NOTICE: Board Policy 3.32.9 Valedictorian and Salutatorian Determination for the graduating class of 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023,2024, 2025 and 2026 has been waived due to the Covid-19 Pandemic in order to meet the unique circumstances presented.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION III
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
3.1 Role of
Curriculum and Instruction
3.2 Instructional
Program
3.3 Calendar of
Attendance
3.4 Curriculum
Process
3.5 Accountability
and Monitoring
3.6 Assessments
and Evaluation
3.7 Annual
Reporting
3.8 Pledge of
Allegiance to US Flag
3.9 Title IX
Equality and Uniform Complaint Procedures
3.10 Instructional
Materials
3.11 Assurance for
Distribution of Instructional Materials
3.12 Student Fees
3.13 Responsibility
for Loss, Damage, Destruction of Instructional Materials and Equipment
3.14 Textbooks and
Library Media Centers
3.15 Selection
& Evaluation of Materials for Library Media Center
3.16 Controversial
materials, methods and issues
3.17 Copyright Laws
3.18 Internet
Access and Network Resources
3.19 Library Bill
of Rights
3.20 Use of Videos,
DVD’s and Movies in Schools
3.21 Guest Speakers
and Sensitive Instructional Materials
3.22 Instruction in
Language Other Than English
3.23 Home Schools
3.24 Homebound/Hospitalization
Instruction
3.25 Section 504
Rehabilitation Act
3.26 Transfer
Students from Non-accredited Schools
3.27 Guidance and
Counseling
3.28 Graduation and
Credit Requirements
3.29 Graduation
Requirements for Special Education Students
3.30 District
Grading System
3.31 End of Course
Testing and Grades
3.32 Remediation,
Retention, Promotion, and Acceleration
3.33 Final Grade
Change Requirements
3.34 Religion in
the Schools
3.35 Release time
for Religious Instruction
3.36 Public
Performance by Students
3.37 Co-curricular
and Extra-curricular Programs
3.38 Extended
School Year
3.39 Aids Education
3.40 Homework
Policy
3.41 School
Volunteers
3.42 Animals in
Schools
3.43 Visitors to
Schools or District Buildings
3.1 ROLE OF
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
The Farmington Municipal School District’s goal is to
prepare students to become productive, responsible citizens and to develop
individual talents and interests. The District provides students opportunities
for educational success, which enables them to pursue employment and further
education. Farmington Municipal Schools
follows the New Mexico Common Core State Standards and the New Mexico Standards
of Excellence as required by state statute.
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3.2 INSTRUCTIONAL
PROGRAM
Instruction in the District will aim to provide maximum
opportunity for learning for all students. Learning activities will be
appropriate to the individual needs and developmental levels of the students.
Programs of study made available to the students will be consistent with
policies of the New Mexico Public Education Department. The Superintendent will
submit reports to the Farmington Board of Education evaluating various aspects
of the program of instruction and making recommendations for improvement in the
program, including revising, dropping, or adding courses of instruction.
3.2.1 District
Curriculum and Services
The administration will prepare and disseminate district
curriculum that is consistent with state requirements and district goals.
Schools will organize instruction to implement district curriculum objectives.
A balanced program of student activities will be provided.
3.2.2 Middle School
Required and Elective Program
The Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee is
authorized to provide a process for the approval of middle school instructional
programs within the regulations established by the State Public Education
Department.
The Superintendent will develop procedures to ensure that
all middle school instruction, including elective courses not specifically authorized
by law to be taught at middle schools, will have academic value, stated student
competencies, and a process for evaluation. Students will receive instruction
in state or District required subjects at every middle school in the District.
However, middle schools may combine required subjects in any pattern that
accomplishes State and District competencies. Middle schools are responsible
for using the required and/or elective program to provide all students with
instruction to meet competencies in health, physical education, fine arts,
practical (vocational) arts, and computer skills at some time during the middle
school years.
3.2.3 High School
Required and Elective Programs for Graduation
Graduation requirements will be established in accordance
with State Public Education Department regulations.
3.2.4 High School
Elective Credit
The Superintendent or the Executive Director of Curriculum
and Instruction is authorized to provide a process for the approval of high
school elective credits within regulations established by the State Public
Education Department.
The Superintendent and/or designee will develop procedures
to ensure that elective courses will have academic value, adequate contact
time, and articulated student competencies.
Through the prescribed approval process, schools will have
the right to develop courses unique to one school as long as all schools
maintain the district core curriculum and advise students of the risk of credit
loss for transfers occurring during a semester. (i.e. Senior Project)
3.2.5 Concurrent
Enrollment and Dual Credit programs refer to programs that allow high school
students to enroll in college-level courses offered by a public post secondary
institution prior to high school graduation.
Dually enrolled students may earn credit toward high school graduation
and a post secondary degree or certificate simultaneously as defined in NMAC
6.30.7.
3.2.6 A concurrently
enrolled student refers to students who, on their own, are enrolled in a public
post secondary institution. Students are responsible for paying for tuition,
instructional materials and applicable fees at that post secondary
institution. Farmington Municipal
Schools (FMS) will transcript credit earned from accredited institutions upon
receipt of an official grade or transcript record from the institution.
3.2.7 A dual credit
student refers to students who have met eligibility requirements to enter the
Dual Credit Program. Within the Dual
Credit Program, FMS and its partner postsecondary institution(s) have entered
into a dual credit agreement that establishes student eligibility and course
eligibility. Courses may be academic or
career technical, but may not be remedial or developmental. Within this program, the post secondary
institution will waive tuition and general fees and FMS will fund required
instructional materials in accordance with NMAC 6.30.7. FMS will transcript credit earned from the
partner institution upon receipt of an official grade or transcript record.
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3.3 CALENDAR OF ATTENDANCE
3.3.1 The adopted
school calendar will provide for at least the minimum length and number of days
required by law. Substitute or
additional days shall be scheduled by the Superintendent to make up for lost
days of instruction.
3.3.2 The school
calendar for the ensuing year(s) shall be drafted by a committee designated by
the Superintendent. The Superintendent of Schools shall submit a proposed
calendar with the proposed budget for the upcoming year.
3.3.3 The school
calendars shall set forth the closing of schools during designated
holidays. Staff orientation, parent-teacher
conference, and staff inservice days shall also be designated.
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3.4 CURRICULUM
PROCESS
The Farmington Municipal Schools Board of Education
recognizes that curricula and assessment must be the driving force for
instruction. Instruction must prepare students for success in society, business
and higher education. Curriculum must
draw its strengths and goals from all concerned.
3.4.1 The Farmington
School district curriculum process shall be standards-based and incorporate and
reflect the cultural values, strengths, and expectations of the school
communities as well as the expectations of general society and higher
education.
3.4.2 The Educational
Plan for Student Success (EPSS) will serve as the basis for the development,
alignment and implementation of curricula.
3.4.3 The allocation
of resources and staff development shall support curricula and
instruction. Recruitment, hiring and
evaluation shall be based on employee and applicant demonstration of the skills
and knowledge indicated in the state competencies and identified by the
District EPSS and the District Professional Development Plan.
3.4.4 The course of
study of the Farmington Municipal Schools defines the knowledge, skills and
qualities students are expected to develop and acquire. The course of study is aligned to the New
Mexico State Statutes, New Mexico Standards for Excellence, Common Core State
Standards, District Educational Plan for Student Success, local curricula and
local school board goals. The Standards for Excellence are found in NMAC 6.29
regulations.
3.4.5 In addition to
the requirements listed above the District provides child centered and
developmentally appropriate early childhood programs for 3 and 4 year old
children with disabilities, unless the parent or guardian chooses not to enroll
their child.
3.4.6 The District
provides services for children who have been identified through language
proficiency assessment in accordance with the Bilingual Multicultural Act to
ensure equal educational opportunities.
3.4.7 The District
provides school health programs (Health Education, Physical Education and
School Counseling) that provide opportunities for all students to develop
healthy behaviors.
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3.5 ACCOUNTABILITY
AND MONITORING
The Farmington Municipal Schools monitors instruction on a
continual basis to document compliance and implementation of program
requirements, Standards for Excellence, District Educational Plan for Student
Success, and the District Course of Study.
3.5.1 Monitoring
instruction is the responsibility of the campus administrator and on an annual
basis the District Leadership Team will visit schools, review building EPSS
documents and current school data, and provide feedback and support where
needed.
3.5.2 The monitoring
process will include: Short cycle Assessment Data, State testing results,
classroom observations, instructional plans, student work, accountability data
system information, federal programs data, special education program data and
multi-cultural education program data.
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3.6 ASSESSMENTS AND EVALUATIONS
The Farmington Municipal School District shall utilize a
comprehensive system to evaluate all aspects of the educational program.
3.6.1 The assessment
system is used to collect, measure, quantify, and describe multiple types of
student generated data to create a profile for a student, sub-groups of
students, program, school and/or district.
This system provides the district, schools, and community with necessary
information about the total student population and specific populations of
interest.
3.6.2 Using specific
data enables the district to continuously build a systematic collection of
student data with which to make sound instructional decisions and judgments
from an informed position.
3.6.3 The assessment
system includes all statewide student performance indicators.
3.6.4 The district
includes data from short-cycle assessments, the Educational Plans for Student
Success Focus Areas, general screening in Health and Language, Special
Programs, i.e. Multicultural Education, ELL Education, Special Education,
Vocational Education; Federal Programs, i.e. Title I, Title II, Homeless, Safe
Schools (discipline); Post Secondary, Transportation, Food Service, and
Technology.
3.6.5 Adequate and
financially feasible training shall be provided for involved school personnel
in reporting, reviewing and interpreting data on an annual basis.
3.6.6 Testing
Security Standards set forth by Public Education Department Regulations 6.10.7.6
through 6.10.7.14 shall be adhered to through procedures and training provided
by the District Testing Coordinator.
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3.7 ANNUAL REPORTING
3.7.1 On an annual
basis the Farmington Municipal Schools shall post a Report Card of all of the
accountability indicators for the general public. Per state regulation this report shall be
printed in the local newspaper. The district will also post the report card on
the district web site and have additional copies available at each school site.
3.7.2 The Quality of
Ed survey shall be administered on an annual basis through the District’s
webpage. Data shall be published in the
District Report Card.
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3.8 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO U.S. FLAG
3.8.1 The United State Flag shall be displayed and
flown at all public schools throughout the district. (Pursuant to NMAC
6.10.2.8.A)
3.8.2 The Pledge of
allegiance shall be recited each day in each public school within the
State. (Pursuant to NMAC 6.10.2.8B)
3.8.3 Exemption by
Membership in Recognized Religious Denominations
Parents or guardians belonging to a recognized religious
denomination whose religious teaching prohibits their child's recitation of the
pledge of allegiance shall present a certificate stating that the parents or
guardians are bona fide members of said religious denomination and that the
religious teaching of the denomination prohibits their child's recitation of
the pledge of allegiance.
3.8.4 Exemption by
Certification of Religious or Conscientious Objection
Parents or guardians who are not bona fide members of
recognized religious denominations described above, but whose religious or
conscientious beliefs, held either individually or jointly with others, do not
permit the recitation of the pledge of allegiance, shall present a certificate
stating that the parents or guardians have a religious or conscientious
objection to their child's recitation of the pledge of allegiance.
3.8.5 Display of the
New Mexico Flag and recitation of the salute to the New Mexico Flag is
encouraged at the time of the recitation of the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance on a
daily basis.
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3.9 TITLE IX EQUALITY AND UNIFORM COMPLAINT
PROCEDURES
3.9.1 In accordance
with Title IX of the Educational Amendment of 1972, Farmington Municipal
Schools provides equal educational opportunities for students, thus prohibiting
discrimination in education based on gender.
3.9.2 Title IX is
the portion of the Education Amendments that provides no person in the United
States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied
the benefits of, participation in, or be subjected to discrimination under any
educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
3.9.3 Uniform
Complaint Procedures
The Farmington School Board recognizes that the district is
responsible for complying with applicable state and federal laws and
regulations governing educational programs.
