This is a redacted version of the original hearing officer decision. Select details may have
been removed from the decision to preserve anonymity of the student. The redactions do not
affect the substance of the document.

PENNSYLVANIA
SPECIAL EDUCATION HEARING OFFICER

6709/05-06 KE
File Number

B.C.
Child’s Name

Xx/xx/xx
Date of Birth

July 14, 2006
Date of Hearing

Open
Type of Hearing

For the Student:

Mr. and Mrs.

For the Penn Manor School District:

Beth Campagna
Penn Manor School District P.O. Box 1001
Millersville, PA 17551

Stephen Russell, Esq.
Stock & Leader
Susquehanna Commerce Center East 221 W. Philadelphia Street, 6th Floor York, PA 17404

Date of Hearing: July 14, 2006
Date of Receipt of Transcript: July 25, 2006
Date of Decision: August 6, 2006
Hearing Officer: Daniel J. Myers

 

BACKGROUND

Student is an xx-year old, 7th grade resident of the Penn Manor School District (School District). Last year, while a 6th grade elementary school student, Student completed two of the School District’s high school level math courses. During the upcoming school year, when Student will be a 7th grade middle school student, he will be taking a high school level Geometry-Trigonometry course. The parties do not dispute the educational program and placement contained in the School District’s proposed gifted individualized educational program (GIEP .)

The dispute between the parties is whether Student should receive credit toward completing high school courses while still in elementary and middle school. The School District’s policy is not to award graduation credit to elementary and middle school students who take high school level courses. Student argues that he should receive credit toward graduation for any high school course that he successfully completes, regardless of whether he is an elementary, middle or high school student.

For the reasons described below, I find for the School District. Student has a gifted education need for high school level math instruction, not high school graduation credit. I conclude that the School District has met its obligation to appropriately address Student’s gifted education need. Because the award of graduation credit is not required for the provision of an appropriate gifted education to this Student, any concerns regarding the merits of the School District’s graduation credit policy is a matter of local school district governance over which I have no authority to intrude.

ISSUE

Whether Student should receive credit toward graduation when he successfully completes high school courses while he is still in elementary and middle school?

B-C-Penn-Manor-ODRNo-6709-05-06-KE

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