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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.1 Report 24-049 Tier 2 Revisions to PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION FOR MATURE STUDENTS.pdfAD HOC POLICY COMMITTEE 04 April 2024 Report 24-049 TIER 2 REVISIONS TO POLICY P.112.CUR PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION FOR MATURE STUDENTS Key Contact:Reg Lavergne,Superintendent of Program and Learning Innovation,Secondary Schools,ext.8573 PURPOSE: 1.To seek input on the proposed revisions to Policy P.112.CUR Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition for Mature Students. STRATEGIC LINKS: 2.The changes proposed to Policy P.112.CUR Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition for Mature Students reinforces the District’s commitment to create a community of belonging,promote excellence,and inform actions to eliminate disparities and disproportionalities of access,opportunities,and outcomes in learning.The District values the diverse lives of all students and seeks to include those experiences in school learning opportunities as part of assessment, evaluation,and reporting.This endeavour aligns with the Learning,Social Responsibility,and Well-being pillars of the 2023-2027 OCDSB Strategic Plan. CONTEXT: 3.The District’s Policy P.112.CUR,Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition for Mature Students,was developed in 2004 upon the issuance of PPM 132 Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)for Mature Students in 2003. PPM 132 was revised in 2021 and again in 2023 with changes effective on 1 September,2023.The revisions proposed to Policy P.112.CUR align with the recent requirements of the Ministry and reflect the current practice of the District. KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Key Changes (Appendix A) Section Revision Throughout the policy Implementing the new policy template approved by the Page 1 Board. Rationale Making a reference to the legislative authority of the District with regards to the mature PLAR. Section 3.1 New language appreciating the lived experiences of our diverse students and making connections with their learning. Section 3.2 New language appreciating the Board’s commitment to a “fair and inclusive”process for assessing PLAR. Section 4.1 and 4.6 Removing the reference documents from the body of the policy. Section 4.4,4.11, 4.12,and 4.13 Aligning the policy with the PPM requirements. Section 4.7 Replacing the old requirement of students to submit “reasonable evidence”to support their application with the new direction that is focused on collaboration from all parties to demonstrate learning. Section 4.8 Removing this language as the District supports all Ontario credits and does not require external District support. Section 4.9 Simplifying the language and clarifying that reporting to the Ministry occurs in the following year.An October report is suggestive that the PLAR credits may only be granted in September/October of the current year. Section 4.10 Clarifying that the responsibility of mPLAR is centralized. Sections 4.15 and 4.16 Clarifying the use of District vs.Board. Definitions Removing content that does not belong to a definition, E.g.“Credits” Adding Board and District definitions. Updating the “Mature Student”definition to align with the PPM.Previously,students needed to be 18 years of age or older and be deregistered from secondary school for a period of ten months before being eligible for mPLAR.Now,students need to be turning 18 on or before August 31st of the current school year to be eligible,and students do not need to deregister and leave the OCDSB prior to completion of their OSSD. RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS: Page 2 4.This policy is supported through existing resources in the budget of Program and Learning Innovation. COMMUNICATION/CONSULTATION ISSUES: 5.As a Tier 2 Policy Review,the proposed draft will be posted to the District website through Engage OCDSB and awareness will be raised on this consultation through parent/guardian,student,and school council communications.Feedback from the public will be received between 29 March and 29 April 2024,and incorporated into a final draft of the policy that will be presented to the Ad Hoc Policy Committee on 6 June 2024 for approval.A recommendation for the approval of the policy will proceed from the Committee to the Board meeting on 24 June 2024. GUIDING QUESTIONS ●Do the proposed revisions cover all equity considerations? ●Are there any unintended consequences to the proposed revisions to this policy? Reg Lavergne Superintendent of Program and Learning Innovation,Secondary Schools Pino Buffone Director of Education and Secretary of the Board APPENDICES Appendix A Revised Policy Policy P.112.CUR Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition for Mature Students Appendix B Standing Policy Policy P.112.CUR Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition for Mature Students Page 3 POLICY P.112.CUR TITLE:PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION FOR MATURE STUDENTS Date Authorized:13 April 2004 Last Revised:XXXXXX 2024 Last Reviewed:XXXXXX 2024 COMMITMENT TO INDIGENOUS RIGHTS,HUMAN RIGHTS,AND EQUITY The Board recognizes its responsibility to ensure that OCDSB policies and procedures promote and protect Indigenous,equity,and human rights and to seek to address and eliminate racism and structural and systemic barriers for students,staff,and community. 