Procedure: 2412P

Section: 2000 - Instruction

Title: Application to Pursue A Certificate of Educational Competence

Status: Active

Adopted: November 18, 1982

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Procedure - Application to Pursue a Certificate of Educational Competence

In order to assure compliance with WAC 180-96 concerning applications for Certificates of Educational Competence, the following procedures will be followed.

I. General

A. A student applicant must:

1. Be at least sixteen (16) years of age and under nineteen (19) years of age;
2. Apply to the district in which he/she is currently residing or the district where he/she last attended school;
3. Have a "substantial and warranted reason for leaving the regular high school program." Such reasons shall include any one of the following:

a. Personal problems which seriously impair the student's ability to make reasonable progress toward high school graduation.

b. A financial crisis which directly affects the student and necessitates the student's employment during school hours.

c. The lack of curriculum and instruction which constitutes appropriate learning experiences for the student.

d. The inability or failure of the school of attendance to adjust its program for the individual, or otherwise make arrangements for enrollment in a program, in a manner which enables the student to advance toward graduation with reasonable progress and success.

e. A determination by the designated employee that it is in the "best interest" of the student to drop the regular high school program for one of the following purposes:

• Enter a post secondary institution

• Enter the military

• Engage in employment.

II. Procedures

A. Students desiring to pursue a Certificate of Educational Competence should make application to the high school principal.

B. The high school principal as the "designated employee" shall meet the adult student or non-adult student and the parent or guardian, if available, and determine if the student has a "substantial and warranted reason for leaving the regular high school program".

III. Appeals

A. The following shall govern the finality of decisions of the designated employee:

1. If the decision of the designated employee is that the applicant has a substantial and warranted reason for leaving the regular high school education program, the decision of such designated employee shall be final.

2. If the decision of the designated employee is to deny the existence of a substantial and warranted reason for leaving the regular high school education program, the applicant shall have the right to appeal the decision to such board of directors in accordance with procedures adopted by the board of directors. The board of directors shall issue a decision within thirty calendar days of receipt of any appeal.