R277.  Education, Administration.
R277-717.  High School Course Grading Requirements.
R277-717-1.  Authority and Purpose.
	(1)  This rule is authorized by:
	(a)  Utah Constitution Article X, Section 3, which vests general control and supervision over public education in the Board; and
	(b)  Subsection 53E-3-401(4), which allows the Board to make rules to execute the Board's duties and responsibilities under the Utah Constitution and state law.
	(2)  The purpose of this rule is to establish requirements for awarding credit when a student repeats a course or takes a comparable course and earns a higher grade.

R277-717-2.  Definitions.
	(1)  "Comparable course" means a course that fulfills the same graduation credit requirements as a course for which a student seeks to improve a grade.
	(2)  "Course" means a course that a student:
	(a)  is enrolled in; and
	(b)(i)  completes; or
	(ii)  withdraws from but still receives a grade.
	(3)  "Highest grade" means a grade that reflects the higher grade of:
	(a)  a course and a repeat of the course; or
	(b)  a course and a comparable course.
	(4)  "LEA" includes the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind for purposes of this rule.
	(5)  "Recurring course" means a course that a student takes more than once to:
	(a)  further the student's understanding and skills in the course subject, such as journalism or band; or
	(b)  satisfy a different credit requirement that the course may fulfill, such as an art class that fulfills an elective requirement and an art requirement.
	(6)  "Student" means an individual enrolled in an LEA in grade 9, 10, 11, or 12.

R277-717-3.  Course Grade Forgiveness.
	(1)(a)  A student may, to improve a course grade received by the student:
	(i)  repeat the course one or more times; or
	(ii)  enroll in and complete a comparable course.
	(b)  A grade for an additional unit of a recurring course does not change a student's original course grade for purposes of this section.
	(2)  If a student repeats a course, the student's LEA:
	(a)  shall adjust, if necessary, the student's course grade and grade point average to reflect the student's highest grade and exclude a lower grade;
	(b)  shall exclude from the student's permanent record the course grade that is not the highest grade; and
	(c)  may not otherwise indicate on the student's current record that the student repeated the course.
	(3)(a)  If a student enrolls in a comparable course, the student shall, at the time of enrolling in the comparable course, inform the student's LEA of the student's intent to enroll in the course for the purpose of improving a course grade.
	(b)  If a student enrolls in a comparable course, the student's LEA:
	(i)  shall confirm, at the time the student enrolls in the comparable course, that the comparable course fulfills the same credit requirements as the course that the student intends to replace with the comparable course grade;
	(ii)  shall update the student's current record and grade point average to reflect the highest grade between the course and the comparable course and exclude the lower grade and corresponding course; and
	(iii)  may not otherwise indicate the course or comparable course for which the student did not receive the highest grade on the student's record.

KEY:  students, grades, credits
Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment:  March 14, 2018
Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law:  Art X Sec 3; 53E-3-401(4)