Chapter PI 18

Chapter PI 18

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION STANDARDS

PI 18.01   Purpose and applicability.

PI 18.02   Definitions.

PI 18.03   High school graduation standards.

PI 18.04   Accommodations for pupils with exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements.

PI 18.05   Submission of high school graduation standards policies.

PI 18.01 PI 18.01 Purpose and applicability. The purpose of this chapter is to establish course requirements to meet the graduation standards outlined in s. 118.33, Stats., including accommodations for pupils with exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements; to establish procedures by which boards will submit reports describing the boards’ policies on high school graduation standards to the department; and to establish procedures by which those policies are certified by the board and reviewed by the state superintendent, and by which equivalent policies are approved by the state superintendent.

PI 18.01 History History: Cr. Register, January, 1985, No. 349, eff. 2-1-85.

PI 18.02 PI 18.02 Definitions. In this chapter:

PI 18.02(1) (1) “Board” means the school board or board of education in charge of the schools of a school district.

PI 18.02(2) (2) “Course” means study which has the fundamental purpose of developing the knowledge, concepts, and skills in a subject.

PI 18.02(3) (3) “Credit” means the credit given for successful completion of a school term of study in one course in the high school grades that meets daily for a normal class period or the equivalent established by the board.

PI 18.02(4) (4) “Department” means the department of public instruction.

PI 18.02(5) (5) “Equivalent graduation policy” means a board policy which meets the credit requirements specified for each subject area, but which permits selected equivalent courses as long as such courses contain the time allotment and substantially the same objectives to develop the knowledge, concepts, and skills of the course for which an equivalent is proposed.

PI 18.02(6) (6) “High school diploma” means a document granted by the board to a pupil upon successful completion of a high school program meeting the requirements outlined in this chapter and those requirements established by the board.

PI 18.02(7) (7) “High school grades” means grades 9 through 12.

PI 18.02(7m) (7m) “Open campus” means a policy of allowing a pupil to leave the school premises during any class period solely because the pupil is not enrolled in a class during that class period.

PI 18.02(8) (8) “Pupils with exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements” includes children with exceptional educational needs as defined under s. 115.76 (3), Stats., gifted and talented children as determined by the board, limited-English speaking pupils as defined under s. 115.955, Stats., transfer pupils, pupils as provided in s. 118.15 (1) (d), Stats., and other pupils with unusual circumstances as established by local school board policy.

PI 18.02(9) (9) “State superintendent” means the superintendent of public instruction for the state of Wisconsin.

PI 18.02(10) (10) “Transfer pupils” means those pupils transferring during the high school grades from a private school as defined under s. 115.001 (3r), Stats., from a home-based private educational program as defined under s. 115.001 (3g), Stats., or from an out-of-state school.

PI 18.02(11) (11) “Work release” means permitting pupils to leave the school premises solely for employment.

PI 18.02 History History: Cr. Register, January, 1985, No. 349, eff. 2-1-85; cr. (7m) and (11), am. (8), Register, July, 1987, No. 379, eff. 8-1-87; corrections in (10) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register October 2001 No. 550.

PI 18.03 PI 18.03 High school graduation standards.

PI 18.03(1) (1) The English credits required under s. 118.33 (1) (a), Stats., shall incorporate instruction that reflects the integrated nature of the English language arts, including written communication, oral communication, grammar and usage of the English language, and literature.

PI 18.03(2) (2) The social studies credits required under s. 118.33 (1) (a), Stats., shall incorporate instruction that reflects the integrated nature of social studies, including civics, state and local government, economics, geography, history, and the behavioral sciences.

PI 18.03(3) (3) The mathematics credits required under s. 118.33 (1) (a), Stats., shall incorporate instruction in the mathematical practices and processes associated with algebra, functions, geometry, number and quantity, probability and statistics, and modeling.

PI 18.03(4) (4) The science credits required under s. 118.33 (1) (a), Stats., shall incorporate instruction in both scientific content and practice.

PI 18.03(5) (5) The physical education credits required under s. 118.33 (1) (a), Stats., shall incorporate instruction on a variety of motor skills and movement patterns, concept knowledge, health-related fitness, responsible personal and social behavior, and the value of physical activity.