3.9.4 The district
shall follow uniform complaint procedures when addressing complaints alleging
unlawful discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, religion, gender, age,
sexual harassment, color, or physical/mental disability, or failure to comply
with state and/or federal laws in adult, basic education, consolidated
categorical programs, vocational education, child nutrition programs, special
education programs, and federal school safety planning requirements.
3.9.5 The Board
encourages the early, informal resolution of complaints at the site level
whenever possible.
3.9.6 The Board
acknowledges and respects every individual's right to privacy. Discrimination complaints shall be
investigated in a manner that protects the confidentiality of the parties and
the facts. This includes keeping the
identity of the complainant confidential except to the extent necessary to
carry out the investigation or proceedings, as determined by the Superintendent
or designee on a case-by-case basis.
3.9.7 The Board
prohibits retaliation in any form for participating in complaint procedures,
including but not limited to the filing of a complaint or the reporting of
instances of discrimination. Such participation shall not in any way affect the
status, grades or work assignments of the complainant.
3.9.8 FILING A COMPLAINT:
A. The district
will accept and investigate complaints from organizations or individuals with
respect to applicable educational programs. The complaint must:
(1) be written;
(2) be signed by the complaining party or his
or her designated representative;
(3) contain a
statement that the district has violated a requirement of a state or federal
statute or regulation;
(4) contain a
statement of the facts on which the complaint is based and the specific
requirement alleged to have been violated.
3.9.9 IMPARTIAL REVIEW AND DECISION:
A. Upon receipt of a complaint, the district will
acknowledge receipt of the complaint in writing and will:
(1) conduct an
impartial investigation which shall include a review of all relevant
documentation presented and may include an independent on-site investigation;
and
(2) give the
complainant the opportunity to submit additional information, either orally or
in writing, about the allegations in the complaint; and
(3) review all
relevant information and make an independent determination as to whether the
district has violated a requirement of an applicable state or federal statute
or regulation.
B. A written
decision, which includes findings of fact, conclusions, and the reasons for the
decision and which addresses each allegation in the complaint, shall be issued
by the district and mailed to the parties within sixty (60) calendar days of
receipt of the written complaint.
3.9.10 For a complete version of the State of New Mexico
Complaint Procedure, see NMAC 6.10.3
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3.10 INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS
The Farmington Municipal School District shall adopt
materials to support the District Course of Study. A written notice shall be provided to parents
and the community inviting parental involvement in the adoption process. The District will follow the state
instructional materials adoption cycle to provide resources that support
standards-based instruction.
3.10.1 Instructional
Materials shall be selected to:
A. Support the
District’s Educational Plan for Student Success focus areas/goals.
B. Enrich and support the curriculum, taking
into consideration the identified student needs and diversified interests,
language, abilities and maturity levels of the students and provide resources
to support standards-based instruction.
C. Enhance literacy and creativity, and
literary and aesthetic appreciation;
D. Promote
citizenship;
E. Provide a fair representation of the many
religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to our American
heritage and multicultural society;
F. Present
various viewpoints on many subjects that will assist in the development of
critical judgment and perceptions
G. Provide
recognition and examples of minority groups to ensure that there will be no
discrimination or bias or prejudice toward gender, language, race, religion,
handicap or age.
3.10.2 Materials will meet the following criteria:
authenticity and scholarship; appropriateness in relation to religion, sexism,
political ideologies, sex, profanity, and content, motivational qualities,
technical qualities, purpose, scope of the material, language, format, special
features and potential use.
3.10.3 Final decisions
on purchase will rest with the Superintendent.
Last Revision:
9/11/18
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3.11 ASSURANCES FOR DISTRIBUTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS
In accordance with the expectations of Senate Bill 1019 of
the 2007 Session, the Farmington Municipal Schools will ensure any student
attending our schools is entitled to the free use of instructional
materials. The District will provide
textbooks or e-books to each student for use in each class and at home as
necessary. The building principal shall
be responsible for compliance with this policy.
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3.12 STUDENT FEES
All fees to be paid by students in connection with any
course work or activity must be approved by the Superintendent or designee who
shall provide advance notice to the Board of the proposal. No fee may be charged for any course work,
which is required by law, regulation or policy.
Technology equipment distributed to students shall have an annual fee to
cover insurance costs.
3.13 RESPONSIBILITY
FOR LOSS, DAMAGE OR DESTRUCTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
Each parent, guardian or student is responsible for the
loss, damage or destruction of instructional material and equipment while in
the student's possession. Farmington
Municipal Schools may withhold the grades, diploma and transcripts of the
student responsible for damage or loss.
When a parent, guardian or student is unable to pay for damage or loss,
the school will work with the parent, guardian or student to develop an
alternative plan in lieu of payment. Where a parent or guardian is determined
to be indigent according to guidelines established in the NMAC regulations, the
local school district will bear the cost of the instructional materials.
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3.14 TEXTBOOKS AND
LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER
3.14.1 A textbook
committee will be selected from the staff under the supervision of the
Curriculum Office.
3.14.2 Students are
responsible for payment for lost textbooks and library books. It is the responsibility of the principal,
teacher or librarian to enforce this policy.
3.14.3 A textbook
record, listing all textbooks issued, must be made out by the teacher for each
student, except for books only temporarily issued a student.
3.15 SELECTION AND
EVALUATION OF MATERIALS FOR LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER
3.15.1 Materials are
selected by qualified representative personnel, consisting of librarians,
teachers, coordinators and administrators.
3.15.2 Materials are
selected by actual examination of the material from reviews or from recommended
bibliographies or lists of materials.
3.15.3 The following
evaluative criteria are used:
A. Materials are
chosen which support the curriculum
B. Materials are
chosen which have a high interest level among the student body.
C. Materials are
contributing to literary appreciation or have aesthetic value.
D. Materials are
selected because of the content and emphasis of the entire work.
E. Materials are
chosen which give a realistic view of society and its problems.
F. Provide materials
representative of the many ethnic and cultural groups and their contributions
to our American heritage.
G. Materials on
controversial issues are represented by both sides of the issue in an objective
way.
3.15.4 Students have the right to see and/or read any materials in the media
centers which they and their parents feel will contribute to their growth and
development. The Library-media Center shall withhold materials from certain
students upon request of their parents; otherwise, all materials in the Center
are available to all students.
3.15.5 Since opinions
may differ in a free society, the following procedure will be observed in
recognizing those differences in an impartial and factual manner.
A. Citizens of the
community may register their criticism by picking up a form at the
Library - media Center, filling it out and returning it to the school
administration. The form will call for
specific information regarding objectionable material and must be signed by the
person filling it out.
B. If the
complainant wishes to have the work removed from the Library-Media Center
collection, a committee will be appointed by the school principal, consisting
of three (3) teachers, one (1) professional member of the Center and one (1)
administrator. This committee will
re-evaluate the materials being questioned and its opinion shall be considered
final with the exception of "C" or "D".
C. The school
principal may call in representative citizens of the school community for
consultation but the decision of the school principal will be considered final
at the building level.
D. If an appeal is
carried to the district level, an appropriate appeal procedure will be
followed.
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3.16 CONTROVERSIAL
MATERIALS, METHODS AND ISSUES
3.16.1 The board of
education recognizes that it is frequently necessary for pupils to study
controversial issues and that in order to deal effectively with controversial
issues and topics, teachers will sometimes use materials or methods that might
lead to misunderstandings. In
considering such matters, it shall be the purpose of our schools to recognize
the pupil's right and/or obligation:
A. to study any
controversial issue which has political, economic, or social significance and
concerning which the student should begin to have an opinion;
B. to have free
access to all relevant information;
C. to study
under competent instruction in an atmosphere of freedom from bias and
prejudice;
D. to form and
express independent opinions on controversial issues without jeopardizing
relations with the teacher of the school;
E. to recognize
that a reasonable compromise is often an important facet in decision making in
our society;
F. to respect
minority opinions.
3.16.2 Complaints
and Challenges to Teaching Methods and Materials
A. If a school
or staff member is challenged on the use of methods or materials, the following
procedures will apply.
1. An attempt
will be made to resolve the challenge or complaint informally. School personnel
shall meet with the complainant to hear the specific concerns and
recommendations and to explain how and why the challenged material or method
was selected for use in the classroom or library.
2. The
complainant may still challenge the material or method by submitting a written
statement, which identifies the complainant's specific concerns. No action to review challenged materials or
methods will be taken until a written request for review is filed.
3. The review
shall be undertaken by the appropriate district curriculum committees. The
review process shall always include the opportunity for citizen comment. There will be no restrictions on the use of
the challenged materials or methods by students until the entire review process
is completed and has been reviewed by the Superintendent.
4. The
Superintendent shall accept or reject the review committee's recommendation and
so inform the board. The complainant may
again challenge the Superintendent's recommendation to the board at this time.
5. The decision
of the board shall be final.
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3.17 COPYRIGHT LAWS
It is the intent of the Farmington Municipal Schools to
adhere to the provisions of the copyright laws.
Although there continues to be controversy regarding interpretations of
those copyright laws, the following procedures represent a sincere effort to
operate legally:
3.17.1 The ethical
and practical problems caused by software, video and text piracy will be taught
to all staff and students in all schools in the District.
3.17.2 District
employees will be expected to adhere to the provisions of Public Law 96-517,
Section 7 (b) which amends Section 117 of Title 17 of the United States Code to
allow for the making of a back-up copy of computer programs. This states that ". . . it is not an
infringement for the owner of a copy of a computer program to make or authorize
the making of another copy or adaptation of the computer program provided:
A. That such a
new copy of adaptation is created as an essential step in the utilization of
the computer program in conjunction with a machine and that it is used in no
other manner,
-or-
B. That such a
new copy and adaptation is for archival purposes only and that all archival copies are destroyed in the event that continued possession of the computer
program should cease to be right."
3.17.3 District
employees will be expected to adhere to the provisions of the Copyright Act
concerning photocopying text.
Specifically, the provisions in Sections 107 and 108 which state ".
. . Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 106, the fair use of a
copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or recordings or
by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism,
comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom
use), scholarships, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work
in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall
include----
A. the purpose
and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature
or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
B. the nature
of the copyrighted work;
C. the amount
and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a
whole; and
D. the effect
of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted
work."
3.17.4 District
employees will be expected to adhere to the provisions of the Copyright Act
concerning video materials. Specifically, the provisions in Section 110, 110
(1) and 110(4) state ". . . (1) performance or display of a work by
instructors or pupils in the course of face-to-face teaching activities of a
nonprofit educational institution, in a classroom or similar place devoted to
instruction, unless, in the case of motion picture or other audiovisual work,
the performance or the display of individual images is given by means of a copy
that was not lawfully made . . . and that the person responsible for the
performance knew or had reason to believe was not lawfully made. "
(Citation)
3.17.5 These
sections are understood to permit displaying or performing audio visual works
in nonprofit education institutions under the following conditions:
A. They must be
shown as part of the instructional program.
B. They must be
shown by students, instructors or guest lecturers.
C. They must be
shown either in a classroom or other school location devoted to instruction
such as a studio, workshop, library, gymnasium, or auditorium if it is used for
instruction.
D. They must be
shown either in a face-to-face setting or where students and teacher(s) are in
the same building or general area.
E. They must be
shown only to students and educators.
F. They must be
shown using a legitimate (that is, not illegally reproduced) copy with the
copyright notice included.
3.17.6 District
employees will be expected to adhere to the provisions of the Copyright act
concerning Off-Air Taping. Specifically,
the restrictions, which state..."
A. Video taped
recordings may be kept for no more than 45 calendar days after the recording
date, at which time the tapes must be erased.
B. Video taped
recordings may be shown to students only within the first 10 school days of the
45-day retention period.
C. Off-air
recordings must be made only at the request of an individual teacher for
instructional purposes, not by school staff in anticipation of later requests
by teachers.
D. The
recordings are to be shown to students no more than two (2) times during the
10-day period, and the second time only for necessary instructional
reinforcement.
E. The taped
recordings may be viewed after the 10-day period only by teachers for
evaluation purposes, that is, to determine whether to include the broadcast
program in the curriculum in the future.
