support Class are as follows:

  • Requesting unit assignments from regular classroom teacher prior to attending the first session

  • Completing work at a minimum standard of 70% in the time frame given

  • Attending the required number of hours for each support class

  • Requesting assistance from the Academic Support teacher when needed

  • Notifying the Academic Support teacher, with a minimum of one day’s notice, that work is completed so the unit exam can be prepared in a timely manner

  • Continuing history work outside of the Academic Support Class as the curriculum dictates

  Academic Support Class teacher expectations are as follows:

  • Provide academic support for individual students

  • Maintain an accurate record of attendance for each student

  • Grade each student’s unit work accurately and fairly based on rubrics provided by the history department

  • Regularly inform individual students of opening and closing deadlines for the class

  • Report to regular classroom teachers in a timely manner those students who complete Academic Support Units.

  • Keep all completed student work in an identified storage area.

   In an Academic Support Class:
  ·         Students are expected to bring all necessary materials including the course textbook to the support class.
  ·         While in the Academic Support Class, students are expected to work on unit materials only.
  ·         Students who do not work in the Academic Support Class, or who are working on other coursework, will be excused from the program.
                                                  

Summer School Class Expectations

• For students who must complete four units of World History work, the first two units will be handed out on the first day of summer school. The second two units will be handed out in the third week of class.  All other students will be given their units upon admission into the class.

• Students are expected to bring all necessary materials to summer school. 

• Students are expected NOT to work on assignments for other summer school courses while attending their World History class.

• All students will be given unit exams on pre-designated dates, whether or not the student has turned in that specific unit.

• Students who do not complete at least one of their required units by the end of the third week will be automatically dropped. 

Student Eligibility and Grading Policy

 Summer school eligibility will based on final semester grades according to the standardized grading scale.  The summer school eligibility and grading policy will be based on the following matrix:  

 ** Students who receive an F- are INELIGIBLE FOR SUMMER SCHOOL.  They must repeat the complete course during the following school year. 

Unit Structure

• Each unit is distinct and individual; the points accumulated in one unit cannot be used in a subsequent unit. 

• A minimum of 70% of total points must be earned for a unit to be considered proficient and complete.

• Semester units must be completed sequentially.

• Each unit, once completed, cannot be redone for additional credit.

• Each unit has a required unit exam.  During summer school, exam dates are predetermined and non-negotiable.

• The number of units an individual student will need to complete will be determined by the final grade percentage in their regular semester class.

• Students must raise their final semester grades to a minimum of a 70% or no grade change will occur. 

Completion of the Summer School program will be considered a grade change, not an additional five credits.