Academics

DISTRICT 214 MISSION (Policy 1:30)
Our primary mission is to help all students learn the skills, acquire the knowledge, and develop the behaviors necessary for
them to reach their full potential as citizens who can meet the challenges of a changing society.
Our secondary mission is to provide residents with opportunities for lifelong learning.

DISTRICT 214 VISION
The District 214 Vision embraces continuous improvement and includes:
Students who demonstrate…
• analytic capabilities;
• communication skills including reading, writing, speaking, listening, and numeracy;
• creative expression and educated response to the creative works of others;
• ethical judgment and decision-making ability;
• career and life planning skills;
• responsible citizenship;
• understanding of ways to participate in an interdependent world;
• problem solving skills;
• concern, understanding, and respect in social inter actions;
• technology literacy;
• ability to develop and maintain wellness.

COURSE SELECTION
Course selection is as much a commitment by the student as the school. Students should ask teachers, counselors, and
administrators for help in selecting courses and discuss their plans, decisions, and choices with their parent(s)/guardian(s).
Requesting a course does not guarantee that the course will be available. Sometimes it is necessary to cancel courses due to
insufficient enrollment or other factors. Irresolvable scheduling conflicts may also occur. Students should have alternative
course selections and backup plans ready in the event of such situations. Courses are reviewed each year. Any course not
taught for two years is placed on the archive list.

DEFINITION OF CREDIT
Academic credit is awarded to students based on a combination of achievement and time spent in class. In general, students
earn academic credit by passing regularly scheduled classes. In special cases, students earn credit through independent study,
homebound/hospitalized instruction, and accredited correspondence and/or online courses. Participation in any of these
special programs requires prior administrative approval.

GUIDELINES FOR REQUIRED COURSE LOAD AND FULL-TIME STATUS
The Illinois School Code defines a "day of attendance" by pupils as not less than five (5) clock hours (300 minutes) of school
work under direct supervision of teachers or non-teaching personnel or volunteer personnel when engaging in non-teaching
duties and supervision of students (105 ILCS 5/18-8.05). In order to be counted in the district’s average daily attendance
(ADA), a student must meet the 300-minute requirement.

District 214 expects every student to be a full-time student. Full-time students are enrolled in six credit-bearing periods (2.75
units of credit) or an equivalent class schedule. While a student may enroll in a seventh credit-bearing period, enrollment in
an eighth credit-bearing period requires the permission of the principal or alternative program director.

Courses taken Pass/No Credit (P/NC) count toward full time status only if the student earns a grade of "P." The following
grades do not count toward full-time status: "AU," "LC," "WI," and "W."

Students enrolled in fewer than six credit-bearing periods or an equivalent class schedule are considered part-time students
unless a decreased course load is stipulated in the student’s IEP.

Students must earn a minimum of 2.75 District 214 credits and enroll in District 214 as a full time student for at least one
semester in order to receive a District 214 diploma. Any student who enrolls in a District 214 school for less than a regular
semester is expected to graduate from his/her previous school. A District 214 transcript will be sent to the previous school at
the student’s request.

COURSE ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS
In addition to the general education program the district offers three curriculum achievement levels to meet the learning
needs of individual students. Weighted grading is based on a course’s achievement level and course titles indicate their
achievement levels.

Advanced Placement (A=6.0)
A designation of "AP," Advanced Placement, with a course title indicates the course follows the College Board’s guidelines for
that subject’s official AP course description and has been authorized by the College Board through the AP Course Audit
process. Students take college level courses while in high school and may take advanced placement exams in May. Colleges
may give credit and/or advanced placement to students on the basis of exam scores.
District 214 also offers Project Lead-the-Way (PLTW), as well as a number of other courses, at the 6.0 grade weight. Many
colleges and universities move students who successfully complete PLTW in high school to a higher-level engineering class
freshmen year. Students taking PLTW in high school can earn college credit from a number of participating
universities/colleges. Colleges may give credit to students who achieve an 85 percent average in their high school course,
earn a 70 percent or higher on the college credit exam, and complete a portfolio of course work.

Honors (A=5.5)
Honors courses, more rigorous than general education courses, are designed for students who have an outstanding record of
achievement in a particular subject area.

General Education (A=5.0)
General education courses are taught at grade level. These course titles do not contain any achievement level designation.

Preparatory (A=5.0)
Preparatory courses are specially designed to address the learning needs of students who are below grade level (general
education level). The purpose of preparatory courses is to move students to grade level study in the general education
curriculum. Teachers monitor student progress to determine if and when a student is ready to move to the general education
curriculum.

DUAL CREDIT OPTIONS
District 214 offers a limited number of dual credit options whereby students may earn high school and/or college credit by
taking college courses while in high school.

