Division I Domestic
Academic Certification –
Fundamental
Introduction
Matthew Davis
Kerry Emgenbroich
Sarah Overpeck
A LOOK
BEHIND
THE
CURTAIN
Topics
 Core-Course Selection
 Credit
 Tasks
 Best Practices
3
Core-Course
Selection
Ideally…
Transcripts would perfectly align with lists of
approved courses.
 Exact matches (verbatim)
 Course title AND level
5
In reality…
There is not always an exact match for each core
course on a PSA’s transcript.
 Selection policies guide acceptable substitutions.
6
Selection Policies
1. Exact match
2. Substitutions
a. Adjectives that can be ignored
b. Course sequencing substitutions
c. Course level substitutions
d. Course title substitutions
7
Substitutions - Adjectives
Adjectives that can be ignored (with example):
 Sequential
(Sequential Math I)
 Integrated
(Integrated Physical Science)
8
Substitutions – Sequencing
Course sequencing substitutions:
 Course sequencing represented differently
 [1/2/3/4]
[9/10/11/12]
[I / II / III / IV ]
[1-2 / 3-4 / 5-6 / 7-8]
 Example:
English 2 = English 10 = English II = English 3-4
9
Substitutions – Levels
Course level substitutions:
 Four tiers of course levels:
 Tier 3: AICE, AP, IB
 Tier 2: Accelerated, Advanced, Enriched,
Gifted & Talented, Honors, Pre-AICE, PreAP, Pre-IB
 Tier 1: Academic, College Prep, Magnet,
Regents
10
Substitutions – Levels
 Basement: Analytical, Applied, Basic,
Conceptual, Contextual, Essentials,
Foundations, Fundamental, General,
Inductive, Informal, Intro, Investigative,
Medical, Modified, Practical, Principles,
Remedial, Regular, Resource, Seminar,
Skills, Standard, Survey, Tech, Tech Prep,
Traditional, Transitional, Understanding,
Vocational
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Substitutions – Levels
 Leveling down:
Tier 3
Tier 2
Tier 1
Basement
12
Substitutions – Levels
 Examples:
Transcript
List
AP Biology
Tier 3
Algebra 1 Skills
Basement
English 3 Enriched
Tier 2
Biology H
Tier 2
Algebra 1 CP
Tier 1
English 3 Basic
Basement
Substitute?



13
Substitutions – Titles
Course title substitutions:
 Titles that are not exact matches, but variation
is not significant enough to alter course
content.
 Subject to updates after each certification
cycle.
14
Substitutions – Titles
English samples:
 AP Lang/Comp
 grade level English (e.g., English 11)
 AP Lit/Comp
 grade level English (e.g., English 12)
15
Substitutions – Titles
Math samples:
 AP Calculus AB or BC  AP Calculus
 Geometry  Plane & Solid (P/S) Geometry 
Descriptive Geometry  Euclidean Geometry
 Formal Geometry  Deductive Geometry
 Intuitive Geometry  Unified Geometry 
Modern Geometry  Geometry &
Measurement  Geometry With Proofs
16
Substitutions – Titles
Science samples:
 Marine Science  Marine Biology
 AP Physics  AP Physics B or C  AP
Physics / specific content (e.g. AP Physics:
Mechanics)
 Anatomy & Physiology  Human Anatomy 
Human Anatomy/Physiology  Human
Physiology  Anatomy  Physiology  A & P
17
Substitutions – Titles
Social Science samples:
 “History”  “Studies”
 “Global”  “World”
 “American”  “US”
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Substitutions – Titles
More Social Science samples:
 US History < 1900  US History I
 US History > 1900  US History II
 US History  US History/Geography  US
History/Government  (specific state)/US
History
19
Substitutions – Titles
More Social Science samples:
 World History to 1500  World History I
 World History from 1500  World History II
 World History  World History/Geography 
World History/Culture
 World Geography  World Cultural
Geography  Cultural Geography 
Geography for Life  Geography
20
Substitutions – Titles
And… even more Social Science samples:
 Government  US Government  National
Government  Federal Government  Civics
 Comparative Government
 Economics  US Economics  EconomicsFree Enterprise  Economics-Free
Enterprise-Business  Micro or Macro
Economics  Economic Decision Making 
Comparative Economics
21
Substitutions – Titles
 Examples:
Transcript
List
Geometry
Unified Geometry

Idaho History
US History

World Studies I Global History I
Substitute?