1.0 OBJECTIVE RATIONALE To provide guidelines for the implementation of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition for Mature Students (mPLAR)in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board in compliance with Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM)No.132,Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition for Mature Students. 2.0 DEFINITIONS Please refer to Appendix A for a full list of definitions of terms used in this policy. 3.0 GUIDING PRINCIPLES 3.1 The Board values formal learning experiences and informal cultural experiences of mature learners and supports their recognition for secondary credit to minimize duplication of learning and support different pathways goals. 4.0 POLICY SPECIFIC DIRECTIVES Challenge Credits 1 P.112.CUR 4.1 In accordance with provincial Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM)No.132,Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR):Students may challenge for credit for grade 11 and 12 courses,in provincial curriculum policy documents . 4.2 Each secondary school course calendar shall contain information regarding Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition opportunities for mature students. 4.3 Schools may not charge students any fee for undergoing the challenge process. 4.4 At grades 11 and 12 mature students may earn no more than ten credits through the challenge and equivalency processes combined. 4.5 Mature students may use certificates or other records of accomplishment earned outside Ontario classrooms as reasonable evidence of eligibility to challenge for credit for a related course within the Ontario curriculum,if they wish to earn credit for the course without taking the course. 4.6 Students with music certificates that are accepted for credits in OSS,Appendix 4,Music Certificates Accepted for Credits,however,are not required to challenge for credit for the appropriate music courses,but are granted credits in accordance with OSS Program and Diploma Requirements,Appendix 4,OSS and section 6.8.6 Ontario Schools. 4.7 Mature students may challenge for credit for a course only if they can provide reasonable evidence to their principal that they would likely be successful in the challenge process.The responsibilities of the student for the challenge include: a)initiating the PLAR challenge by approaching the school contact for information regarding the process; b)completing the application process by gathering “reasonable evidence”to support the application;collaborating with school teams to complete the application process and demonstrate learning;and c)completing the formal tests and other assessments as required determined by the school. 4.8 Arrangements may be made with other boards to provide opportunities for eligible students to challenge for credit for courses that are not offered by the Board. 4.9 A record of all attempted challenges for credit for grade 11 and 12 courses that were attempted –that is,all challenges for which students earned a final percentage grade, whether a passing or a failing grade shall be included in the District Board’s October Report to the Ministry the following year. 4.10 The responsibility for PLAR shall be carried out by under the direction of the school principal who grants credits in the school in which the student is registered under the direction of the central department responsible for program and learning. 4.11 In cases where a mature student disagrees with the decision of the principal about whether or not the student should challenge for credit,the mature student may ask the appropriate supervisory officer to review the matter. 2 P.112.CUR 4.12 The challenge process is an evaluation process and shall not be used as a way for students to improve their mark in a course for which they have already earned a credit, nor as a way to obtain a credit for a course they have previously failed. Equivalency Credits 4.13 At grade 9 and 10 up to sixteen credits may be granted to a mature student through the equivalency process at the discretion of the principal following individual assessment. 4.14 At grade 11 and 12 up to ten credits may be granted based on evaluation of a mature students education and/or training credentials and/or other appropriate documentation of learning. 4.15 A record of the number of mature students who received an individual assessment for up to sixteen grade 9 and 10 credits during the school year shall be included in the District Board's October Report to the Ministry. 4.16 A record of the number of mature students who received an equivalency assessment for up to ten grade 11 and 12 credits during the school year shall be included in the District Board's October Report to the Ministry the following year. 4.17 The Director of Education is authorized to issue such procedures as may be necessary to implement this policy. 