GRADING AND PROMOTION
Grading System
A Excellent performance NC No Credit (pre-approval required)
B Strong performance RE Repeat (pre-approval required)
C Satisfactory performance AT Audit (pre-approval required)
D Minimally acceptable performance AU Audit (insufficient seat time to earn a grade)
E Provisional grade for credit LC Level Change (pre-approval required)
F Unacceptable performance W Withdrawn from class
P Pass (pre-approval required) WI Withdrawn Incomplete (transfer students only)
I Incomplete/In progress WF Withdrawn Failing
Grade Point Values
Grade Advanced Placement/College Honors General Education Preparatory
A 6.0 5.5 5.0 5.0
B 5.0 4.5 4.0 4.0
C 4.0 3.5 3.0 3.0
D 3.0 2.5 2.0 2.0
E 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
F 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
The following course work is required in order for students to receive a high school diploma from an accredited State of
Illinois school district.
4 *units English
1 unit World Language, Music, Art, or Career & Technical Education
0.5 unit Health
2 units Social Studies
3 units Mathematics (including one unit of algebra 1 and one of geometry)
1.75 units Physical Education is required each semester a student is enrolled except for the semester the
student is enrolled in health.
2 units Science
*1 Unit = 1 Year

GRADUATION REQUIRMENTS (Reference Policy 6:300)
Unless otherwise exempted, each student must successfully accomplish the following in order to graduate from high school:
1. Complete all District graduation requirements that are in addition to the State requirements, as listed in the Academic
Handbook.
2. Complete all courses as provided in The School Code, 105 ILCS 5/27-22, according to the year in which a student entered
the 9th grade.
3. Complete all minimum requirements for graduation as specified by Illinois State Board of Education rule, 23 Ill.Admin.
Code 1.440.
4. Pass an examination on patriotism and principles of representative government, proper use of the flag, methods of voting,
and the Pledge of Allegiance.
5. Take the Prairie State Achievement Examination, unless the student is exempt according to 105 ILCS 5/2-3.64.
The Superintendent or designee is responsible for: (1) maintaining a description of all course offerings that comply with the
above graduation requirements, (2) notifying students and their parents/guardians of graduation requirements, (3)
developing criteria for determining when a student accomplishes number 5 as well as a method of recording that fact in the
student’s school record, and (4) taking all other actions to implement this policy.
Early Graduation
The Superintendent or designee shall implement procedures for students to graduate early, provided they finish 7 semesters
of high school and meet all graduation requirements.

DISTRICT 214 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Students must meet the following course and credit requirements to graduate. These course/credit requirements are defined
by and include the district’s learning goals and standards. Specific information about each requirement is available at each
site.
In order to receive a diploma from a District 214 high school, a student must
1. earn 4.0 units of credit in English;
2. earn 3.0 units of credit in mathematics (including 1 unit of algebra 1 [algebra 60, 61, 62, and 63, or 66 and 67, or 70 and
71, or 74 and 75, or 80 and 81, or 90 and 91] and 1 unit of geometry [64 and 65, or 72 and 73, or 82 and 83 or 92 and 93]
unless otherwise approved by an associate principal for instruction or an assistant principal for student services);
3. earn 2.0 to 3.0 units of credit in science (depending on course of study);
4. earn 3.0 units of credit in social science;
5. earn 1.0 unit of credit in the career and technical education program or the world language program (including
American Sign Language);
6. earn 0.5 unit of credit in health education;
7. earn 0.25 unit of credit in physical education for each semester of attendance in District 214 except the semester the
student is enrolled in health;
8. earn 0.25 unit of credit by passing the Driver Education Classroom course (09650) which includes 30 hours of classroom
instruction. This requirement can be met with credit through the successful completion of a commercial driver
education program or waived with credit for students possessing a valid Illinois driver’s license;
9. pass a course(s) that meet(s) the fine arts requirement;
10. demonstrate proficiency in information processing (see Information Processing Proficiency);
11. pass an examination covering the federal and state constitutions, the Declaration of Independence, and flag etiquette;
12. meet the consumer education requirement (see Consumer Education Requirement);
13. enroll in District 214 as a full-time (2.75 credits) student for at least one semester and earn a minimum of 2.75 District 214
credits;
14. take the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) or, if eligible, the Illinois Alternate Assessment (IAA); and
15. earn a minimum of 21.0 units of academic credit.

GUIDELINES FOR EARLY GRADUATION
The following rules apply to early graduation:
1. The student must file a written request with his/her counselor explaining the reason for early graduation and that it is
signed by the student and a parent/guardian. For students who are 18 years old, the parent/guardian signature indicates
awareness and not approval.
2. The student's counselor will complete a credit review to determine that all graduation requirements will be met by the date
of withdrawal from school.
3. The school administration must approve all applications for early graduation. A parent conference is required before a
seven-semester graduation will be approved.
4. Diplomas are only available in June. The district does not hold midyear commencement exercises or distribute diplomas at
that time. Transcripts confirming that the student has met all graduation requirements are issued upon request after all
grades and credits are posted. Early graduates are welcome to participate in the commencement exercises held at the
conclusion of the regular school year.