F. If several
teachers request videotaping of the same program, duplicate copies are
permitted to supply their request; all copies are subject to the same
restrictions as the original recording.
G. The off-air
recordings may not be physically or electronically altered or combined with
others to form anthologies, but they need not necessarily be used or shown in
their entirety.
H. All copies
of off-air recordings must include the copyright notice on the broadcast
program as recorded.
I. These
restrictions apply only to nonprofit education institutions, which are further
"expected to establish appropriate control procedures to maintain the
integrity of these restrictions."
3.17.7 Legal or
insurance protection of the District will not be extended to employees who
violate copyright laws.
3.17.8 The District
will designate an individual who may sign license agreements for software,
videos or texts for the schools in the District. (Each school using software, videos or texts
covered by a license agreement also should have a signature on a copy of the
license agreement for local control.)
3.17.9 The
principal of each school is responsible for establishing practices which will
implement this policy at the school level.
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3.18 INTERNET
ACCESS AND NETWORKED RESOURCES
3.18.1 The Board
recognizes that as telecommunications and other new technologies alter the ways
that information may be accessed, communicated and transferred by members of
the society, those changes will also alter instruction and student
learning. The Board supports access by
students to rich information resources along with the development by staff of
appropriate skills to analyze and evaluate such resources. The Board expects that staff will blend
thoughtful use of such information throughout the curriculum and that the staff
will provide guidance and instruction to students in the appropriate use of
such resources. The Board believes that
the benefits to students from the utilization of these resources and the
resulting opportunities for collaboration, exceed any potential disadvantages.
3.18.2 The Board
authorizes the Superintendent to prepare appropriate procedures for acceptable
use of the Internet and other networked resources and for reviewing and
evaluating the effect of Internet access on instruction and student
achievement.
(Please reference the District's Technology Security Policy
for more details.)
Back to Table of Contents
3.19
LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS
3.19.1 The board
supports the School Library Bill of Rights, provided by the American Library
Association, which asserts that the responsibility of the school library is:
A. to provide
materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the
students served;
B. to provide
materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary
appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards;
C. to provide
a background of information which will enable pupils to make intelligent
judgments in their daily lives;
D. to provide
materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may
develop the practice of critical reading and thinking;
E. to provide
materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and
their contributions to our American heritage;
F. to place
principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of
materials of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection
appropriate for the users of the library.
Back to Table of Contents
3.20 USE OF VIDEOS,
DVD’S AND MOVIES IN SCHOOLS
The Board of Education recognizes that videos, DVD’s and
movies, which directly relate to the instructional program, may be of benefit
for classroom viewing.
3.20.1 Any film shown
in any school must be thoroughly documented as to their educational
validity.
3.20.2 When possible,
pertinent film clips should be shown, rather than viewing any film in its
entirety. Films must have prior approval
by the principal, assistant principal or designee.
3.20.3 Elementary, 6th and 7th grade
In K-7th grade, movies can only be shown if they carry a G
or PG rating and must have prior approval by the principal, assistant principal
or designee. No R or PG-13 rated films
will be used or shown in grades K-7th.
Signed parental permission slips must be received for each elementary
student who will see a PG rated film.
3.20.4 Eight Grade and
High School
In grades 8-12, films may be rated G, PG or PG-13. No R rated films will be used or shown in the
school. In the 8th grade a parental permission slip must be received for each
student who will see a PG-13 rated film.
3.20.5 At all grades,
a parent/guardian who believes that his/her student should not view an approved
movie or video can request by phone, or in writing, other reasonable options or
activities in place of the video or movie.
3.20.6 The teacher
will accommodate the parent’s request for an optional assignment.
3.20.7
Enforcement:
A. Any movie shown
in any classroom must be “logged” in the office and have prior approval by the
principal, assistant principal or designee.
B. At the high
school level PG-13 rated films, like all other films, must be thoroughly
reviewed, well documented and have a supporting statement as to the films
educational validity. Every film to be
shown must be reviewed and approved in advance by the building administrator or
designee.
Back to Table of Contents
3.21 GUEST
SPEAKERS AND SENSITIVE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
The teacher must preview instructional materials dealing
with personal or sensitive subjects before they are introduced into the
classroom. If materials are sensitive but the instructor believes they are
germane to the subject being taught, the principal, in consultation with the
superintendent, shall adjudge their propriety and pertinence.
3.21.1 The principal’s
deliberation should include among other things, consideration of the general
standards of the clientele served by the Farmington Municipal Schools.
3.21.2 The instructor
is also responsible for personal or sensitive subjects introduced or discussed
by guest speakers in the classroom. An
instructor must make every effort to present both sides of an issue and not be
exclusive or push their own beliefs.
3.21.3 Teachers shall
provide students advance notice of the possibility of the use of sensitive
materials prior to their use so that students finding the materials offensive
may be excused from that portion of the assignment or presentation and provided
with an alternative assignment more in keeping with their beliefs.
3.21.4 Parents/guardians may make such a request on
behalf of their currently enrolled children.
3.21.5 Teachers shall
notify the building principal of any apparent problem, which arises from the
use of sensitive materials or from remarks by a guest speaker.
3.21.6 At the
appropriate grade levels, parents should be given advance notice of
presentations on topics involving human sexuality.
3.21.7 The practice of
informing the building principal of any guest speakers invited to a classroom,
whether the topic is controversial or not is recommended for all staff members.
Back to Table of Contents
3.22 INSTRUCTION IN
LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH
3.22.1
Multicultural programs may be offered if there are students who have
difficulty in writing, speaking, or understanding the English language because
they live in an environment in which another language is spoken.
3.22.2 Many
children enroll in the Farmington Municipal Schools who lack the communicative
skills to achieve and participate in the English language oriented curricula
and school activities. It is the intent
of the School District to provide educational opportunities for these children
to become successful members of the school population and to achieve English
language communication skills for career opportunities.
3.22.3 Through
the use of their native language, children who are dominant in a language other
than English, enhance conceptual development and the acquisition of
communication skills. Recognizing this,
the District shall provide a bilingual multicultural program or other
appropriate programs to improve and accelerate student acquisition of English
language skills.
Back to Table of Contents
3.23 HOME SCHOOLS
In accordance with Section 22-1-2.1 [NMSA 1978] and in
compliance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Education, the
Farmington Municipal School’s Board of Education acknowledges the right of
parents or guardians to establish home schools.
Home school, as defined by state statute, means “…the operation by the
parent (or guardian) of a school-age person of a home study program of
instruction that provides a basic academic educational program, including
reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies and science.”
3.23.1 A home
school student is eligible to participate in three co-curricular or
extra-curricular activities at the public school in the attendance zone in
which the student resides and meets eligibility requirements as specified by
the New Mexico Activities Association regulations [Reg. 10.5.2].
A home school student must request to participate on an
annual basis at the beginning of an extra-curricular activities or at the
beginning of the school year for a co-curricular activity.
Co-curricular activities are activities that are an
extension of classroom instruction which are governed by the Educational
Standards for New Mexico Schools or local board policy. Classroom instruction
should require no more than twenty (20) hours per month of time for a student
outside of the regularly scheduled instructional day for practice, meetings,
events, or performance. Co- curricular activities are required as part of the
course work if a student is to receive credit for the course. Co-curricular
activities do not require that students be absent from class other than the
sponsoring class for practice, meetings, events, or performance. Scholastic
requirements for co- curricular activities may be waived depending on the
specific situation. Examples: Honor Society, Students Council, Clubs, etc.
Extracurricular activities are school sponsored activities
not required by law or the Educational Standards for New Mexico Schools which
have practice, meetings, events, performances, or interscholastic competition.
Implementation of the Public School Reform Act precludes using school time for
practice, meetings, and events.
Examples: Football, Soccer, Swimming, Dance, Cheer, Band, Orchestra,
Choir, etc.
3.23.2 Request to
participate forms must be filled out and returned to the Athletic Coordinator
of the high school in the student’s attendance zone or the Assistant Principal
in the Middle Schools in the student’s attendance zone. Building Principals must provide the final signature
to allow home school students to participate and must ensure all requirements
are met for participation.
3.23.3 A student
in a home school who meets the eligibility criteria in rules promulgated by the
Public Education Department and Higher Education Department may apply for dual
credit courses and online courses provided that the student pay the full cost
of dual credit and/or online credit and provide transportation to and from the
campus in which the course is taken.
3.23.4 A student in a home school program can enroll at a
public school within their home attendance area up to:
- Elementary
School - one-half (1/2) day or less (3 hours or less)
- Middle
School and High School = up to 3 class periods
- Students
meeting the Home School status are not eligible to receive services such as
Special Education, Bilingual, English Language, Title I, Gifted Education
- Students are
encouraged to enroll as full-time students.
3.23.5 Parents/legal
guardians must notify the state (NMPED) electronically or send written
notification to the Secretary of Education of the establishment of a home
school program within thirty (30) days of establishment and re-notify the state
on or before August 1st of each year thereafter. Written notification must also
be sent to the NMPED when a student moves or enters a public or private school
from home school.
Last Revision:
5/09/19
Back to Table of Contents
3.24 HOMEBOUND/HOSPITALIZED
INSTRUCTION
3.24.1 Definition
A homebound/hospitalized student is a student who has a
medically diagnosed physical, emotional, or medical disability/instability
which is acute or catastrophic in nature, or a chronic illness, or a repeated
intermittent illness due to persisting medical problem and that confines the
student to home or hospital, and restricts activities for an extended period of
time. This may include students who are prohibited from attending as a result
of a court order.
3.24.2 Student
Eligibility
The purpose of the Homebound/Hospitalized Instruction
Program is to provide an appropriate education for those students capable of
benefiting from instruction but unable to participate in a regular or special
education class setting for a period of at least three (3) weeks or longer
because of physical, emotional, or medical disability/instability.
The following reasons are allowable for consideration for
Homebound/Hospitalized:
1. Physical
disability – student is unable to attend school because of physical limitations
that are not amendable to reasonable accommodations.
2. Emotional
disability – situational, but serious to the point of limiting cognitive
participation in the classroom setting.
3. Medical disability/instability – student is unable to
attend school because of a number of medical reasons that require a student to
remain in the home or hospital.
In the event of physical, emotional, or medical
disability/instability the following will occur:
Student Assistance Team (SAT)/504 Facilitator and/or
Exceptional Programs Office (EPO) Director is in receipt of a licensed
physician or clinical psychologist’s statement that indicates an expected
absence of three weeks or longer due to an identified condition.
SAT/504 Facilitator and/or EPO Director is in receipt of the
homebound/hospitalized needs assessment form indicating the unusual
circumstances such as chronic, recurring illness, which may result in sporadic
extended absences.
Based on the above information and input from school staff
and parents, the 504 or Individual Education Plan (IEP) team determines that
the student is disabled to the degree that it is impossible or medically
inadvisable to attend public school even with the provision of reasonable
accommodations. (Note that pregnancy is
not of itself considered to be health impairment. Only complications during the
pregnancy may constitute a need. Please see 2.63.2 of School Board Policy)
3.24.3
Homebound/Hospitalized services will only be provided in not-for-profit
institutions within the District.
3.24.4
Administrative procedures for students assigned to
homebound/hospitalized instruction shall be developed and distributed by the
Superintendent or designee.
Adopted:
Last Revision:
8/10/17
Back to Table of Contents
3.25 SECTION 504
REHABILITATION ACT
INTRODUCTION
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ensures that
no qualified student shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from
participation in or be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to
discrimination under any program or activity of the Farmington Municipal School
District. A student is considered
disabled under Section 504 if he/she has a physical or mental impairment that
substantially limits one or more of his/her major life activities, such as
learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, walking, seeing,
hearing, breathing, working, and performing manual tasks.
The Board of Education is committed to ensuring that all
students are afforded an equal educational opportunity and that no student is
discriminated against on the basis of a disability, a record of a disability,
or the misperceptions of others that the student has a disability. The District shall provide a free appropriate
public education to each qualified student with a disability within in the
District’s jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the person’s
handicap.