22
Summary
Why do we need all these rules???
 High schools change course titles and/or
offerings, but do not update their NCAA lists of
approved courses.
 These policies allow for certain substitutions
when exact matches do not exist.
 Consistency is key!
23
Credit
Definition
 Credit is the measurement that assigns value
to a grade earned.
 Credit must be awarded for coursework to be
used in an academic certification.
25
Four Common Credit Issues
1. Retakes.
2. Credit - Academic Term.
3. Credit - Singular Courses.
4. Grade Reports.
26
Retakes
 When a student retakes a course that was
passed originally, it is common for a school to
not award credit for the retake.
27
Retakes
Partial retakes
 A portion of a final grade and credit cannot be
combined with a partial retake.
 Example:
Grade 9
ENGLISH 9
Grade 10 ENGLISH 9
D
B
1.00
0.50
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Credit – Academic Term
 Academic calendar terms (semesters, quarters)
within the academic year.
 Credit has to appear on transcript from school
where coursework was completed.
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Credit – Singular Courses
 Coursework separate from the school’s
standard curriculum, school day or academic
term.
 May include:
Summer school coursework
Dual-enrollment coursework
Virtual / online coursework
30
Credit – Singular Courses
Singular coursework falls into 2 categories:
1. “Home” high school must award credit.
a. Summer school taken at home high school.
b. Dual-enrollment coursework.
2. Other program/entity may award credit.
a. Summer school coursework not taken at home high
school.
b. Coursework taken through external provider (online,
virtual, etc.).
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Grade Report
 The Eligibility Center considers a grade report to
be an academic record that does not include
credit.
 The Eligibility Center accepts grade reports
instead of a transcript when the school has
communicated that they never award credit for:
1. Academic terms or
2. Specific enrollment scenarios.
Note: Grade reports can be faxed.
32
Transcript
Name: Cosgrove, Mark
Address: 23 Peach Ridge Drive
Mullica Hill NEW JERSEY 08062
Course
English IV - Comprehensive
School
Pennsville Memorial High
ID: 30836
DOB: 5/30/1996
Date: 2/18/2014
Status
COMPLETION
Start Date
7/10/2013
No credit listed, not
a transcript
Exit Date Grade
8/16/2013 93
Grade Report Obstacles
 Some programs (ex: APEX, NJ Virtual, MI
Virtual, etc.) do not award credit.
 Coursework from non-credit awarding
institutions cannot be used unless credit is
awarded by the home high school.
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Summary
 Credit has to be awarded for coursework to be
used.
 Retakes can be used as long as credit is
established.
 If an approved program awards credit there is
no additional requirement for course title, grade
or credit to appear on any other school’s
transcript.
 Grade reports can be faxed.
35
Tasks
Definition
A TASK is the way the NCAA Eligibility Center
(EC) communicates with the PSA.
 Academic certification currently utilizes 18 scripted
manual tasks and four system-generated tasks.
 Modified with specific information.
37
Can You Guess?
How many total tasks were assigned from
June 1, 2013 to September 1, 2013?
a. 46,726
b. 89,393
c. 1,000,001
d. 25,642
38
Can You Guess?
What percentage of the total number of
tasks were manually assigned?
a.
b.
c.
d.
18%
43%
7%
64%
39
Four Most Common Tasks

Missing term.

Matric and/or student matric needed.

Combination of non-traditional coursework
tasks, revised HST and program tasks.

