High School Assessment Waiver Regulation

Recently, I've gotten some questions about how the whole HSA Waiver process works. Here are the new regulations posted by MSDE for comment. The Maryland State Board of Educaiton has issued a policy regarding the use of HSA Waivers in Maryland that will affect the Class of 2010 and beyond:

School principals are required to make recommendations to the county superintendent by May 1 of each year after notifying the families by April 1. School districts must notify seniors by the end of February if there is a possibility these students may not complete graduation requirements. And the county superintendent must make recommendations by August 1.

If a student meets the following criteria:

1. The student will meet all other graduation requirements
2. The student will take all the HSA exams
3. The student has had the opporunity to be involved in an intervention program including the Bridge to Excellence

And meets one of the following circumstances:

1. A fault of the local school system with regards to scheduling, course sequencing, or test taking (this will sunset after 2010)
2. The student experiences a special, extraordinary, or extenuating circumstance or combination of circumstances preceding the administration of the most recent HSA i.e death in the family, illness, etc.
3. The student moved to the United States his or her junior or senior year and is illiterate in English
4. The student moved to Maryland in the senior year, has passed all the HSA courses, but has failed the related HSA(s), and has had no adequate opportunity for intervention.
5. A student who movies to Maryland in his or her senior year, has passed all HSA courses in their old high school, but has failed the Government HSA and has had no adequate opportunity for intervention.