No unlawful discrimination against any student with a
disability shall knowingly be permitted in any program or practices of the
school district. This policy extends to all aspects of the School District’s
educational program, as well as to the use of all School District facilities,
and participation in all School District-sponsored activities, including
extracurricular activities and athletics.
The District has developed and shall implement, with respect
to actions regarding the identification, evaluation, or educational placement
of students who, because of disability, need or are believed to need special
instruction or related services, a system of procedural safeguards that
includes notice, an opportunity for the parents or guardian of the student to
examine relevant records, an impartial hearing with opportunity for
participation by the person’s parents or guardian and representation by
counsel, and a review procedure.
Compliance with the procedural safeguards of the IDEA is one means of
meeting this requirement.
3.25.1 Child Find
and Notice
The District shall identify and locate qualified children
with disabilities within the jurisdiction of the District who are not receiving
a public education.
The District shall annually notify persons with disabilities
and/or their parents or guardians of the District’s responsibilities of Section
504.
3.25.2 Evaluation
and Placement
The District shall conduct an evaluation of any student who
because of disability, needs or is believed to need special education or
related services before taking any action with respect to the initial placement
of the student in regular or special education any subsequent significant
change in placement.
The District has established standards and procedures for
the evaluation and placement of students.
Procedures are available from the District 504 Coordinator and/or campus
Coordinators or Principals.
3.25.3 The
Superintendent shall designate a Section 504 Coordinator who shall be
responsible for continuing surveillance of School District educational and
extracurricular programs and activities with regard to compliance with Section
504 and all pertinent regulations, including making recommendations to the
Superintendent on the development of all necessary procedures and regulations
implementing this policy.
The identification of the Section 504 Coordinator will be
posted on the district website and posted in all schools in a place accessible
to parents.
The District may also maintain a campus 504 Coordinator at
each campus. The building principal may
also perform this duty. Information on
the designation of campus Coordinators is available through the principal of
each building and by the District 504 Coordinator.
3.25.4 Complaints
The District will provide prompt and equitable resolution
complaints regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 1973. (34 CFR 104.7
b)
For complaints regarding discrimination or harassment based
on disability, in accordance with School Board Policy 2.29, reports will be
made to the principal, assistant principal, counselor, the Deputy
Superintendent, or the designated 504 Coordinator. The procedures for investigation of such
complaints are outlined in policy 2.29.3.
For Complaint regarding the identification, evaluation, or
educational placement of a student with a disability under Section 504, the
following procedures are established.
PROCEDURES
a. Step 1. A written grievance form signed by the
complainant shall be submitted to the campus Section 504 Coordinator or the
building principal. The campus
coordinator shall further investigate the matters of grievance and reply in
writing to the complainant within 5 business days.
b. Step 2. If the complainant wishes to appeal the
decision of the campus Section 504 Coordinator or the building principal, he or
she may submit a signed statement of appeal to the designated District Section
504 Coordinator within 10 business days after receipt of the campus Coordinator’s
or Principal’s response. The District
Coordinator shall meet all parties involved, formulate a conclusion, and
respond in writing to the complainant within 5 business days.
c. Step 3. If the complainant wishes to appeal the
decision of the District Coordinator, he/she may submit a signed statement of
appeal to the District Superintendent within 10 business days after the receipt
of the District Coordinator’s response.
The Superintendent shall meet with all parties involved, formulate a
conclusion and respond in writing to the complainant within 5 business days.
d. Step 4. If the complainant remains unsatisfied,
he/she may appeal through a signed written statement to the Board of Education
within 10 days of the Superintendent’s response in an attempt to resolve the
grievance, the board shall meet with the concerned parties within 40 days of
the receipt of such an appeal. A copy of
the Board’s disposition of the appeal shall be sent to each concerned party within
10 days of this meeting.
Parents shall be given written notice of their due process
rights to an impartial hearing if they have a concern or complaint about the
District’s actions regarding the identification, evaluation and/or educational
placement of a student with disabilities.
Back to Table of Contents
3.26 TRANSFER
STUDENTS FROM NON-ACCREDITED SCHOOLS
Students from non-accredited schools will be assigned to a
grade level according to the following criteria:
A. Evaluation of
a student's progress and competencies using at least:
1) the
classroom teacher's recommendation from sending school;
2) age-grade
consideration;
3) counselor's
evaluation;
4) when needed,
diagnostic evaluation;
5) administrator/teacher/department
head/ counselor conferences.
B. The initial
assignment will be considered temporary for the first nine (9) weeks unless
reassignment is deemed necessary by the Principal prior to that time. If reassignment is necessary, this should be
done within nine (9) weeks of the student's enrollment.
C. The Principal
shall have the authority after consultation with all involved to place the
student in the grade, course(s) and level in which the student can be
successful.
D. Credits earned
in the non-accredited school will be honored if course content approximates the
Farmington requirements as determined by the Principal.
Back to Table of Contents
3.27 GUIDANCE AND
COUNSELING
The Board of Education is committed to ensuring that a high
quality school counseling program that is comprehensive, developmentally and
age appropriate, and reflects the diversity of the Farmington Municipal Schools
is provided equitably to all students in the district.
3.27.1 We believe that
social and emotional learning delivered through a comprehensive,
developmentally appropriate school counseling program has a positive impact on
student academic performance.
3.27.2 We believe
school counseling is integral to the mission of schools and to the total
educational program. School counseling
programs remove barriers to learning and promote the knowledge and skills
necessary for the academic achievement and personal growth of all students
through prevention and intervention services.
3.27.3 Farmington
Municipal Schools counseling services will align with the national and state
school counseling standards.
3.27.4 IN ALL SCHOOLS:
a) Counselors
provide a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate school counseling program
to all students.
b) The
school-counseling program aligns with the FMS educational mission.
c) Counselors
provide information and support to students and families about academic
programming, community supports, and other relevant information.
d) School counselors
work with teachers and parents to ensure and support student’s academic success
through collaborative decision making utilizing formative and state assessment
data, recommend appropriate academic interventions and continuously monitor
student attendance and academic progress.
e) The
school-counseling program is based on the American School Counseling
Association’s National Model and Standards and includes prevention,
interventions, and crisis response services.
f) School
counselors promote personal, interpersonal, health, academic and career
development for all students through classroom guidance lessons, counseling and
other services.
g) School counselors
address the unique needs of individual students through academic, behavioral
and social interventions, which are culturally appropriate to ensure
educational excellence for all students.
h) School counselors
communicate the role and goals of the school-counseling program with all
stakeholders including students, parents, staff, administrators, and community.
i) School
counselors work with students and families to support students in their
transition from one grade level to another.
j) School
counselors collect and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data to
identify and address student needs and to develop, implement, evaluate and
continuously improve the counseling program.
3.27.5 AT THE
ELEMENTARY LEVEL:
a) The
school-counseling program promotes school success by assisting students in
acquiring the skills and attitudes necessary for academic achievement.
b) The school
counseling program teaches decision making, problem solving and resiliency
skills.
c) School counselors
foster the development of self-awareness, positive self-concept, self-advocacy,
interpersonal skills and career awareness.
3.27.6 AT THE MIDDLE
SCHOOL LEVEL:
a) The school-counseling
program focuses on building academic and social competence and career
awareness.
b) School counselors
coordinate, monitor and manage the process by which eighth grade students
develop a rigorous, appropriate comprehensive plan, (Next Step Plan) that
prepares them to meet high school graduation requirements, and reflects
post-secondary and career planning.
3.27.7 AT THE HIGH
SCHOOL LEVEL:
a) School counselors
coordinate, monitor and manage the process by which students develop a
rigorous, appropriate comprehensive plan, (Next Step Plan) that prepares them
to meet high school graduation requirements, and reflects post-secondary and
career planning. Counselors also provide
information to all students about advanced placement, dual credit and distance
learning course options and opportunities.
b) The
school-counseling program equips students to develop competence in
decision-making, career planning, interpersonal relationships, personal
responsibility and other skills essential to being a productive citizen.
Back to Table of Contents
3.28
GRADUATION/CREDIT REQUIREMENTS
3.28.1 PURPOSE
Graduation from the Farmington Municipal Schools signifies
that students have satisfactorily completed their required course of
study. In order to receive a diploma,
students must meet all specified requirements as established by faculty, the
local Board of Education, and as outlined in New Mexico Public Code.
3.28.2 LOCAL BOARD EXPECTATION
A. By the end of the
fall semester, high school staff will make every reasonable effort to notify
seniors and their parents/guardians if the student is in danger of failing to
meet the requirements established for participating in the graduation exercises
and receiving a diploma.
B. No student may
participate in the graduation ceremony without meeting all graduation requirements.
C. Only students of
the Farmington Municipal Schools may participate in graduation ceremonies.
D. The Farmington
Municipal Schools will neither compel nor censor student prayer at graduation.
There will be no involvement of the Board or school staff in the planning,
preparations, or delivery of such prayer.
E. Early Graduation Policy.
Early graduates (defined as H1, H2, H3 students by the PED) will be
added to the list of honor graduates if their GPA is higher than the GPA of the
last honor graduate of the graduating class. The graduation program will
signify their early graduations with an asterisk or similar symbol. Early
graduates class rank will be based on their ranking in their cohort. Early
graduates are not eligible to be the Valedictorian or Salutatorian. Early
graduates will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony the following
year. Students interested in Early
Graduation should contact their high school counselor.
F. Graduation
ceremonies are festive occasions but are also academic events marked by
seriousness and formality because they are occasions recognizing the
significant effort of students, their families, faculty and administrators have
devoted to achieving completion of high school.
Students and guests are expected to show decorum consistent with the
occasion.
G. Graduation dress
code:
1. Students
participating in graduation ceremonies shall wear a cap and gown, and shoes
should be appropriate for a formal occasion such as a business function. No flip flops will be permitted.
2. In addition
to a cap and gown, the administration, in consultation with each site
principal, shall develop a standardized guideline for the approval of “honor
cords” and “honor stoles” and club or honor pins as decorative regalia to
gowns.
3. Regalia of
nationally recognized honor societies, including but no limited to the National
Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, student government and other
authorized student organizations, AVID, Key Club and JROTC shall be included in
the permitted decorations to gowns. Other
honor regalia reflecting personal academic awards or achievements shall be
approved by the site principals prior to being permitted.
4. Students may
ware culturally significant dress under their gowns or the traditional
cap. Other appropriate attire to be worn
under caps and gowns shall be approved by the site principal.
5. During the
graduation ceremonies, no elected officials other than current school board
members or past board members who are presenting diplomas may sit on the
stage. Commencement speeches shall be
limited to those speakers selected by the graduating class, subject to the
approval of the site principal.
3.28.3 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
A. All students at
Farmington High School, Piedra Vista High School, Rocinante High School, and
San Juan College High School, including special education students (except
students on an Ability Pathway) with an Individualized Education Program (NMAC
6.29.1.9.J), starting with the class of 2017, must complete 24 credits to
be eligible for a diploma.
B. Farmington
Municipal Schools follow all graduation requirements set forth by the New
Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED).
Requirements for each graduating class can be found on NMPED website
under “Graduation” in the “A-Z Directory.”
Additional required graduation units beyond state requirements are to be
taken in approved courses.
NMSA 1978, §§22-13-1.1 et. Seq. (2010); 6.19.7 NMAC (2009);
6.29.1.9 NMAC (2009).
C. Students who
entered high school in 2009-2010 or after must pass the New Mexico High School
Graduation Assessment (NMHSGA) in order to receive a high school diploma. The test is administered and may be taken
once as a sophomore, once as a junior and twice as a senior as needed to
successfully pass all sub-tests. The
appropriateness of administering the NMHSGA to special education students will
be determined by the Multidisciplinary Team.
D. With approval of
the Board of Education, the superintendent may request written approval from
the Secretary of Education to award a diploma to a student who has not passed
the competency examination and who is not covered under other provisions.
E. All students must
demonstrate competency in the subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics,
science, and social studies and earn all credits to graduate in order to
receive a New Mexico Diploma of Excellence.
Students who are unable to demonstrate competency using the
state options may apply for an alternative form of competency. To be considered for this option, students
must successfully complete all required credits .
