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Oakland Unified School District

Pre-Approval Process for Taking Classes Outside Oakland Unified and Receiving District Credit

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<Important> Pre-Approval Process for Taking Classes Outside Oakland Unified and Receiving District Credit
<Important> Pre-Approval Process for Taking Classes Outside Oakland Unified and Receiving District Credit
<Important> Pre-Approval Process for Taking Classes Outside Oakland Unified and Receiving District Credit

This memo outlines the pre-approval process for earning official credit for courses taken outside of Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) to fulfill high school graduation, A-G requirements, or to accelerate in the District's approved Math course sequence.

Purpose of the Pre-Approval Process

  1. To ensure that outside courses meet state law and District policy.
  2. To ensure that credits are applied consistently and fairly to all students.

This guidance was developed with OUSD Legal and aligns with Board Policies (including BPs 6146.1 and 6146.11) and the relevant California Education Code.

What counts as "external coursework"?

Examples include:

  • Concurrent Enrollment at an accredited community college (this is different from Dual Enrollment, which happens at the student's high school).
  • Any other outside course you would like posted on your OUSD transcript to count toward graduation or the A-G requirements.

Courses taken solely for enrichment or those reported directly to colleges via official transcripts from other accredited educational institutions do not require pre-approval.

Eligibility Criteria (if you want the course posted on the OUSD transcript)

To be considered for external course pre-approval, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Be on track for A-G eligibility, graduation, and pathway completion.
  • Be enrolled in the minimum number of high-school minutes per day required by California Ed Code 46140–46148:
    • Grades 11–12: minimum 180 minutes per day
    • Grades 9–10: minimum 240 minutes per day

Process:

  1. Talk with your assigned school counselor if you (or your student) plan(s) to take an external course (excluding Dual Enrollment) to confirm eligibility for applying an external course for official credit, and to verify that the course will count towards math acceleration and/or graduation/A-G credit.
  2. Students/Parents must verify their own enrollment in the external course and meet that provider's requirements for credit.
  3. Complete and submit the electronic HS Network External Course Pre-Approval Form (your counselor can provide the link as well).
  4. The counselor will review the request and approve or deny it.
  5. If approved, the counselor routes the form to the next approver (e.g., a Math Coordinator or an administrator).
  6. After obtaining final approval and completing the course, submit the approved Course Pre-Approval Form, along with the official transcript showing course completion and your grade, to your counselor. This will allow the course to be processed for posting on the student's OUSD transcript.

Important notes about math acceleration

  • Students can accelerate in math by 1) completing external coursework and earning a grade of B or better in the external course; 2) enrolling in a Summer Intensive Math course with OUSD and passing the corresponding certification exam; or 3) taking two math classes in one year at their high school.
  • For External Coursework: Pre-approval forms must be submitted by the final school day for accelerated math placement during the following school year. (Please check with your school counselor for the exact deadline at your school.)
  • Incoming 9th graders (current 8th graders) may take an external Algebra 1 course for math acceleration; however, credits completed before 9th grade will not count toward high school graduation or A-G credit. For 9th-grade geometry placement, students must:
    • Complete an A-G-aligned or WASC-approved Algebra 1 course
    • Earn a grade of B or higher
    • Demonstrate proficiency on a common district Algebra 1 certification exam
    If the above criteria are satisfied, the student may enroll in Geometry in 9th grade, and will still need to take at least 3 years of math while enrolled in high school.

Questions? Need help?

If you're unsure whether a course requires pre-approval or how it will be applied, please contact your assigned school counselor or the school office. They can walk you through the form and deadlines.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
High School Linked Learning Office and Counseling Department

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