Transcript needs clarification.
40
Missing Term Task
The Eligibility Center has received an incomplete
transcript missing term: XXX. The Eligibility
Center must receive a complete official transcript
directly from your high school before your
certification can be reviewed.
41
Missing Term
Transcript is on file but incomplete.
The identified high school needs to send an
updated official high school transcript to the EC.
 Official - mailed in a sealed high school envelope or
transmitted by an approved electronic transcript
provider.
 Unofficial - faxed, emailed, or sent by the PSA/parent
in an unsealed envelope.
42
Matriculation Letter Task
A matriculation letter is needed to complete a
certification. Contact the compliance officer at the
NCAA college or university you plan to attend and
have that person submit the matriculation letter to the
NCAA Eligibility Center (please note this form must be
signed by an institutional staff member outside the
athletics department).
THIS TASK WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY MARKED AS
"COMPLETE" WHEN THE MATRICULATION LETTER IS
RECEIVED FROM THE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY.
43
Matriculation Letter and/or
Student Matriculation Letter
 Matriculation letter needs to be signed by
someone outside the athletic department.
 Select A or B to enter the date of enrollment not both.
 Can be faxed or uploaded.
44
TO: ___Jane Smith/Your Institution/1234_______________________________
(Institution Contact/Institution Name/Code)
FROM: NCAA Eligibility Center
DATE: _______4/29/14_____________________________
RE: ___Three Point Shooter/1234567890/Basketball____________________________________
(Student Name/NCAA ID/Sport)
The NCAA Eligibility Center needs to establish the initial full-time collegiate enrollment date of the studentathlete named above in order to proceed with his/her initial-eligibility evaluation. Please verify when the studentathlete has enrolled or plans to enroll full time.
PLEASE ATTEST TO ONLY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ("A" OR "B") AND SIGN
BELOW.
The undersigned understands that it is a violation of NCAA Bylaw 10.1 to knowingly furnish fraudulent or
misleading information.
A.
I certify that to the best of my knowledge and records, the above named student has never enrolled
full time at any two- or four-year collegiate institution. Therefore, the projected matriculation (first
full-time collegiate enrollment) date of __________8/14/2014________________ may be used in
calculating the initial-eligibility status.
If the student‐athlete was previously enrolled full time at another collegiate institution (college, university or
junior college), indicate where the student‐athlete enrolled and the date of his or her first full‐time enrollment:
B.
The above named student enrolled full time at ____________________________ (name of institution)
on _____________________ (enrollment date).
This form must be signed by an institutional staff member outside the athletics department (e.g., registrar, faculty
athletics representative, provost or institution-certifying officer).
Jane Smith
Signed
Jane Smith______
Print Name
___FAR___________________________
Title
___5/12/14________________________
Date
Please complete this form and submit it via the Matriculation Letter Upload function on the Member Institution
Portal.
45
Online Coursework Task
For online XXX, please have the credit-awarding
school send a transcript, as well as computer printouts
for:
1. Specific assignments/modules,
2. Grades earned per assignment/module,
3. Time spent on each assignment/module (specific
log-in times) and
4. Dates of completion for each assignment/module.
46
Non-Traditional
Computer, Online, Virtual, Credit Recovery
The tasks request:





Computer printouts.
Specific assignments/modules.
Grades earned per assignment/module.
Time spent on each assignment(log-in times).
Dates of completion for each assignment/module.
47
Transcript Needs
Clarification Task
The transcript from XXX contains a course designation
that needs clarification. The course designation in
question is: XXX. The Eligibility Center must receive a
detailed explanation of XXX course designation from
your school before your certification can be reviewed.
Please submit clarification on school letterhead:
via email to ec-processing@ncaa.org or
fax to 317-968-5100.
48
Transcript Needs Clarification
This task requires the high school to send in an explanation
of a specific designation on a course title when there is no
prior information on file:
Examples: World History *
English +
Math 3 PA
The explanation must be on the high school’s letterhead,
signed by an appropriate school official outside of the
athletic department and mailed or faxed to the Eligibility
Center.
49
Question?
What if the credit-awarding school can not
submit the requested information?
 The task will remain open.
 At final certification season, if coursework is
needed the member institution needs to
submit a final certification disclaimer form.
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Summary
You can help the PSA to:
 Understand the task.
 Know where to go to request the information.
 Send the information in the “official” manner.
 Remember to close the task when complete if
not auto complete.
51
Best Practices
52
Please Do…





Manage your IRL.
Utilize upload feature for matriculation letters.
Send requested information officially.
Monitor outstanding tasks.
Ensure final transcript includes proof of
graduation.
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Please Don’t…
 Fax and mail the requested information.
 Request the high school to remove unknown
designations.
 Send a fax or email requesting a certification
be completed.
54
Questions?
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