Students choosing this option must submit the Alternative
Demonstration of Competency Application to the Graduation Review Committee at
each high school by March 1st of the graduating year.
The Graduation Review Committee consists of the building
principal or designee, the student’s counselor, one or more of the student’s
teachers, and a special education designee as applicable.
Table 4:
District-Approved Alternative Demonstrations of Competency
Table 4: District-Approved Alternative Demonstrations of Competency
|
Reading
|
Math
|
Writing
|
Science
|
Social Studies
|
Performance on the SBA or PARCC assessment which is within 5% of the cut scores established by PED
|
Performance on the SBA or PARCC assessment which is within 5% of the cut scores established by PED
|
Performance on the SBA or PARCC assessment which is within 5% of the cut scores established by PED
|
Performance on the SBA or PARCC assessment which is within 5% of the cut scores established by PED
|
An average passing score on all semester exam grades for all social studies courses
|
Performance on the EoC which is within 3 points of the cut scores established by PED
|
Performance on the EoC which is within 3 points of the cut scores established by PED
|
Performance on the EoC which is within 3 points of the cut scores established by PED
|
Performance on the EoC which is within 3 points of the cut scores established by PED
|
Performance on the EoC which is within 3 points of the cut scores established by PED
|
Scores from a college placement exam showing placement in a non-developmental level course
|
Scores from a college placement exam showing placement in a non-developmental level course
|
Scores from a college placement exam showing placement in a non-developmental level course
|
Scores from a college placement exam showing placement in a non-developmental level course
|
Scores from a college placement exam showing placement in a non-developmental level course
|
WORKKEYS Exam in Reading for Information-score of 3 or better
|
WORKKEYS Exam in Applied Mathematics – score of 3 or better
|
WORKKEYS Exam in Business Writing – score of 3 or better
|
WORKKEYS Exam in Applied Technology – score of 3 or better
|
WORKKEYS Exam in Teamwork – score of 3 or better
|
Acceptance to a 4-year institute of higher learning, or an accredited 2 year post-secondary educational institute or the US Military
|
Acceptance to a 4-year institute of higher learning, or an accredited 2 year post-secondary educational institute or the US Military
|
Acceptance to a 4-year institute of higher learning, or an accredited 2 year post-secondary educational institute or the US Military
|
Acceptance to a 4-year institute of higher learning, or an accredited 2 year post-secondary educational institute or the US Military
|
Acceptance to a 4-year institute of higher learning, or an accredited 2 year post-secondary educational institute or the US Military
|
Last Revision:
8/23/18
3.28.4 CREDIT REGULATIONS
A. Credits shall be transferable with no loss of value among
schools that are state recognized institutions, including Homeschool
programs.
B. Online courses may be used to provide graduation credit
to currently enrolled students with prior approval.
C. A final examination shall be administered to all students
in all courses offered for credit.
D. A student cannot take the same course twice for credit.
E. Concurrent enrollment and dual credit, both vocational
and academic, may be earned simultaneously from both the school district and
post-secondary institution(s).
Concurrent Enrollment and Dual Credit programs refer to
programs that allow high school students to enroll in college-level courses
offered by a public post-secondary institution prior to high school
graduation. Dually enrolled students may
earn credit toward high school graduation and a post-secondary degree or
certificate simultaneously as defined in NMAC 6.30.7.
A concurrently enrolled student refers to students who, on
their own, are enrolled in a public post-secondary institution. Students are
responsible for paying for tuition, instructional materials and applicable fees
at that post-secondary institution. Farmington
Municipal Schools will transcript credit earned from accredited institutions
upon receipt of an official grade or transcript record from the institution.
Classes taken at the post-secondary level as a concurrently
enrolled student while enrolled at FMS will be accepted if meeting the
following criteria:
- Course must
be from an accredited post-secondary institution.
- Course must
be approved by the high school counselor prior to enrolling to determine if the
course will be accepted as meeting a specific graduation requirement or as an
elective.
A dual credit student refers to students who have met
eligibility requirements to enter the Dual Credit Program. Courses may be academic or career technical,
but may not be remedial or developmental. Students can take Dual credit courses
to meet specific graduation requirements their junior and senior year (not
including students attending San Juan College High School) if the student has
met all state mandated testing graduation requirements or Alternative Demonstration
of Competency. Within this program, the post-secondary institution will waive
tuition and general fees and FMS will fund required instructional materials in
accordance with NMAC 6.30.7. FMS will transcript credit earned from the partner
institution upon receipt of an official grade or transcript record.
Dual credit courses will be accepted for currently enrolled
students in FMS, if meeting the following criteria:
- Course must
be from a post-secondary institution who has entered into a dual credit
agreement with FMS
- Course must
be approved by the high school counselor prior to enrolling
- Course must
meet requirements of a student’s next step plan in the career pathway or as a
foreign language/communications requirement
- Student has
met all of the testing graduation requirements in the subject for which they
are seeking core credit
F. For students entering the ninth grade in 2009-2010 or
later, at least one of the units required for graduation must be earned as an
advanced placement or honors course, a dual-credit course, or a distance
learning course.
G. All academic courses offered for credit must align to the
9-12 New Mexico Standards for Excellence (NMAC 6.29) and include a written,
sequential curriculum; include a final examination and End Of course Exam when
applicable; be reviewed and approved by the Curriculum and Instruction
Department.
3.28.5 Earned
Credit Requirements and Grade Level Classification
A. A student in
their first year of high school will be classified as a 9th grader (H1).
B. A student in
their second year of high school will be classified as a 10th grader (H2).
C. A student in
their third year of high school will be classified as a 11th grader (H3).
D. A student in
their fourth and subsequent years of high school will be classified as a 12th
grader (H4, H5, H6).
3.28.6
Remediation/Non-Remediation Classes
A. Remediation/Reinforcement Classes
Summer School courses may be offered for remediation and
reinforcement, for those students in grades seven through twelve. These courses
will be paid for by the student, with the exception of those students who
qualify for tuition waivers.
B. Non-Remediation Classes
Non-remediation courses may be offered for high school
students who wish to accelerate or supplement their education. The cost of
these courses will be completely funded by student enrollment fees.
Fee schedules will be reviewed annually
3.28.7 State Seal of Bilingualism and Biliteracy
A. 6.29.1.9
State Statute Proficiency Requirements
PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS:
To earn the bilingualism-biliteracy seal on the Farmington
Municipal School diploma of excellence, students must meet the graduation
requirements as specified in Subsection J of 6.29.1.9 NMAC, and demonstrate
proficiency in a language other than English, through one of the following
methods:
(1) Certification
by an individual Native American Tribe
(2) Units of
credit and an assessment
(3) Units of
credit and Alternative Process Portfolio
(4) Assessment
and Alternative Process Portfolio
Certification by the Navajo Tribe
The Navajo Tribe may certify that a student is proficient in
the Tribal language. The Navajo Tribe has developed the method and process for
determining proficiency in their respective Tribal language.
Units of credit and an assessment
The student must receive a grade of C or higher in four
units of credit in a language other than English. All four units of credit must
be in the same language other than English and shall consist of language
courses, language arts courses, content area courses or any combination
thereof. For the purposes of meeting the requirements of this option, a student
may not use units of credit in English language arts or English as a second
language for English language learners.
The student must meet the assessment of proficiency
requirement as follows:
(a) The student must attain a score of three or higher on an
advanced placement examination for a language other than English; or
(b) The student must attain a score of four or higher on an
international baccalaureate examination for a higher-level language other than
English course; or
(c) The student must score proficient on a national
assessment of language proficiency in a language other than English; or
(d) The student may demonstrate proficiency by passing a New
Mexico assessment in a world language other than English.
Units of credit and Alternative Process Portfolio
A student may
demonstrate proficiency by meeting both the units of credit and alternative
process portfolio option requirements.
(1) The student must receive a grade of C or higher in four
units of credit in a language other than English. All four units of credit must be in the same
language other than English and shall consist of language courses, language
arts courses, content area courses or any combination thereof. For the purposes of meeting the requirements
of this option, units of credit in English language arts or English as a second
language for English language learners cannot be used.
(2) The student must create a portfolio comprised of the
following: a presentation, an interview with a panel composed of three or more
members of the district’s education staff and community who are proficient in
the target language other than English, and a student-produced work sample,
written when appropriate. Districts shall ensure that the alternative portfolio
option includes both the receptive and expressive aspects of the language other
than English.
Assessment and Alternative Process Portfolio
A student may demonstrate proficiency by meeting both the
assessment and alternative process portfolio option requirements.
(1) The student must meet the assessment of proficiency
requirement as follows:
(a) the student must attain a score of three or higher on an
advanced placement examination for a language other than English; or
(b) the student must attain a score of four or higher on an
international baccalaureate examination for a higher-level language other than
English course; or
(c) the student must score proficient on a national
assessment of language proficiency in a language other than English; or
(d) the student may demonstrate proficiency by passing a New
Mexico assessment in a world language other than English.
(2) The student must create a portfolio comprised of the
following: a presentation, an interview with a panel composed of three or more
members of the district’s education staff and community who are proficient in
the target language other than English, and a student-produced work sample,
written when appropriate. Districts
shall ensure that the alternative portfolio option includes both the receptive
and expressive aspects of the language other than English.
B. NMAC 6.32.3.9 TRANSCRIPT: The graduate's high school
transcript must also indicate that the graduate received the state seal on the
graduate's New Mexico diploma of excellence.
Navajo Nation Oral Language Proficiency Criteria for NM
Language Proficiency Seal
Definition of Navajo Language Proficiency: Student must be proficient and fluent in
Navajo language. He/she must be able to
speak accurately, easily, conjugating verbs correctly, conveying meaning
through complex sentences, be able to put across their message clearly.
Seal of Navajo Language Proficiency awarded to:
• Graduating
High School seniors only
• Must meet
Deadline of no later than December 15 of each year.
• Navajo
Nation will recommend student’s for language seal to NM PED
• Student does
not have to be Navajo
• For NM
Students only
Criteria for a Speaker of Navajo language:
1. Be able to
introduce themselves appropriately in correct order, (clan, born for, maternal
grandfathers, paternal grandfathers, where their mother’s home area is, their
parents and grandparents, related clans, something about their personal
background that they can share (nothing private).
2. Demonstrate
proficiency with a 10 minute oral presentation before a committee in Navajo on
a topic. (Topics will be provided by
OSCAD).
3. Be able to
answer a set of questions given by the Committee
4. Demonstrate
proficiency by listening to a video clip on a cultural topic and follow it up
by a 10 minute oral presentation discussing the topic to the committee.
5. Be able to
adequately fulfill the rubric used by the Committee
6. No English
language use allowed
Criteria for Navajo as a Second Language Learner:
1. Demonstrate
proficiency with a 10 minute oral presentation before a committee in Navajo on
a topic. (Topics will be provided by
OSCAD).
2. Introduce
selves correctly; in correct order (clan, born for, maternal grandfathers,
paternal grandfathers), where they are from (mother’s home area), their parents
and grandparents, related clans. Be able
to talk about themselves.
3. Be able to
answer a set of questions given by the Committee
4. Must take
Navajo I, II, III; courses must be on a High School transcript and earned from
an accredited institution, High School, College or University.
5. Be able to
adequately fulfill the rubric used by the Committee
6. No English
language use allowed
Committee Component (4):
1. 1 OSCAD
Staff
2. 2 School
District (1 language teacher, 1 other; a person who is proficient and fluent in
Navajo language, and who works with Navajo language education)
3. 1 Community
Students will be tested at the school sites
Not considered as credit to fulfill Navajo Language
course(s) requirement:
Navajo History
Navajo Government
Navajo Culture
Navajo Studies
Rosetta Stone
Short Summer Language Camp/Course (3 weeks or less)
Chapter language camp/program
Revised: 9/27/18
Back to Table of Contents
3.29 GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team is
responsible for determining whether students with disabilities and receiving
special education services have completed a planned program of study making
him/her eligible to receive a diploma or certificate.
3.29.1 Upon
completion of a planned program of study that meets the following requirements
of NMAC 6.29.1.9.J.13 the student will be awarded a diploma:
• A standard
program of study meeting or surpassing all requirements for graduation based on
New Mexico Standards for Excellence with or without modification of delivery
and assessment.
