La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § CXV-2320

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section CXV-2320 - Career Diploma Pathway for Students Assessed on the Louisiana Alternate Assessment

A. Introduction

1. Students who meet the participation criteria for the alternate assessment in LAC 28:XCVII, Bulletin 1530-Louisiana's IEP Handbook for Students with Exceptionalities, will be eligible for a career diploma by satisfying the pathway requirements detailed in this Section.

2. This diploma pathway does not meet the federal definition of a regular high school diploma. Students who receive the career diploma based on the pathway in this Section will remain eligible for special education and related services until the end of the school year in which they turn 22.

B. Course Requirement

1. The 23 course credits required for this diploma pathway shall include core academic courses, elective courses, and workforce-readiness or career courses as follows:

a. English-4 courses;

b. mathematics-4 courses;

c. science-2 courses;

d. social studies-2 courses;

e. workforce-readiness and career-7-9 courses;

f electives (may include health and physical education)-2-4 courses;

g. total-minimum of 23 courses.

2. Enrollment in Carnegie credit bearing courses and applied courses shall count toward the course credit requirement. The student's educational placement shall be determined by the IEP team and meet the least restrictive environment regulations found in Bulletin 1706-Regulations for Implementation of the Children with Exceptionalities Act.

C. Assessment Requirement

1. All students must participate in the high school assessment sequence.

2. Students must meet one of the two assessment requirements in Subparagraphs a and b of this Paragraph in English language arts and mathematics to earn a career diploma:

a. students must earn a score of level 2 or higher; or

b. students shall demonstrate growth on the alternate standards through a portfolio of student achievement developed by the IEP team.

i. Portfolios shall include student data illustrating academic achievement and attainment of IEP goals throughout the students high school experience.

ii. Portfolios shall be evaluated for completion by the district special education director or his designee.

iii. The end of the students fourth year of high school is the earliest a portfolio may be evaluated to meet this requirement and must include data from all four years.

D. Workforce-Readiness and Career Education Requirement

1. Career diploma workforce-readiness and career education programs for students who participate in the alternate assessment will include:

a. a survey to determine the student's career interests;

b. hands-on workplace experiences that are, to the extent practicable, tied to the student's interests and based in the community; and

c. career-focused courses including, but not limited to, foundational workplace skills.

2. Students shall meet the following requirements:

a. a minimum of seven courses focused on workforce-readiness and career preparation;

b. a score, determined by the IEP team, on a workforce-readiness skills assessment; and

c. attainment of at least one workforce-related IEP goal.

E. Transition Requirement

1. By the end of the eighth grade, the special education teacher serving on the student's IEP team shall develop, in consultation with a school counselor, an individual graduation plan for the student to be approved by IEP team prior to the student's start of ninth grade.

2. The individual graduation plan shall include a post-secondary career goal, a course sequence and workplace experience plan tied to the post-secondary goal, and the courses to be taken in the first year of high school,

3. The individual graduation plan shall be annually reviewed by the IEP team and any necessary adjustments shall be made. Each student, his parent or legal custodian, and his school counselor will annually sign the student's individual graduation plan. The student's parent or legal custodian will approve in writing any changes to the student's individual graduation plan.

4. Prior to the student exiting the school system, the IEP team shall create a detailed transition plan that meets one of the following:

a. employment in integrated, inclusive work environments, based on the student's abilities and local employment opportunities, in addition to sufficient self-help skills to enable the student to maintain employment without direct or continuous educational support from the school district;

b. demonstrated mastery of specific employability skills and self-help skills that indicate that he does not require direct and continuous educational support from the school district; or

c. access to services that are not within the legal responsibility of public education or employment or educational options for which the student has been prepared by the academic program.

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § CXV-2320

Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, LR 32:240 (February 2006), Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, LR 411483 (8/1/2015), Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, amended LR 451455 (10/1/2019), Amended LR 4833 (1/1/2022).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:6, 17:7, 17:24.4, 17:183.2, 17:183.3, 17:274, 17:274.1, and 17:395.