4.0 APPENDICES Appendix A:Policy Definitions REFERENCE DOCUMENTS Ontario Secondary Schools,Grades 9-12:Program and Diploma Requirements (OSS),1999 Ministry of Education PPM 132:Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition for Mature Students Ontario Student Transcript (OST):Manual,2013 Ontario Schools,Intermediate and Senior Divisions (Grades 7–12/OACs):Program and Diploma Requirements (OSIS),rev.ed.,1989, OCDSB Policy P.109.CUR:Prior Learning and Recognition in Secondary Schools OCDSB Procedure PR.634.CUR:Prior Assessment and Recognition in Secondary Schools OCDSB Procedure PR.631.CUR:Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition for Mature Students 3 P.112.CUR APPENDIX A:POLICY DEFINITIONS In this policy, Board means the Board of Trustees. Challenge means the process whereby students'prior learning is assessed for the purpose of granting credit for a Grade 11,or 12 course developed from a provincial curriculum policy document published in 2000 or later. Credits:Challenge for credit for courses based on provincial curriculum policy documents will be available to students only in courses that are actually taught in classrooms operated by the Board.All credits granted through the PLAR process –that is,through either the individual assessment,challenge process or the equivalency process –must represent the same standards of achievement as credits granted to students who have taken the courses.The maximum number of credits that can be obtained from the PLAR process is twenty-six.A maximum of sixteen credits for grades 9 or 10 either through equivalency or individual assessment and a maximum of ten credits for grades 11 and 12 either through equivalency or challenge.Each student must earn the last four credits one of which must be ENG4C or ENG4E or ENG4U or OLC4O.No substitution is permitted. District means the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. Equivalency is the process of assessing credentials from other jurisdictions,workplace and other institutions of learning and may involve individual assessment for the purpose of granting credits. Mature student is a student who is at least 18 years of age on or before December 31st of the school year,has been out of school for a period of a least one year and is enrolled in a secondary school credit program for the purpose of obtaining an OSSD.Effective February 1,2004,mature students who enrolled in a secondary school after September 1999 (OSS) are governed by this policy.Mature students from outside of Ontario are governed by this policy.Mature students who enrolled in a secondary school prior to 1999 in Ontario may choose to be governed by this policy.means a student who is at least 18 years of age on or after January 1st of the current school year and who is enrolled in a program for the purpose of obtaining an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)is the formal evaluation and credit-granting process whereby mature students may obtain credits for prior learning.Prior learning includes the knowledge and skills that students have acquired,in both formal and informal ways,outside secondary school.Students may have their knowledge and skills evaluated against the expectations outlined in provincial curriculum policy documents in order to earn credits towards the secondary school diploma.For mature students the PLAR process may involve two components for each of:grades 9,10,and grades 11,12.For grades 9,10 the two components are individual assessment and/or equivalency.For grades 11 and 12 the two components are equivalency and/or challenge. Reasonable Evidence means documentation presented to the principal that the curriculum expectations of the course have already been achieved for the purpose of equivalency or challenge. 4 P.112.CUR 5 P.112.CUR -1- P.112.CUR POLICY P.112.CUR TITLE: PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION FOR MATURE STUDENTS Date issued: 13 April 2004 Last revised: Authorization: Board: 08 April 2004 1.0 OBJECTIVE To provide guidelines for the implementation of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) for Mature Students in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. 2.0 DEFINITIONS In this policy, 2.1 Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) is the formal evaluation and credit-granting process whereby mature students, may obtain credits for prior learning. Prior learning includes the knowledge and skills that students have acquired, in both formal and informal ways, outside secondary school. Students may have their knowledge and skills evaluated against the expectations outlined in provincial curriculum policy documents in order to earn credits towards the secondary school diploma. For mature students the PLAR process may involve two components for each of: grades 9, 10, and grades 11, 12. For grades 9, 10 the two components are individual assessment and/or equivalency. For grades 11 and 12 the two components are equivalency and/or challenge. 2.2 Challenge means the process whereby students' prior learning is assessed for the purpose of granting credit for a Grade 11, or 12 course developed from a provincial curriculum policy document published in 2000 or later. 2.3 Credits: Challenge for credit for courses based on provincial curriculum policy documents will be available to students only in courses that are actually taught in classrooms operated by the Board. All credits granted through the PLAR process – that is, through either the individual assessment, challenge process or the equivalency process – must represent the same standards of achievement as credits granted to students who have taken the courses. The maximum number of credits that can be obtained from the PLAR process is twenty-six. A maximum of sixteen credits for grades 9 or 10 either through equivalency or individual assessment and a maximum of ten - 2 - P.112.CUR credits for grades 11 and 12 either through equivalency or challenge. Each student must earn the last four credits one of which must be ENG4C or ENG4E or ENG4U or OLC4O. No substitution is permitted. 