• A career
readiness program of study based upon meeting the Public Education Department’s
Career Readiness Standards with Benchmarks as defined in the IEP.
• An ability
program of study based upon IEP goals and objectives, referencing skill
attainment at a student’s ability level, which may lead to meaningful
employment.
3.29.2 A student
who receives special education services may be granted a certificate when:
• The IEP team
provides documentation and justification for the use of a certificate for an
individual student and a follow-up plan of action.
• A student who
receives a certificate is eligible to continue receiving special education services
until receipt of a diploma or until the end of the academic year in which the
student turns 22 (twenty-two) years of age.
The receipt of a diploma terminates the service eligibility of students
with special needs.
Back to Table of Contents
3.30
DISTRICT GRADING SYSTEM
The grading periods for Farmington Municipal Schools will be
every nine weeks. Farmington Municipal
Schools, grades K-8, uses Proficiency Scales to clearly communicate student
progress toward learning goals. Teachers utilize student assignments and
assessments as evidence toward determining proficiency. The following chart
describes the 0-4 proficiency levels:
4.0
Advanced My
understanding goes beyond all of the Complex Learning Goals.
The student consistently exceeds grade level expectations on
all Complex Learning Goals as demonstrated by a body of evidence that shows a
depth of understanding and flexible application of grade level concepts.
3.5
Advanced My
understanding goes beyond some of the Complex Learning Goals.
The student consistently exceeds grade level expectations on
some Complex Learning Goals as demonstrated by a body of evidence that shows a
depth of understanding and flexible application of grade level concepts.
3.0
Grade Level Proficiency
(Complex Goals) I
know all of the Simple and Complex Learning Goals.
The student consistently meets grade level expectations on
all Simple and Complex Learning Goals as demonstrated by a body of evidence
that shows independent understanding and application of grade level concepts.
2.5
Nearing Proficiency I
know all of the Simple Learning Goals plus some of the Complex Learning Goals.
The student consistently meets grade level expectations on
all Simple and some Complex Learning Goals as demonstrated by a body of
evidence that shows independent understanding and application of grade level
concepts.
2.0
Grade Level Foundation
Nearing Proficiency
(Simple Goals) I
know all of the Simple Learning Goals.
The student meets foundational grade level expectations on all
Simple Learning Goals as demonstrated by a body of evidence that shows basic
understanding and application of grade level concepts.
1.0
Beginning Step I
know some of the Simple Learning Goals.
The student meets foundational grade level expectations on some
Simple Learning Goals as demonstrated by a body of evidence that shows basic
understanding and application of grade level concepts.
0.0
No Evidence No
evidence of knowing the Learning Goals.
In grades 6-8, in order to calculate eligibility for participation
in NMAA activities, the Proficiency Score will be converted to a letter grade
and percentage. The conversion percentage for a letter grade will be consistent
across the district:
4.0 = A+/100%
3.5 = A+/98%
3.0 = A/95%
2.5 = B/85%
2.0 = C/75%
1.0 = D/65%
0.0 = F/55%
In grades 9-12, grades will be reported each 9 weeks using
the following scale:
A = 90-100 - Outstanding
in thoroughness, accuracy
B = 80-89 - Above
average in performance
C = 70-79 -Average in
performance
D = 60-69 - Below
average in performance but acceptable for credit
F = 59 & under - Not
acceptable for credit
I = Incomplete work: an "I" grade must be removed within
the time specified by the classroom teacher.
WF = Withdraw
with F
Pluses (+) may be given with A's, B's, C's and D's as
follows:
A+ = 97.5-100
A = 89.5-97.4
B+ = 87.5-89.4
B = 79.5-87.4
C+ = 77.5-79.4
C = 69.5-77.4
D+ = 67.5-69.4
D = 59.5-67.4
F = 59.4 &
under
3.30.1 Computation
of Grades
A. For purposes of computing a student’s grade-point average
the following point system will be used:
A+ = 4.3; A = 4.0; B+ = 3.3; B = 3.0; C+ = 2.3; C = 2.0; D+= 1.3; D =
1.0; F = 0. Advanced placement courses
will have grades weighted in the following manner: A = 5.0; B+ = 4.3; B = 4.0; C+ = 3.3; C =
3.0; D+ = 2.3; D = 2.0; F = 0.
B. Graduating classes
of 2020 and 2021
Those students who have exhausted core content courses
offered at their zoned high school will have the option of taking the next
course in a sequence as dual credit at a post-secondary institution. Refer to the District’s Weighted Dual Credit
Guidelines for eligible courses. Grades
for these courses will be weighted in the following manner: A = 5.0; B = 4.0; C
= 3.0; D = 2.0; F = 0.
C Beginning with the
graduating class of 2022 for Farmington High School, Piedra Vista and Rocinante
High School along with graduating class of 2020 for San Juan College High
School, eligible dual credit courses with advanced placement equivalents or
greater will have grades weighted in the following manner: A = 5.0; B = 4.0; C = 3.0; D = 2.0; F =
0. Refer to the District’s Weighted Dual
Credit Guidelines for eligible courses.
IDEAL-NM
8th grade students will be allowed to access IDEAL-NM to
complete courses for High School credit. The course must be completed outside
of the regular school day.
Revised: 9/12/19
3.30.2
P.E./Athletics Classes Transcripted Credit
Farmington Municipal Schools Board of Education supports
providing opportunities for high school students to earn transcripted credits
through participation in structured P.E./Athletics classes. The Board directs the administration to
develop procedures to implement and monitor any such programs. These administrative procedures should
include, but not be limited to, such issues as curricular adequacy, open
enrollment opportunities and annual FTE/fiscal impact at school sites.
Physical Education Requirement
Farmington Municipal Schools
In any of the circumstances below a semester of one class
can be combined with a semester of another (example 1 semester of ROTC and 1
semester of Basketball fulfills the requirement)
2 semesters of any 7th hour sport (including Football,
Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, Wrestling, Baseball or Softball and any others)
2 semesters of PE, Lifetime Sports & Activities,
Personal Fitness, Aerobics, Weightlifting, ROTC or Marching Band
Participants in a sport or activity who are NOT in a class
have the following requirements:
3 Complete Seasons of a Sport= 1 Year
2 Complete Seasons of a Sport= 1 Semester
(Cheer, Dance, Football, Volleyball, Cross Country,
Basketball, Wrestling, Swimming, Golf, Baseball, Softball, Tennis, Track and Field)
3 Complete Seasons of an Activity= 1 Year
2 Complete Seasons of an Activity= 1 Semester
(Color Guard or Bowling)
All instructors of these classes, sports, and activities
must make sure the students understand the PE standards as each student will have
to pass the EOC (End of Course Exam) for Physical Education.
Back to Table of Contents
3.31 END OF COURSE TESTING AND GRADES
Final examinations shall be administered to all students in
grades 9-12 for all classes offered for credit.
If a required class for graduation is taken prior to the 9th grade, the
same final examination shall be administered for that course. All grades given for the final examination
shall be a part of the student’s final grade for the course. For courses with an
End of Course Exam (as required by the Public Education Department), the End of
Course Exam will be taken in place of the final examination. All final exams and End of Course exams will
count as 20% of the semester grade.
Back to Table of Contents
3.32 REMEDIATION/RETENTION/PROMOTION/ACCELERATION
POLICY
3.32.1 Purpose
Remediation and Academic Improvement Programs to provide
special instructional assistance to students in grades kindergarten through
eight who fail to attain adequate yearly progress shall be established in each
school building.
These remediation and academic programs shall be
incorporated into each building’s educational plan for student success.
3.32.2 Alignment
The remediation programs, academic improvement contracts and
promotion policies of the Farmington Municipal Schools shall be aligned with
the state content standards and based on the following:
• Statewide Assessment results;
• Local Levels may include but not limited to, Common
Interim Assessments, DIBELS, mCLASS;
• Student performance in school
3.32.3
Definitions for This Policy
A. “Academic
Improvement Plan” means a written document developed by the student assistance
team that describes the specific content standards required for a certain grade
level that a student has not achieved and that prescribes specific remediation
programs such as summer school, extended school day or school week and
tutoring;
B. “Alternative school-district determined assessment results” means the results
obtained from student assessments developed by the local school board and
conducted at an elementary grade level or middle school level;
C. “Statewide
assessment results” means the results obtained from the New Mexico Achievement
Assessment that is administered annually to students in grades three through
nine pursuant to New Mexico State Board of Education rules; and
D. “Student assistance team” means a group
consisting of a student’s:
1. teacher(s)
2. school
counselor
3. school
administrators; and
4. parent(s) or
legal guardian(s)
3.32.4 Procedures
A parent or guardian shall be notified no later than the end
of the second grading period that his/her child is failing to make adequate
yearly progress.
A conference shall be held with the parent or guardian to
discuss and set up a remediation program to assist the student in attaining
yearly progress. The written plan shall
include:
A. timelines;
B. academic
expectations; and
C. measurements
to be used to verify that a student has overcome his academic deficiencies.
Remediation programs and academic programs may include but
are not limited to tutoring, extended days or week programs, summer programs
and other research-based models for student improvement.
3.32.5 Options
At the end of grades one through seven, three options are
available, dependent on a student’s yearly progress:
A. The student
has made adequate yearly progress and shall enter the next higher grade;
B. The student
has not made adequate yearly progress and shall participate in the required
level of remediation. Upon certification by the teacher and/or building
principal that student has subsequently, made adequate yearly progress, he
shall enter the next higher grade; or
C. The student
has not made adequate yearly progress upon the recommendation of the certified
teacher and school principal shall either be:
1. retained in
the same grade for no more than one school year with an Academic Improvement
Plan;
2. promoted to
the next grade if the parent or guardian refuses to allow his child to be retained. In this case,
a) the parent shall sign a waiver indicating his/her desire
to have the child promoted to the next grade with an Academic Improvement Plan.
b) students failing to make adequate yearly progress at the
end of that next year shall be retained in the same grade for no more than one
year.
c) Academic Improvement Plans shall be developed by a
Student Assistance Team consisting of a student’s: teacher (team of teachers); school counselor;
school administrator; and parent or legal guardian
3.32.6 Grade Eight
Retention
At the end of the eighth grade, a student who fails to have
made adequate yearly progress shall be retained in the eighth grade for no more
than one year in order to attain proficiency.
A student in the eighth grade not demonstrating adequate
yearly progress may not be waivered for promotion by his parent or guardian.
3.32.7 Special
Education
Promotion and
retention discussions affecting a student enrolled in special education shall
be made in accordance with the provisions of the individual educational plan
established for that student.
3.32.8 Summer
School
Farmington Municipal Schools may offer summer school courses
for remediation, reinforcement or advancement.
A. Remediation/Reinforcement
Classes
Summer school courses may be offered for remediation and
reinforcement for those students in grades 7 through 12. These courses will be paid for by the
student, with the exception of those students who qualify for tuition waivers.
B. Non-Remediation
Classes
Non-remediation courses may be offered for high school
students who wish to accelerate or supplement their education. The cost of these courses will be completely
funded by student enrollment fees.
C. Acceleration
Overview:
Acceleration is an intervention that moves students through
an educational program at a faster rate, or at a younger age, than
typical. In some cases, acceleration is
an appropriate means of matching the level, complexity and pace of the
curriculum to the readiness and motivation of the student.
The goal of acceleration is to:
1) adjust the pace of
instruction to the students’ capability in order to experience a more
challenging curriculum,
2) provide an appropriate level of challenge in order
to avoid the boredom from repetitious learning, and
3) reduce the time period necessary for students to complete traditional schooling.
Referral of a student for acceleration is a separate process
from referral to a school’s gifted services.
All students have access to acceleration and not all students identified
as gifted may be in need of acceleration.
A student who is referred for acceleration will not necessarily be part
of a school’s gifted services because the student may not be identified as
being in need of services, or may be in the referral process for gifted
services.
