La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § XI-3503

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 12, December 20, 2024

Section XI-3503 - Alternative Schools Including Alternative Charter Schools [Formerly LAC 28:LXXXIII.3503]

A. For school accountability, alternative education schools:

1. enroll some or all students for 45 or more days; and

2. receive BESE approval for the current school year.

B. A student placed at an alternative school for fewer than 45 days shall be considered to be attending an alternative program within the school, and as such, must remain enrolled in their sending school.

1. For the purposes of this Chapter, a sending school is the last school a student attended. If the student's current grade level is not included in the configuration of the last school they attended, the LEA must enroll the student at school that includes the student's grade using a feeding pattern or attendance zone when possible.

C. The school performance scores and letter grades of alternative schools will be published with other schools.

1. Alternative schools will be clearly labeled as alternative schools in public releases.

2. Alternative education schools with sufficient data will be evaluated for subgroup performance based on the formulas in Subsection D of this Section.

3. The school performance scores for alternative schools will exclude the assessment data for students who are not full academic year (FAY) enrollees.

D. School Performance Scores (SPS). Starting with the 2018-2019 academic year, all alternative education schools l will receive a school performance score and school letter grade based on the following formulas in this Subsection.

1. School performance scores for kindergarten through eighth grade alternative education schools will include a progress index and dropout credit accumulation index for schools with applicable students. An interests and opportunities indicator will be included in school performance scores no later than the 2019-2020 school year (2020 SPS).

K-8 Alternative School Performance Score Indices and Weights
Index	Grades	Beginning in 2018-2019	No Later than 2019-2020
Progress Index*	Grades K-8	90 percent	85 percent
Dropout/ Credit Accumulation Index	Grade 6-8	10 percent	10 percent
Interests and Opportunities	Grades K-8	N/A	5 percent

*Includes English Language Proficiency progress

2. School performance scores for alternative education schools with twelfth grade will include a progress index and indicators outlined in the following table. The interests and opportunities indicator will be included in school performance scores no later than 2019-2020 school year (2020 SPS).

High School Performance Score Indices and Weights
Index	Grades	Beginning in 2018-2019	No Later than 2019-2020
Progress Index*	Grades 9-12	25 percent	25 percent
Core Academic Credit Accumulation Index	Grades 9-12	25 percent	25 percent
Dropout/Credit Accumulation Index	Grades 9-11	25 percent	25 percent
Credential Attainment Index	Grade 12	25 percent	20 percent
Interests and Opportunities	Grades 9-12	NA	5 percent

* Includes English Language Proficiency progress

3. School performance scores for combination alternative education schools with a grade configuration that includes a combination kindergarten through eighth grade and ninth through twelfth Grade, will receive a score from a weighted average of the SPS in accordance with LAC 28:XI.301.C.

4. For schools with configurations that include ninth through eleventh grade, but do not have a twelfth grade, the school performance score will consist of the indices available.

5. For alternative school performance score calculations, the progress index will be calculated in the same manner as defined in Chapter 5 and will include English language proficiency progress as defined in Chapter 4.

6. The core academic credit accumulation index measures credits that count towards a diploma in English language arts, math, science, and social studies earned at the alternative school.

a. For measuring the core academic credit accumulation index only, students enrolled in an alternative education school on or before:

i. October 1 and for 45 total days will be included in the calculation of the first semester, even if the student is not enrolled in the school on February 1 of the same school year. In some circumstances, such students may also be included in the accountability calculations for another school; or

ii. February 1 and for 45 total days will be included in the calculation of the second semester, even if the student is not enrolled in the school or LEA on October 1 of the same school year.

b. Schools earn points based on the core academic credits earned in each semester.

c. Students who are considered dropouts will be included in the calculation for the semester of drop out and earn 0 points. Calculations will follow the table below with the updated points starting in 2025-2026.

Number of Core Academic Credits (One Semester)	Index Point Award
3 or more	150
2.5	125
2	100
1.5	75
1	50
0.5	25
0	0
Dropout	0

7. The dropout/credit accumulation index measures Carnegie units earned in the school year following enrollment at an alternative school for at least one semester.

a. In order for students to be included in the calculations, the student must have been:

i. enrolled for at least one semester during the last year of record at the alternative school; and

ii. considered "full academic year" during the current school year.

b. Students in twelfth grade in the prior year and students who exited with a diploma or HiSET are excluded from the dropout/credit accumulation calculation.

c. Points will be allocated according to the following table.

