Policy 6152 - Class Assignment

Class Assignment

The Board of Education believes students should be assigned to classes and/or grouped in a manner that provides the most effective learning environment for all students.

When assigning students to specific courses and classes, the principal or designee may consider the following criteria as appropriate for the grade level and course:

1. Staff recommendation, including, but not limited to, the recommendations of teachers and counselors
2. Gender and ethnic balance
3. Academic balance of high, medium and low achievers
4. Balance of students with social or emotional problems
5. Strengths of individual teachers
6. Student interests, readiness, behavior and motivation
7. Student/teacher ratios
8. Student skill level as indicated by multiple objective measures, such as student assessment results, grade point average and grades in prerequisite courses

The Superintendent or designee may accept from parents/guardians any information which would be helpful in making placement decisions. However, parents/guardians who provide such information shall be informed that requests for a specific teacher shall be used as only one of many determining factors which must be taken into account.

During the school year, the Superintendent or designee may make any adjustments in class placement which he/she considers beneficial to the student or the educational program.

Additional Requirements for Grades 9 -12

Except for a student enrolled in an alternative school, community day school, continuation high school, or opportunity school, or otherwise specified below, no student enrolled in grades 9-12 shall be assigned:

1. To any course without educational content for more than one week in any semester, including any of the following situations:
   1. The student is sent home or released from campus before the conclusion of the designated school day.
   2. The student is assigned to a service, instructional work experience, or other course in which he/she is assigned to assist a certificated employee, but is not expected to complete curricular assignments, in a course the certificated employee is teaching during that period and where the ratio of certificated employees to students assigned to the course for curricular purposes is less than one to one.
   3. The student is not assigned to any course for the relevant course period.
2. To a course that he/she has previously completed and received a grade determined by the district to be sufficient to satisfy minimum high school graduation requirements and the requirements and prerequisites for admission to California public postsecondary institutions, unless the course has been designed to be taken more than once because students are exposed to new curriculum year to year and are therefore expected to derive educational value from taking the course again.

An exception to item #1 or #2 above may be made only if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

1. The student, or the student’s parent/guardian if he/she is younger than age 18 years, has consented in writing to the assignment.
2. A school official has determined that the student will benefit from being assigned to the course period.
3. The principal or assistant principal has stated in a written document maintained at the school that, for the relevant school year, no students are assigned to those classes unless the school has obtained the student’s or parent/guardian’s consent and determined that the student will benefit from the assignment.

In addition, under no circumstances shall a student be assigned to a course period without educational content or a course he/she has already satisfactorily completed because there are insufficient curricular course offerings for the student to take during the relevant period of the school day.

The above limitations on class assignments shall not affect the authority of the Superintendent or designee to permit the enrollment of a student in a dual enrollment, independent study or other class or course authorized by law.

Any complaint that the district has not complied with the requirements in this section regarding assignments in grades 9-12 may be filed in accordance with the district’s procedures in Board Rule 1312.3 –Uniform Complaint Procedures. A complainant not satisfied with the district’s decision may appeal the decision to the California Department of Education (CDE). If the district or the CDE finds merit in an appeal, the district shall provide a remedy to the affected student.