High School Academic Policy Guide Updated August 29, 2024 49
they are under the guidance and direction of a NYCDOE subject-certified teacher and the content is
aligned to NYSED’s commencement-level learning standards
. This includes:
o Courses using online vendors (see the section of this guide on virtual and blended learning)
o Supervised, instructional experiences overseen by teachers from the school that occur off-site (for
example, courses taken at a college, internships). See this section of this guide on
internships and
service learning.
• The principal must evaluate all courses and experiences (including those that occur virtually and/or non-
virtually inside and/or outside the classroom and school day) and attest that the course meets the
requirements stated above to bear credit. Schools may use the Course Review Form
, an optional tool, to
evaluate new and existing course offerings.
Students who meet the learning outcomes of the course by meeting the expectations outlined in the syllabus
must receive credit for the course. When students miss class time, teachers should give students reasonable
chances to make up missed work before final grades are entered in STARS. They may not be denied credit based
on lack of “seat time” alone. Grading policies must clearly detail exactly how non-competency measures of
performance contribute to the overall grade and might therefore impact whether students earn credit. Schools
must communicate these academic expectations to students and families at the beginning of the school year.
Schools should consult the Grading Policy Toolkit
for additional guidance around using non-competency
measures, such as attendance and participation.
B. Non-Credit-Bearing Courses
Per NYSED policy, students may not receive credit for the following:
• Courses that repeat standards or lead to more than four credits in a Regents subject area: Schools may
not allow students to earn credit for the same course content multiple times or for a course that exceeds
the four-credit limit in a Regents subject area. Students may not receive credit for re-taking a course they
have already passed, even if they are using it to help prepare to take the Regents exam
. Regents-
preparatory courses may not be credit-bearing. See the section of this guide on earning credit after
previously failing a course for guidance on ways to support students who need additional time to meet
the learning outcomes of the course content.
• Courses that do not align to high school learning standards: Schools may not award credit for courses
that do not align to NYSED commencement-level learning standards.
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This includes courses that meet
middle school standards, guidance courses that do not align to NYSED commencement-level learning
standards, and SAT and ACT prep courses. Guidance or advisory courses generally should not bear credit.
NYSED does not have commencement-level learning standards in guidance. If credit-bearing, these
courses should be coded more accurately to align with the NYSED commencement-level learning
standards being taught. The teacher of record’s certification must correspond with the standards and
content of the course. See the section of this guide on
electives.
• Academic Intervention Services (AIS), Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS) (previously
called “Resource Room”), or Related Services: These services may be provided as stand-alone periods or
integrated into general classroom instruction, depending on the needs of the student and as specified in
the student’s IEP, as appropriate. While the services may not be credit-bearing and should not be graded,
they may be integrated into other credit-bearing courses as appropriate. See the STARS wiki
for guidance
on programming special education services.
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NYSED has commencement-level learning standards in the following departments: English language arts; social studies; mathematics,
science, and technology; the arts (including visual arts, music, dance and theater); world languages; health, physical education, family and
consumer sciences; and career development and occupational studies.