REVISED 10/2008
Potential Units/Assigning Carnegie Units
In general, students are awarded 5 units per semester for a high school level course. High school students must be attempting at least 25 credits per semester*.
For example, if the student used Saxon Algebra 1, upon completion of the text, the student would earn 10 units of Algebra 1 (5 units for Algebra 1A and 5 units for Algebra 1B). Since IEM schools are performance based, the time required to complete this text would not matter. If the text were completed in one semester, the student would still earn 10 units of credit. On the other hand, if the student worked an entire year and only completed half of the book, the student would earn 5 units.
(*The minimum 25 credit requirement for CWCS can divided
into the number of weeks in a semester
for late enrollees. 17 weeks= 25 credits,
Carnegie units may derive from a variety of sources:
1) High school level curriculum including text and study guide
There are many vendors that publish high school curriculum. Some vendors include study guides that are easy to use for students using an independent study model. The ES should make sure that the ability level and learning style of the curriculum matches that of the student. If the ES is not familiar with a particular text, a phone call to the publisher may be necessary to clarify the grade level and ability level of the text. The ES and parent decide if the text fits the needs of the student.
2) High school level text without a study guide
The ES may find high school curriculum with a teacher's
edition but without a study guide. This situation requires planning with
the parent and/or student about requirements for earning units and how the
learning will be verified. The ES, parent, or student can reconsider the course
content and requirements at any time during the year if there
3) A student-, parent-, ed specialist-developed course recorded on the learning records
CWCS is performance based, not rule based, so assigning units should depend on what the student learns, not how long the student spends learning. Keeping track of hours can help structure assigning units if there is no structured course readily available. This situation may arise if a student or parent develops a course that allows the student to pursue his/her interests using a "discovery" learning method. Some examples include the following: writing a computer program to describe the results of a science project; exploring an unorthodox art medium in an unstructured situation; pursing an in-depth study of sharks. In each case the bounds of the course are very broad.
The "Class Completion Check-Off Sheet" is available for your use if the student wishes to earn units in an unstructured course. CWCS assigns 5 units per semester of work and 10 units for a full year's work. The sheet has 150 spaces representing a full year's work or 10 units. CWCS do not require that 150 hours must be completed in order for a student to earn 10 units. However, a range of 120 to 150 hours for 10 units should be a guide when the body of work is difficult to measure. The check-off sheet is kept with the student or parent. Each block represents one clock hour of work. As the student completes an hour of work, a block is checked off. For accuracy, the date of the work can be included in the block.
4) Concurrent credit from a college course
There is no set rule for assigning high school units for
college classes. In order to decide about the value of a college class, the ES
should consider the school’s policy for assigning high school units in general.
Since CWCS is not rule-based, but performance based, the ES will review the
content of the information being learned. A high school student can earn units
by completing a specific body of work. No two students are the same in ability
or needs, so the
When considering the number of units being earned by a student in a community college, the ES looks at the body of work first. What is being covered in the class? If it is an academic class, like biology, the student may be earning a full year’s units in one semester. If the class is a PE/weight lifting class meeting three times a week, then the student probably is not earning double units. Again, prior to assigning units, the ES, parent, and student should discuss the topic of how units will be assigned. If there is still some question about this, then the ES should ask their ES Advisor.
It is important the ES keep complete Learning Records for
high school students earning Carnegie units. This is one way that documentation
of verification awarding units occurs. Include on every learning record enough
information to document that learning that occurred through activities that
support the subject content. All high school Learning Records must list the
specific name of the course in the growth area. In addition, a-g courses must
list the name of the text used for the course. If