• Guidelines Regarding Earning External Credit

    Okemos High School grants external credit accordingly:
    1. Through summer school study
    2. Through independent study programs
    3. Through study abroad
    4. Through work study programs
    5. Through extension, correspondence, and online courses
    6. Through dual enrollment

    Where these courses for external credit are in the areas of math, science, social studies and English, the course must meet the Michigan High School Content Expectations.

    Additionally, the following conditions must be met for credit through extension, correspondence and online courses. The school may accept credit earned by a student through correspondence or extension study towards satisfying the requirements for graduation, providing the course has been approved by the principal in advance of the student's enrollment. Such credit shall be earned through the satisfactory completion of courses offered by one of the other regional accrediting associations, AdvancEd or the Commission on International and TransRegional Accreditation (CITA).

    Correspondence Courses and Extension Study

    Correspondence courses are generally discouraged. However, where the school feels that this study is appropriate and useful to the pupil concerned, it will be considered. Also, correspondence courses may be used to assist in making up deficiencies or enriching the pupil's program.
    1. The mandated credits of the (22) credits required for graduation may be taken externally only from an approved educational institution accredited by AdvancEd or CITA and must align with the high school content expectations. The activity portion of The Board of Education course, Foundations of Physical Education, which is required for graduation, may not be taken externally.
    2. Students who desire a correspondence program for a course which is not among the mandated credits of the twenty-two credits required for graduation, must take that course from an educational institution accredited by AdvancEd or CITA.
    3. Students are advised to initiate requests for external credit with their counselor to ensure that credit may be applied to the OHS transcript using the External Credit Form.
    4. Students may elect to apply external credit to the OHS transcript as credit only, indicated by a “G” on the transcript and having no impact on the grade point average, or as a letter grade, which will impact the grade point average. Students may wait until the grade has been issued before indicating their decision on the External Credit Form.
    5. In the case of seniors enrolled in correspondence courses and extension study programs, it is strongly advised that the student and parents require the school granting the external credit to report the final grade/credit to Okemos High School by the Thursday prior to graduation. If the credit is not received at OHS by May 1st, it is likely that there will be insufficient time to process the credit to ensure participation in commencement.

    For any credits done external to OHS, the following form needs to be submitted to your counselor: External Credit Form