LAKE MILLS AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
POLICY 343.42 – STUDENT YOUTH OPTIONS PROGRAM
Any junior or senior in the Lake Mills Area School District may participate in the Youth Options
Program in accordance with state law requirements and established procedures. The Youth
Options Program provides eligible students an opportunity to take courses at technical colleges and institutions of higher education while in high school. Students interested in participating shall inform the District of their intention to take post-secondary courses under this program, prior to enrollment in the course(s) and within designated timelines.
A.
The District Administrator will recommend to the Board whether a course through the Youth
Options Program is comparable to a course offered in the District, whether it satisfied graduation requirements and what, if any, high school credits will be awarded to the students.
Courses taken as part of the Youth Options Program shall be paid for as follows:
1.
If the course is taken for high school credit and the course is not comparable to a course offered in the District, the Board shall pay the tuition and fees for the course.
2.
If the course is taken for post-secondary credit only or the course taken is comparable to a course offered in the District, the student shall pay the tuition and fees for the course.
3.
If the student attending courses at a technical college under this program is a child with a disability, the Board shall also pay the costs of any special services required for the student as determined jointly by the District and technical college. The District may refuse to permit a child with a disability to attend a technical college under this program if it determines that the cost to the District would impose an undue financial burden on the District.
4.
The District shall pay for no more than the equivalent of 18 post-secondary semester credits (4 ½ high school credits) per student. The District shall not, however, limit the number of post-secondary semester credits a student may take at his/her own expense.
5.
The District will pay only for the courses that are successfully completed. If a student receives a failing grade in a course or fails to complete the course, the student’s parent/guardian or the student, if an adult, is responsible for reimbursing the District for payment of the tuition and fees paid by the District. If this reimbursement is not made, the student on whose behalf the payment was made is ineligible for any further participation in the Youth Options Program.
Students participating in the Youth Options Program shall be responsible for providing their own transportation to and from post-secondary courses under this program. The parent or guardian of a pupil who is attending an institution of higher education or technical college under this section and is taking a course for high school credit may apply to the State
Superintendent for reimbursement of the cost of transportation.
B.
Guidelines for awarding high school credit for Youth Options Program Courses:

1.
The District Administrator will recommend to the Board the amount of high school credit to be given for a Youth Options Program course prior to the student’s enrollment in the course. The District Administrator shall use the same criteria for evaluating Youth
Options Program courses taken for high school credit as the District does in approving courses offered in the District for credit towards graduation.
2.
High School credit will be awarded for courses taken through the Youth Options Program if they meet any of the District’s graduation requirements and any of the following conditions apply: a.
Credit will be awarded for those courses taken that are complementary to, consistent with or expand on a course of study or sequence of courses offered at the high school. b.
Credit will be awarded for those courses that expand the opportunity for a student to move to another level of academic or vocational course of study. c.
Credit will be awarded for those courses that meet or exceed the same standards for rigor and content as other courses approved by but not offered by the District for credit toward graduation. d.
Credit will be awarded for those courses that support rather than prevent a student from completing high school graduation requirements.
3.
High School credit may be denied for a Youth Options Program course that repeats the post-secondary course content for which the student has already taken and failed.
4.
In order to receive high school credit for a course taken under the Youth Options
Program, a student must successfully complete the course and receive a passing grade.
5.
Any grade earned through the Youth Options Program will be calculated into the cumulative grade point average toward graduation.
The District Administrator and his/her designee shall administer the Youth Options Program in the District.
All 9 th
, 10 th
and 11 th
grade students enrolled in the District shall be informed of the Youth
Options Program annually. Students and parents will be asked to review this policy and sign a letter of agreement before entering the program.
In addition to these options, the District shall offer 11 th
and 12 th
grade students opportunities for capstone work/study experiences, apprenticeships in those areas in which our curriculum is certifiable through the technical college system, independent study opportunities as approved by the High School Principal, and service learning opportunities for all students.
Legal Ref.: Section 118.55 Wisconsin Statutes
PI 40 Wisconsin Administrative Code
Cross Ref.: 345.4-Rule, Promotional and Retention of Students
345.6, High School Graduation Requirements/Procedures
Approved: 9/8/14