PI 18.03(6) (6) The health credits required under s. 118.33 (1) (a), Stats., shall incorporate instruction on core concepts and skill practice related to analyzing influences, accessing information, interpersonal communication, decision making, goal setting, self-management, and advocacy.

PI 18.03 History History: Cr. Register, January, 1985, No. 349, eff. 2-1-85; am. (1) (intro.), r. (1) (e), renum. (1) (a) to (d), (f) and (g) to be (1) (a) 1. to 5. and (b) and am. (b), Register, July, 1986, No. 367, eff. 8-1-86; CR 16-027: r. and recr. Register July 2016 No. 727, eff. 8-1-16.

PI 18.04 PI 18.04 Accommodations for pupils with exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements. Education programs for high school graduation may be provided to accommodate pupils with exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements.

PI 18.04(1) (1) Education programs to accommodate pupils with exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements shall:

PI 18.04(1)(a) (a) State the specific nature of the exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements;

PI 18.04(1)(b) (b) State how the proposed program will respond to the exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements;

PI 18.04(1)(c) (c) State how the education program will address each of the requirements in s. 118.33, Stats., and s. PI 18.03.

PI 18.04(2) (2) Placement in a program under subch. V of ch. 115, Stats., meets the requirements in sub. (1).

PI 18.04(3) (3) Programs to accommodate pupils with exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements other than those under subch. V of ch. 115, Stats., shall be approved by the state superintendent.

PI 18.04(4) (4) Successful completion of an education program under sub. (1) or (2) may result in issuance of a diploma.

PI 18.04 History History: Cr. Register, January, 1985, No. 349, eff. 2-1-85; corrections in (2) and (3) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register October 2001 No. 550; CR 16-027: am. (1) (c) Register July 2016 No. 727, eff. 8-1-16.

PI 18.05 PI 18.05 Submission of high school graduation standards policies.

PI 18.05(1) (1) Each board operating a high school shall submit to the state superintendent, on forms provided by the department, a report describing the board’s high school graduation policies governing diplomas that shall be granted. Such policies shall include all of the following:

PI 18.05(1)(a) (a) The courses the board has approved as meeting the course requirements outlined in s. PI 18.03 including the course descriptions.

PI 18.05(1)(b) (b) The number of clock hours of instruction required to earn one credit in the courses the board has approved as meeting the course requirements outlined in s. PI 18.03.

PI 18.05(1)(c) (c) The education programs for pupils with exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements.

PI 18.05(1)(d) (d) The activities approved by the board under s. 118.33 (1) (b), Stats. Open campus and work release may not be approved by a board under this section. A pupil’s employment during school hours may be approved if the employment is part of or related to the pupil’s instructional program; or if the employment is approved as an accommodation for a pupil with exceptional educational interests, needs, or requirements under s. PI 18.04.

PI 18.05 Note Note: Form PI 1803, High School Graduation Standards Compliance Review, may be obtained at no charge from Department of Public Instruction, Division for Instructional Service, 125 South Webster Street, P. O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707.

PI 18.05(2) (2) The board shall notify the state superintendent whenever changes are made in its high school graduation policy.

PI 18.05(3) (3) The board shall certify to the state superintendent that its high school graduation policy is in compliance with the requirements under s. 118.33 (1), Stats., and this chapter; or the board shall request approval of its high school graduation policy as equivalent to the requirements under s. 118.33 (1), Stats. The state superintendent shall approve any board’s high school graduation policy that is equivalent to the requirements under s. 118.33 (1), Stats.

PI 18.05(4) (4) The state superintendent may periodically review the boards’ high school graduation policies and shall notify any board not in compliance with the requirements in s. 118.33 (1), Stats., and this chapter. The state superintendent shall identify the changes necessary to achieve compliance.

PI 18.05 History History: Cr. Register, January, 1985, No. 349, eff. 2-1-85; am. (1) (intro), Register, July, 1986, No. 367, eff. 8-1-86; am. (1) (d), Register, July, 1987, No. 379, eff. 8-1-87; CR 16-027: am. (1) (a), (b) Register July 2016 No. 727, eff. 8-1-16; CR 17-053: am. (1), (3), r. (5) Register December 2017 No. 744 eff. 1-1-18.