COURSE CHALLENGE PROCESS/PROCEDURE and COURSE PLACEMENT (WL)
Students may request to take a:
Course challenge examination in either Math or World Languages (WL) when a course is part of a sequence of courses normally taken in specific order or when the course is normally required for entry into another course. Challenge exams are for students who have studied on their own and wish to challenge a course to earn credits on their transcript and continue to the next level in the course sequence.
Course placement exams (specifically in World Languages) may be used to determine the appropriate level of language proficiency for students entering mid-year from schools outside of our district or country. Challenge exam vs placement exam will be determined by the World Language Department on a case by case basis.
The following are the FCUSD policies (FCUSD AR 6155) regarding the course challenge process:
- Courses previously taken where credit was received, remedial courses, and physical education/health courses are exempted from the course challenge program.
- A student may challenge a particular course only once, and he/she cannot later enroll in the same course to improve or replace a challenge grade
- During their enrollment in high school, students may challenge no more than four courses which meet graduation requirements. A student may challenge only one course per semester.
- A student may not attempt credit for a course below his/her ability or grade placement.
- The challenge exam is given once a year the week prior to the first day of school.
- The challenge examination given to students shall be a comprehensive examination which shall cover all of the objectives of the course being challenged. Successful completion of the examination shall be at a level which indicates mastery of the content and/or reasonable chance for success in the next higher course.
- A student must earn an 80% or higher on the test to be considered “passed”. A score of 80%-89% is a permanent B on the transcript with 10 units of credit for that subject. A score of 90%-100% is a permanent A on the transcript with 10 units of credit for that subject.
- The challenge grade is permanent on the student’s high school transcript.
- Upon a successful completion of a challenge exam, a replacement course is assigned on a space available basis.
- A successful challenge exam in the math subject area does not exempt students from Board Policy 6146.1 which requires all students to be enrolled in a math course during their 11th grade year.
- Students interested in challenging an academic course must fill out the CHS Course Challenge google form to register for the challenge exam.