Number of Carnegie Units	Index Point Award
3.5 or more	150
3	125
2.5	100
2	75
1.5	50
1	25
0.5	0
0 or Dropout	0

8. The credential attainment index measures the graduation outcomes for students in twelfth grade.

a. To be included in the credential attainment index calculation, a student must be in twelfth grade at the start of the current school year and meet full academic year for the current year at the alternative education school.

b. Students in eleventh grade or below who exit the alternative education school with a diploma and/or credential based on the table above will be included in both the numerator and denominator.

c. Beginning in 2017-2018 (2016-2017 cohort) and through 2022-2023 (2021-2022 cohort), points will be assigned for each student according to the following table.

Student Results	Points
High School Diploma plus Associate's Degree	160
High School Diploma plus: (a). (i). AP score of 3 or higher; (ii). IB score of 4 or higher; or (iii). CLEP score of 50 or higher; OR (b). Advanced statewide Jump Start credential *Students achieving both (a) and (b) will generate 160 points.	150
High School Diploma plus: (a). At least one passing course grade for TOPS core curriculum credit of the following type: (i). AP**; (ii). college credit; (iii). dual enrollment; or (iv). IB** OR (b). Basic statewide Jump Start credential *Students achieving both (a) and (b) will generate 115 points. **Students must take the AP/IB exam and pass the course to earn 110 points.	110
High School Diploma (includes Career Diploma student with a regional Jump Start credential)	100
HiSET plus Jump Start credential	40
HiSET	25
Non-graduate without HiSET	0

d. Beginning in 2023-2024 (2022-2023 cohort) and beyond, points shall be assigned for each member of a cohort in accordance with LAC 28:XI.709 of this Part.

i. Students that begin the year in the eleventh grade and exit as a twelfth grader with a diploma and/or credential based on the table above will be included in both the numerator and denominator.

e. Students counted in the graduation cohort for the alternative education school will continue to be included in the school system cohort, not the sending school.

9. Repealed.

E. Beginning in the 2017-2018 school year (2016-2017 cohort), points shall be assigned for each member of a cohort according to the student results. To earn points for an AP/IB course, students must take the AP/IB exam and pass the course.

1. 160 points will be earned for a student earning a high school diploma plus either an associate's degree or both a. and b. in Paragraph 2 of this Subsection.

2. 150 points will be earned for a student earning a high school diploma plus one of the following:

a. AP score of 3 or higher, IB score of 4 or higher, or CLEP score of 50 or higher; or

b. Advanced statewide Jump Start credential.

3. 115 points will be earned for a student earning a high school diploma and both a. and b. in Paragraph 4 of this Subsection.

4. 110 points will be earned for a student earning a high school diploma plus one of the following:

a. At least one passing course grade for TOPS core curriculum credit earned as AP, college credit, dual enrollment, or IB; or

b. Basic statewide Jump Start credential.

5. 100 points will be earned for a student earning a high school diploma, including a student earning a career diploma with a regional Jump Start credential.

6. 40 points will be earned for a student earning a HiSET plus a Jump Start credential.

7. 25 points will be earned for a student earning a HiSET.

8. 0 points will be earned for a non-graduate without a HiSET.

F. Carnegie units earned in summer school after transitional ninth or traditional ninth grade will not be included.

G. Students who are considered dropouts in transitional ninth or traditional ninth grade based on SIS records shall be included in the calculation and earn zero points.

H. Students who are completing their third year in eighth grade shall be included in the calculation and earn zero points.

I. For students pursuing a Jump Start diploma pathway and participating in LEAP Connect, applied courses and course experiences shall count as a unit.

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § XI-3503

Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, LR 29:2753 (December 2003), amended 31:423 (February 2005), LR 34:868 (May 2008), LR 35:1472 (August 2009), LR 37:2119 (July 2011), LR 37:3202 (November 2011), LR 38:1213 (May 2012), LR 39:472 (March 2013), LR 40:2240 (November 2014), Amended LR 45396 (3/1/2019), Amended LR 47449 (4/1/2021), Amended LR 49242 (2/1/2023), Amended LR 501146 (8/1/2024), Amended LR 501634 (11/1/2024).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:6 and 17:10.1.