Guidelines

The following are recommended practices for U.S. educators or designees:

1. Review documents for authenticity. This may include ensuring student name and date of birth are consistent throughout all documents. Documents should have a seal, school name, or other identifying information. Official transcripts are not mandatory; however, professional discernment should be utilized when accepting documents for review.
2. Documents in a foreign language may need to be translated into English. Use your local education agency resources or defer to area community colleges or universities for support with translation. Services may come at a cost. It is highly discouraged to allow family members to translate documents.
3. Intentionally interview the student and parents regarding the student’s educational history. Ask questions regarding school type, length of time spent in class each day, courses studied, and any family needs. Coordinate external and/or internal resources to support with family transition. Review cultural and educational practices from this manual to help guide questioning and provide the most culturally competent experience.
4. Determine if the student will need any particular placement testing. A variety of methods may be utilized, including but not limited to semester exams, final exams, teacher-created assessments, or credit by exam (CBE).
5. Utilize country profiles within this manual to award course and grade credit. For countries not found within this manual, access credible websites to evaluate curriculum.
6. Update the student’s academic achievement record (transcript) in a timely manner.
7. Inform the student and family regarding determination of grade level, GPA, and courses that were accepted or unaccepted. Families may need additional education regarding the U.S. credit system and how the grade level in the foreign country may not automatically transfer as the same grade level in the U.S. school. The more transparent you are in the initial interview, the more likely students and families will be receptive regarding the final outcome.
8. Store foreign academic records in the student’s cumulative file.
9. Consider establishing a timeline for working through this process to ensure that students are placed correctly and in an expeditious manner.
10. This manual is intended to be utilized as a resource tool. Always defer to your local education agency’s protocols and procedures when interpreting and evaluating foreign records.

Special Considerations by Course Subject
The following are recommended considerations for U.S. educators or designees:

English

Extreme discretion should be utilized when awarding English credit. This manual has provided a summary of the type of skills assessed in English by each respective country to aid in decision making. Generally, if a student has had consistent schooling, high academic performance in his or her home language core classes, and has had multiple years of exposure to English, U.S. educators may consider awarding English 1 credit.

Foreign countries that utilize English as an official language in their country may consider awarding multiple levels of English, as appropriate. Hyper-accelerating students in English has detrimental academic consequences. It is imperative that a consistent practice is established for awarding English credit.

Mathematics

Many foreign countries begin key math concepts and courses earlier in their education. It is not uncommon for students to have already completed Algebra 1 by eighth grade. Keep in mind that the math course sequence for each country in the manual has been established by interpreting the country’s math curriculum and cross referencing it to U.S. standards; however, each educator may utilize his or her professional judgement in determining the awarding of math credit.

Science

Countries outside of the U.S. have historically focused on natural sciences and provide an integrated approach where several courses are blended over two or three years. When a transcript says Biology, Chemistry, and Physics all in one school year, it indicates that portions of those three courses were blended into the course. It is not indicative that the student has completed the entire courses of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.

History

History courses in the manual that correlate with U.S. courses have been specifically detailed. Most foreign history curriculums promote courses that are specific to their country’s geography, politics, or history. Although these courses are not recognized as standard U.S. courses, they could qualify for a generic history course credit, if your state has that as an available course option. The SPTSS course referenced throughout the manual is a general history course offered in Texas.