Credit Advancement, Recovery & Transfer Grades Policy

Credit Advancement Options through Summer School:

PHS will accept a maximum of two credits from summer school courses for credit advancement pending prior approval from the student’s school counselor. Grades earned through an approved summer school program will appear on the student’s official transcript, but the grades will not be figured into the GPA or GPE calculations. Currently, PHS does not have a summer school program. Students are referred to local schools for credit advancement. The Student Services office should receive summer school brochures in April. Students should not enroll in any summer school courses without first obtaining approval from their school counselor. Most courses in summer school will be accepted as elective credit. Due to the consecutive nature of the PHS curriculum, limitations have been placed on summer school options. 

The following courses will not be accepted from summer school as meeting a course requirement and therefore should not be taken outside of PHS for credit advancement:

• Band: Music Theory I and II

• English: English I, II, and III 

• Math: No courses will be accepted for advancement that are in the current PHS math curriculum 

• Science: Biology I, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy and Physiology, AP Biology, and AP Chemistry 

• Social Studies: U.S. History and American Government 

• No limits in the Departments of Agriculture, Business and Technology, Career and Technical Education, Family and Consumer Sciences, Industrial Technology, Visual Arts, and World Language.

Credit Recovery Options through Correspondence School and APEX Credit Recovery:  

PHS will accept a maximum of two credits from an approved correspondence school and two credits from an approved summer school program for credit recovery per summer pending prior approval from the student’s school counselor. Correspondence courses are not awarded a letter grade and the grade will not be figured into the GPA or GPE calculations. All correspondence course final exams must be taken by April 15th of the student’s senior year. PHS must receive the official transcript from the correspondence school in order for the student to receive credit for the course and be eligible to participate in the graduation ceremony. Once a student’s class has graduated, an additional two credits from correspondence school will be accepted. 

Currently, PHS does offer credit recovery through APEX. The Student Services Office should receive credit recovery information in May. Students should not enroll in any credit recovery courses without first obtaining approval from their school counselor. Grades earned through an approved credit recovery program will appear on the student’s official transcript, but will not be figured into the GPA and GPE calculations. 

Transfer Grade Policy & Transfer Grades for New Students

All courses, regardless of their origin, will be treated equally in the calculation of grade point average (GPA) and grade points earned (GPE). Thus, courses transferred to Peotone High School from other high schools will be treated as if those courses were taken at Peotone High School. For example, a weighted Algebra course transferred from another school will be treated as unweighted in calculating GPA and GPE since it is not weighted at Peotone High School; an unweighted AP Calculus class will be treated as weighted since it is weighted at Peotone High School; Physical Education will be granted one credit per year regardless of the credit awarded by the transferring school. Theological studies courses will not be granted credit.

Homeschooling Transfer Grade and Credit: Grade placement by, and academic credits earned at, a nonpublic school will be accepted if the school has a Certificate of Nonpublic School Recognition from the Illinois State Board of Education, or, if outside Illinois, if the school is accredited by the state agency governing education. 

A student who, after receiving instruction in a non-recognized or non-accredited school, enrolls in the District will: (1) be assigned to a grade level according to academic proficiency, and/or (2) have academic credits recognized by the District if the student demonstrates appropriate academic proficiency to the school administration. Any portion of a student’s transcript relating to such instruction will not be considered for placement on the honor roll or computation in class rank. 

Notwithstanding the above, recognition of grade placement and academic credits awarded by a nonpublic school is at the sole discretion of the District. All school and class assignments will be made according to School Board policy.