Farmington Municipal Schools utilizes two types of
acceleration: subject and grade-based accelerations:
Subject-Based Acceleration provides students with advanced
content, skills or knowledge before the expected age or grade level. Options to
accelerate within the subject may include:
a. Self-Paced Instruction is for the advanced student,
within the parameters of a specific written contract, works on self-paced
activities of greater complexity and depth than his/her classroom peers.
b. Curriculum Compacting occurs when a student is
pre-assessed to determine whether grade-level proficiency in a specific
academic area has been achieved. With the time saved, the student then engages
in advanced curriculum in the same time slot.
c. Dual Enrollment allows advanced students to enroll in
higher-level coursework when proficiency at grade level has been demonstrated.
d. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are provided in which the
advanced student may enroll and take AP exams, gaining high school and possible
advanced university course credit based on the examination score.
e. Distance Learning. All New Mexico students have a unique
opportunity to access coursework completely online. Online courses are
available for core, elective, and AP courses to students enrolled in schools
that cannot address all individuals’ course needs. A true distance course is
fully supported by an instructor “at the other end,” which distinguishes it
from a traditional correspondence course.
Grade-Based Acceleration typically shortens the number of
years a student spends in grades K-12.
In practice, a student is placed in a higher-grade level than is
typical, given the student’s age, on a full-time basis for the purpose of
providing access to appropriately challenging learning opportunities. Grade-based acceleration can include other
means to shorten the number of years a student remains in the K-12 school
system.
a. Two common
situations for whole-grade acceleration occur when a student:
1. completes a
grade level and skips a full grade level and is placed two grades ahead at the
beginning of the following school year.
For example, a first grader, who has completed first grade is placed in
a third-grade classroom (rather than a second-grade classroom) on a full-time
basis at the beginning of the next school year.
2. completes
the fall semester of a school year and is placed in the next grade level at the
beginning of the spring semester of the same school year. For example, a
fifth-grade student completes the fall semester of his/her fifth-grade year and
is placed in the sixth grade at the start of the second semester of the same
school year.
Possible indicators for acceleration for one or more
subjects are:
- at or above
the 90th percentile on regularly administered state norm referenced tests
- scoring at
or above the 85th percentile and possessing a GPA of 3.5 or above
- scoring at
or above the 90th percentile on two consecutive short cycle assessments.
- for (K-8),
the student must understand the complex topics at 3.5, or higher on proficiency
scales.
Special Considerations:
- Acceleration is not recommended for grades 5 or 8, as they
are transition years and, could prove to be a more challenging adjustment.
- For secondary acceleration, a student still must meet FMS
and state guidelines. Any student planning to graduate early from High School
needs to start planning in the 8th grade on their Next Step Plan in order to
meet the graduation requirements for the state of New Mexico and Farmington
Municipal Schools.
Process Guidelines:
Access to acceleration is open to all students who
demonstrate mastery of curriculum regardless of gender, race, ethnicity,
disability status, socioeconomic status, English language proficiency and
school building attended.
In order to accelerate, a team will meet and discuss the
needs of the student. The team should consist of the following: school
counselor, student, parents or guardians, current and receiving teacher(s),
school principal, enrichment coordinator, gifted education teacher, a
representative with expertise in language acquisition when the student is ELL,
Special Education Case Manager(s), and any other parties who may have knowledge
beneficial to the decision making process will participate in a meeting. In the
event the team can not reach consensus, the building principal of the current
school will make the final decision.
In the data-gathering process, consideration for
acceleration should not be based on any single data source, but should include
all information gathered; therefore, the team will review the following:
1. Student
interest in acceleration for the appropriate subject(s). If the student
expresses that he/she is not interested in acceleration, then the process
should not proceed any further.
2. SAT File to
include:
a. teacher
recommendation with coursework and documented observations for support
b. effectiveness
of implemented interventions (Tier I or Tier II)
3. Any IEPs or
identification(s) of IDEA or Giftedness
4. Parental
support
5. Social/Emotional
impact, concerns and recommendations
6. Any
additional input from administration at school or district level
Factors that enhance the success of acceleration practices
include 1) positive attitudes of teachers, 2) timelines related to the
decision, 3) parental support, and 4) careful monitoring of the implementation.
Documentation of acceleration should be documented in the
student’s SAT file or within the IEP.
3.32.9 Valedictorian and Salutatorian Determination
NOTICE: Board Policy 3.32.9 Valedictorian and Salutatorian Determination for the graduating class of 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023,2024, 2025 and 2026 has been waived due to the Covid-19 Pandemic in order to meet the unique circumstances presented.
Academic recognition is determined on the student's grade
point average (GPA) from credit requirements. All calculations will be made on
eight semesters. Ties will be considered only on the third decimal place
(thousandth, i.e. 4.327/4.326). These credits will include the sixteen standard
graduation required subject courses and all electives. Advanced Placement classes carry an extra
weighted factor as compared to all other classes.
The Valedictorian will be the student who has the highest
grade point average (GPA) as determined under the above criteria. The
Salutatorian will be the student with the second highest grade point average as
determined under the above criteria. If there is a tie for Valedictorian, there
will be no Salutatorian. However, there may be a tie for Salutatorian. To be
eligible for Valedictorian and Salutatorian, the student must have attended a
Farmington Municipal Schools high school the second semester of their junior
year, and two semesters of their senior year to be eligible.
The Administration of Farmington Municipal Schools encourage
students to pursue enrichment opportunities that add value to the high school
educational experience. These experiences may include student exchange
opportunities, specialized academies and other enrichment programs. With
pre-approval of the high school principal and/or designee, eligibility
requirements may be waived to allow for such educational opportunities. If
waived, the student must attend a district high school for the second semester
of their senior year. Written notification will be provided to the student
and/or parents that the above requirements have been waived, with a copy of the
approved waiver placed in the students file.
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3.33 FINAL
GRADE CHANGE REQUIREMENTS
The Farmington Municipal Schools Board of Education
acknowledges that uniformly applied rules for correction of erroneous grades
are necessary to assure the integrity of final grades and course grades and to
assure public confidence in the grading process. Therefore, any course grade change, test
grade or assignment grade change, which is not made in accordance with the following
requirements, is deemed a violation of this Policy and will result in
disciplinary proceedings against the employee and/or student involved.
3.33.1 Statewide
Tests/Adequate Yearly Progress/Graduation
Test results on any statewide test used to determine
adequate yearly progress or graduation from high school may not be changed
unless a grade change is necessary due to a clearly clerical mistake, such as
when a student is misidentified. In such
circumstances, the Superintendent or the District Testing Coordinator shall
promptly notify the assessment and accountability division of the New Mexico
Public Education Department (PED) for guidance.
3.33.2 Final
Course Grade Change
A. If a parent,
legal guardian of a student, or a student of legal age (Person Requesting)
disputes the accuracy of a final course grade, the person requesting must
submit a written request for the final course grade change, with supporting
documentation, in substantially the same form as the school provides. Unless the student is still enrolled in the
school district at the time of the course grade change request, the request
must be made within fifteen (15) days after the student has exited the school
unless extenuating circumstances permit consideration of a longer time. Requests for final course grade changes of
students who are currently enrolled shall be made no later than two (2) weeks
after final course grade reports for that semester have been delivered.
B. No final
course grade change shall be considered for any prior school year unless the
school determines that a mathematical error or misidentification of a student
has resulted in a failing grade and, but for that error, the student would have
received a passing grade.
C. Not later
than five (5) school days after receipt of the request, the principal of the
student’s school, or the principal’s designee, shall respond in writing to the
request. The response shall state
whether the request is denied or allowed, and if allowed, what new grade will
be entered. Any grade change must be
based on articulated reasons in the response such as extenuating circumstances,
additional graded work submitted by the student, additional or make-up testing,
or any other meaningful criteria that can be verified.
D. During the
investigation period following receipt of a course grade change request, the
principal, or appropriate designee, shall make a good faith attempt to obtain
written input from the teacher who issued the grade in dispute. The teacher shall state reasons to support or
oppose the requested grade change and provide any documentation to support the
teacher’s reasons. During the investigation period the course grade, as
originally entered, shall remain effective for determining a student’s
eligibility for participation in extra curricular activities or other school
sponsored activities in which a minimum grade point is required.
E. No person
shall pressure or retaliate against the teacher for making a certain
recommendation. The principal or
designee shall be responsible for reviewing the request, approving and signing
the final written response to any grade change request and for ensuring that
this policy was followed.
F. The written
response shall be mailed to the person requesting by first class mail to the
address as shown on the request for grade change form. Posting by mail shall be deemed delivery.
G. The final
written response shall also inform the person requesting that he or she has
five (5) school days following notification of the written response to request
a hearing before the Executive Director for Curriculum and Instruction and/or
Superintendent of Schools to appeal the decision. If a hearing request is timely, the hearing
shall be set within ten (10) school days following receipt of the request and
shall give the person requesting at least two (2) school days advance written
notice of where and when the hearing will be held. The person requesting, at his or her own
expense, may have an attorney or other representative at the hearing.
H. The hearing
officer shall render a written decision as soon as possible but no later than
five (5) school days after the hearing. The decision shall be based only on evidence presented at the hearing
and shall include a summary of this evidence and the reasons for the
decision. No record shall be made at the
hearing.
I. If the
hearing officer decides to uphold the decision of the principal, or principal’s designee, the person requesting shall be notified of that decision. The person requesting shall have the right to
submit to the principal of the school a statement of objection to the hearing
officer’s decision. Any statement from
the requesting party shall be placed in the student’s cumulative record folder,
shall be disclosed by the school whenever the contested portion of the
cumulative record is disclosed, and shall not be destroyed unless the contested
portion of the cumulative record is destroyed.
J. The final
course grade change documents shall be maintained in a separate file that is
destroyed after the student graduates, transfers from, or otherwise leaves the
school.
3.33.3 Test Grade
or Assignment Grade Change
A person making a
request shall submit a written request to the teacher of the class giving a
test grade or assignment grade for a grade change. The request shall specify the factual grounds
for the request. Any request for a change
to a test grade or assignment grade must be made within five (5) school days
following receipt of that grade.
The teacher shall respond to the request in writing no later
than five (5) school days following the request. A student not of legal age must have his or
her parent or legal guardian sign the teacher’s written response acknowledging
receipt.
3.33.4 A person
requesting, who disputes the teacher’s decision, on the test grade or
assignment may appeal to the principal by submitting a written request for
review by the Principal within three (3) school days of the teacher’s
decision. The principal shall review
the teacher’s decision and underlying documentation and shall render a written
decision within five (5) school days.
The principal’s decision shall be final and not subject to review.
3.33.5 Pending a
final decision, the test or assignment grade, as originally entered shall
remain effective for determining a student’s eligibility for participation in
extra-curricular activities or other school-sponsored activities in which a
minimum grade point is required.
3.33.6 General
Provisions
Any course grade
change must be available to all students who are similarly situated.
The school shall strictly adhere to all requirements under
the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA). Nothing stated herein
shall in any way limit or eliminate the rights afforded to parents under
federal regulations 34CFR Sections 300.618 through 300.621 under the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and 34 CFR Sections 99.20 through
99.22 under FERPA, both as they relate to amendment of a student’s educational
records.
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3.34 RELIGION IN
THE SCHOOLS
3.34.1 The Board
of Education recognizes that religion has played an undeniable role in the
formation of the world's peoples, its civilizations, the foundation of our
country, and the lives of its citizens.
The place of religion in our society should be recognized as an
important one.
3.34.2 At the
same time, under the Constitution of the United States, our schools may neither
actively sponsor nor interfere with religion.
3.34.3 The proper
role of religion in the public schools is in its educational value in the study
of subjects such as history, literature, and art, and in non-religious
recognition of the place of religion in society. In that capacity, and when appropriate within
the curriculum, the subject of religion can provide a basis for schools to
teach our children about various belief systems, and their current and
historical impact on human culture. The
non-religious study of religion also provides a basis for the schools to play a
vital role in instilling understanding, tolerance and mutual respect among
people of different backgrounds.