2.4 Equivalency is the process of assessing credentials from other jurisdictions, workplace and other institutions of learning and may involve individual assessment for the purpose of granting credits. 2.5 Mature student is a student who is at least 18 years of age on or before December 31st of the school year, has been out of school for a period of a least one year and is enrolled in a secondary school credit program for the purpose of obtaining an OSSD. Effective February 1, 2004, mature students who enrolled in a s econdary school after September 1999 (OSS) are governed by this policy. Mature students from outside of Ontario are governed by this policy. Mature students who enrolled in a secondary school prior to 1999 in Ontario may choose to be governed by this poli cy. 2.6 Reasonable Evidence means documentation presented to the principal that the curriculum expectations of the course have already been achieved for the purpose of equivalency or challenge. 3.0 POLICY 3.1 Challenge Credits a) In accordance with provincial Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) No. 132, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR): students may challenge for credit for grade 11, and 12 courses in provincial curriculum policy documents. b) Each secondary school course calendar shall contain inform ation regarding Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition opportunities for mature students. Schools may not charge students any fee for undergoing the challenge process. c) At grades 11 and 12 mature students may earn no more than ten credits through the challenge process. d) Mature students may use certificates or other records of accomplishment earned outside Ontario classrooms as reasonable evidence of eligibility to challenge for credit for a related course within the Ontario curriculum, if they wish to earn credit for the course without taking the course. Students with music certificates that are accepted for credits in OSS, Appendix 4, Music Certificates Accepted for Credits, however, are not required to challenge for credit for the appropriate music courses, but are granted credits in accordance with OSS Program and Diploma Requirements, Appendix 4, OSS and section 6.8.6. e) Mature students may challenge for credit for a course only if they can provide reasonable evidence to their principal that they wo uld likely be successful in the challenge process. The responsibilities of the student include: (i) initiating the PLAR challenge by approaching the school contact for information regarding the process; (ii) completing the application process by gathering “reasonable - 3 - P.112.CUR evidence” to support the application; (iii) completing the formal tests and other assessments as determined by the school. f) Arrangements may be made with other boards to provide opportunities for eligible students to challenge for credit for courses that are not offered by the Board. g) A record of all challenges for credit for grade 11 and 12 courses that were attempted – that is, all challenges for which students earned a final percentage grade, whether a passing or a failing grade shall be included in the Board’s October Report to the Ministry. h) The responsibility for PLAR shall be carried out under the direction of the school principal who grants credits in the school in which the student is registered. i) In cases where a mature student disagrees with the decision of the principal about whether or not the student should challenge for credit, the mature student may ask the appropriate supervisory officer to review the matter. j) The challenge process is an evaluation process and shall not be used as a way for students to improve their mark in a course for which they have already earned a credit, nor as a way to obtain a credit for a course they have previously failed. 3.2 Equivalency Credits a) At grade 9 and 10 up to sixteen credits may be granted to a mature student through the equivalency process at the discretion of the principal following individual assessment. b) At grade 11 and 12 up to ten credits may be granted based on evaluation of a mature students education and/or training credentials and/or other appropriate documentation of learning. c) A record of the number of mature students who received an individual assessment for up to sixteen grade 9 and 10 credits during the school year shall be included in the Board's October Report to the Ministry. d) A record of the number of mature students who received an equiva lency assessment for up to ten grade 11 and 12 credits during the school year shall be included in the Board's October Report to the Ministry. 3.3 The Director of Education is authorized to issue such procedures as may be necessary to implement this policy. 4.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9-12: Program and Diploma Requirements (OSS), 1999 Ministry of Education Policy/Program Memorandum No. 132, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR): - 4 - P.112.CUR Ontario Student Transcript (OST): Manual, 1999 Ontario Schools, Intermediate and Senior Divisions (Grades 7 –12/OACs): Program and Diploma Requirements (OSIS), rev. ed., 1989, Board Policy P.109.CUR: Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition in Secondary Schools Board Procedure PR.634.CUR: Prior Assessment and Recognition in Secondary Schools Board Procedure PR.631.CUR: Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition for Mature Students