Obion County Board of Education
May 3, 2010

Background Information:

The Obion County School System has had a Challenge Program in place since its adoption within Board Policy 4.602 in 2005. With the advent of the Tennessee Diploma Project, minimum graduation requirement are now more stringent than our Challenge Program. Therefore, to maintain our Challenge Program, the requirements of the program must be more rigorous. The following amendments to Board Policy are presented for your consideration

Strike lines 4 and 5 and replace with: All grades earned in grades 9, 10, 11, and the first three nine-week grading periods of grade 12 will be counted toward the grade point average and the rank in class.

Strike lines 24 through 26 and replace with:  The valedictorian and salutatorian must be participants in the Obion County Challenge Program. Students must have been enrolled in the Obion County School System four (4) semesters in order to be eligible for these awards.

Strike line 28 through 29 and replace with: The valedictorian and salutatorian selection will be determined at the end of the third nine-week grading period of the senior year.

Strike from line 31, page 1 through line 13, page 2 and replace with: To be a graduate of the Obion County Challenge Program, the student must have completed, as part of his/her graduation requirements,

• 4 credits in English (honors level, if offered)
• 4 credits in math (Algebra I, Algebra II, geometry, and an advanced math)
• 4 credits in science (Biology I, Chemistry I, Biology II, Chemistry II, or physics)
• 2 Career and Technical Education courses
• Minimum requirement of the Tennessee Diploma Project
• Student must maintain a B average
• Student must maintain a 95 percent attendance rate
• Student must have an acceptable discipline record with no out-of-school suspensions

Strike the last paragraph on page 2 and replace with: The Top Ten students will be based on cumulative grade averages (accumulated years). Class rankings for grades eleven and below will be determined by the cumulative long semester averages. All Top Ten Awards for seniors will be finalized by the end of the third nine-week grading period of the current school year.

Staff Recommendation:

I recommend approval of the above-noted amendments to Board Policy 4.602 on second and final reading.