3.34.4 The
Superintendent shall issue administrative procedures for implementing this
policy. (See Administrators Handbook)
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3.35 RELEASED TIME
FOR RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION
3.35.1 Provided
there is no financial penalty to the School District, released time for
religious instruction will be allowed in accordance with Section 22-12-3,
NMSA1978, as follows:
3.35.2 "Any
student may, subject to the approval of the local school board, be excused from
school to participate in religious instruction for not more than one (1) class
period each school day with written consent of his/her parents at a time period
not in conflict with the academic program of the school. The local school board and its employees
shall not assume responsibility for the religious instruction or permit them to
be conducted on school property."
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3.36 PUBLIC
PERFORMANCE BY STUDENTS
3.36.1 Teachers
will be encouraged to provide students for public performances when:
A. such
performances fit both the aims of the schools and the needs of the students;
B. such
performances are free from the kinds of appeals and pressures that limit the
best development of participants;
C. no student is
excluded because of race, color, creed, or disability;
D. such
performances is appropriate to the age group.
3.36.2 Students
may perform under school sponsorship when admission fees are charged only if
the proceeds are used for charitable, educational, or civic purposes. Payment
for performances under school sponsorship may be accepted by the schools but
not by individual students. Costs
directly related to performances, the supervision of students, and liability
protection for the participants will be the responsibility of the school
district.
3.36.3 Approval
for all public performances will be given by the office of the Superintendent
when the above criteria have been met.
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3.37 CO-CURRICULAR
AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS
3.37.1 Student
activities at school are a vital part of the total educational program and
should be used as a means for developing wholesome attitudes and good human
relations, as well as knowledge and skills.
The Board of Education believes that school citizenship, as reflected in
student activities, is a measure of the achievement of important school
goals. The greatest values derived from
both co-curricular and extra curricular student school activities occur when
such activities are developed and encouraged through participation of the
student body, interested members in the community, and the school staff.
3.37.2 The Board
of Education further believes that any program of student activities should:
A. Require all
student extra curricular participation to be on a voluntary basis.
B. Permit the
formation of student clubs, and other organized groups to promote or pursue
specialized athletic, social service and social activities.
3.37.3 Three
types of clubs or groups are permitted in the Farmington Schools:
A. School-Sponsored
Clubs: Student clubs or groups that are
sponsored by the school because their purposes and goals are related to the
school's curriculum, such as Spanish Club;
B. Student-Initiated
Club: Student clubs or groups initiated
by students that are recognized, but not sponsored by, the school because their
purposes and goals are not related to the curriculum, but which are permitted
to meet at school during non-instructional time;
and
C. Outside
Clubs or Groups: Youth clubs or groups,
such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, which include students as members, but
which are neither "sponsored" nor "recognized" by the
school, and which are merely permitted the use of school facilities after
school hours on an equal footing with other community groups.
3.37.4 Student
Clubs shall be formed as follows:
A. Students who
wish to form a School-Sponsored Club shall make a request to the Principal for
approval and sponsorship.
B. Students who
wish to form a Student-Initiated Club shall make a request to the Principal for
approval and recognition.
C. Both types
of clubs must be open to all students on an equal basis, must be voluntary, and
must operate on the basis of the procedural guidelines established by the
student council acting in concert with the Principal.
D. School-Sponsored
Clubs shall be assigned a faculty sponsor, and if no faculty member is willing
to accept such appointment, the formation of the club may be delayed or denied.
E. Student-Initiated
Clubs shall have assigned to them a faculty supervisor, and, if the club is
religiously oriented, the faculty member shall be limited to non-participatory
and custodial responsibilities; if no faculty member is willing to accept such
appointment, the formation of the club may be delayed or denied.
F. Approval of
the formation of any club will not be denied on the basis of the speech or
viewpoint of the club or its members, except that such approval may be denied
if the proposed clubs meetings would materially and substantially interfere
with the orderly conduct of educational activity within the school, or would
impede the ability of the administration to maintain order and discipline on
school premises, to protect the well being of students and faculty, to assure that
attendance at religious meetings is voluntary, and to make such regulations as
required by consideration of space, safety, and the common good.
G. Lists of
School-Sponsored Clubs, sponsored by the school, and of Student-Initiated Clubs
recognized by the school, will be maintained by the school and posted on the
school’s web site. Parents may request
in writing to restrict their child’s participation in specific clubs or
activities.
3.37.5 In
addition to other limitations and restrictions governing students and student
organizations, all non-curricular, Student-Initiated Clubs are subject to the
following limitations:
A. Meetings or
activities at school of religiously oriented Student-Initiated Clubs may
include no employees or agents of the school except upon assignment by the
administration in a non-participatory, custodial capacity; and
B. Non-school
persons may not direct, conduct, control, or regularly attend meetings or
activities of such clubs at school.
3.37.6
Advertising in the school by Student-Initiated Clubs and by Outside
Clubs or Groups shall be limited to announcements of the times and places of
such clubs' meetings as part of the daily routine of the school in providing
such information.
3.37.7 Without
exception, all students and non-students involved in any manner whatsoever with
co-curricular and extra-curricular programs are required to comply with the
Concussion Management Policy and Concussion Management Protocol set forth in
Policy 2.65. Failure to comply with the
Concussion Management Policy and Concussion Management Protocol will result in
suspension of the co-curricular or extra-curricular activity for the remainder
of the school year.
3.37.8 A home
school student is eligible to participate in three co-curricular or
extra-curricular activities at the public school in the attendance zone in
which the student resides and meets eligibility requirements as specified by
the New Mexico Activities Association regulations [Reg. 10.5.2].
See also Policies 3.23.1, 4.59, 5.11 and 5.14.
Last Revision:
5/09/19
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3.38 EXTENDED YEAR
PROGRAMS
3.38.1 Farmington
Municipal Schools may provide an extended year program providing opportunities
for enrichment and remedial instruction for Farmington Municipal Schools'
students and other non-resident students.
3.38.2 The
extended year program shall be on a self-supporting financial basis, therefore,
nominal tuition fees for pupils shall be charged except for students in
programs that are funded by the federal government or other outside
agencies. Scholarships of sliding
schedule fees may be available according to the student's family income.
3.38.3 The administration
is authorized to hire necessary teaching/ supervisory/clerical personnel in
order to efficiently operate the program.
3.38.4
Transportation shall be the responsibility of each parent.
3.38.5 The
administration shall have the right to cancel announced courses for which there
is not sufficient enrollment and to refund fees.
3.38.6 The
coordinator of extended year programs may dismiss a student for violation of
published summer school rules.
3.38.7 The
extended year program curriculum shall be established in line with the needs
and interest of students.
3.38.8 Current
qualified staff members shall be given first preference for teaching the
extended year program courses.
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3.39 AIDS EDUCATION
The District recognizes that education presents the most
effective long-term means of controlling an AIDS epidemic. AIDS instruction should focus on prevention,
emphasize abstinence and include (1) definition of terms; (2) how the virus is
spread; (3) consequences and risks of infection; (4) effects of the body
including the immune system; (5) refusal and decision-making skills; (6)
societal implications for the disease; and (7) resources for appropriate
medical care.
To meet this end, the District shall provide an integrated
instructional program in the health curriculum, using current instructional
materials, to meet the needs of the students at various levels, and to meet the
requirements of the New Mexico State Department of Education (i.e., that AIDS
education be taught three times in the student's school life) about the health
risks involved with AIDS. The curriculum
will be developed and evaluated periodically under the direction of the
Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction and must be approved by the
School Board. Any changes in objectives
and/or materials to be used will be brought to the School Board for their
approval before implementation.
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3.40 HOMEWORK
POLICY
Quality of Homework
In the Farmington Schools it is expected that homework will
be assigned at all levels. Homework
assigned to students should be well designed and relate directly to class work;
it should extend students' learning beyond the classroom. Homework is most useful when teachers carefully
prepare the assignment, thoroughly explain it, and give prompt feedback when
work is completed.
The district recognizes the difference between guided
practice (classroom work) and independent practice (homework). Homework is assigned for the purpose of
helping students to become independent learners, follow directions, make
judgments and comparisons, generate additional questions for study, and to
develop responsibility and self-discipline.
Homework Policies and Expectations will be outlined in the Administrative
Procedural Handbook and Student Handbooks.
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3.41 SCHOOL
VOLUNTEERS
3.41.1 Volunteers
can make valuable contributions to our schools, not only in the instructional
program but also in connection with special activities, field trips, school
health program, etc. The Board of
Education therefore endorses a volunteer program, subject to suitable
regulations and safeguards in accordance with NMAC 6.50.18.8.
3.41.2 Retirees,
parents, and other citizens shall be encouraged to serve as volunteers to help
teachers and other licensed personnel enrich and expand the work done in the
classrooms at every level of education in the school district. Volunteers will become members of a teaching team
working together to achieve the educational goals of the school district and to
maximize the learning opportunities for children.
3.41.4 Regular
volunteers/chaperones must sign up with the district and are subject to a
background check and completion of district training. A regular volunteer is
any volunteer who routinely volunteers in the school or a program including but
not limited to meeting the following criteria: has a specific job description,
specific duties and time commitment, have direct supervision responsibilities
of students.
3.41.3
Spontaneous volunteers are not subject to these rules, but spontaneous
volunteers must be supervised at all times by an employee or regular volunteer
of the school district or charter school. Spontaneous volunteers are those
volunteers who may occasionally volunteer in the school or off campus
activities, and do not have direct unsupervised responsibilities of students.
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3.42 ANIMALS AT
SCHOOL SITES
3.42.1 It is the
intent of the Farmington Municipal Schools to provide a healthy learning
environment for all children. The Board
recognizes that some children and adults have health conditions caused or
exacerbated by animals and the health of these individuals needs to be
protected. The presence of animals,
except service animals, in the buildings will be screened on a case-by-case
basis,
and limited in such a manner as to reduce the potential for
injury and liabilities. New Mexico
recognizes and distinction between a service animal and a support animal or
comfort animal, and consideration as to whether a person may have a support
animal or comfort animal will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and if
permission is granted, the support or comfort animal will be subject to the
bases for removal set forth in 3.42.4, below.
3.42.2 It also
recognizes that animals can be linked to legitimate educational purposes and
objectives, but strives to be respectful of our diverse cultural and ethnic
population. The Board acknowledges that
allowing animals, except service animals, indoors may be a cultural concern for
some members of our school community.
3.42.3 The Board,
therefore, directs the administration to develop and implement procedures and
guidelines that require all animals, including service animals, brought into
schools to be linked to specific curricular objectives and be allowed in school
only during the time period those objectives are being addressed.
3.42.4 FMS may ask an
individual with a disability to remove a service animal from the premises if:
A. the service
animal is out of control and the animal’s handler does not take effective
action to control the service animal; or
B. the service
animal is not housebroken.
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3.43 Visitors to
Schools or District Buildings
The Superintendent shall establish school-visit procedures
for the control of persons other than school personnel or students who enter
District premises. Farmington Municipal Schools welcomes and encourages visits
by parent(s), legal guardian(s), or others. However, to ensure the safety of
students and to minimize disruptions to the educational environment, a visitor
policy is necessary. No person, other than one who is a peace officer or one
who has obtained specific authorization from the appropriate school
administrator, shall carry or possess a weapon on school grounds.
A visitor is any individual seeking to enter a Farmington
Municipal Schools' campus or office, who is not an employee of the school
district or student of the school. Individuals attending an athletic event or
extra-curricular activity on a campus outside of normal class hours, unless
excluded by an administrator, are not considered visitors.
The school site visit procedures shall include a ban on
outside service providers from coming on to school sites and conducting
business. Any observation of students by a state or federal agency for purposes
of providing services outside of the school day, may only be set up in advance
of the observation through the building administration of the school site and
cannot include any video- taping or photography. Visitation for observation or
follow up purposes, will only be allowed when it is not disruptive to the
educational process, which will be determined by the building administrators
and may be terminated by administration at any time if determined to be
disruptive.
State and federal regulations have assigned the
responsibility of providing educational services to children who are enrolled
to the public schools. Any additional services are to supplement, not supplant,
those provided by the school district. These requirements apply to both general
education and special education students. The school site visit procedures
shall include a ban on outside service providers from coming on to school sites
and conducting business.
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