A-G “How To” Guide

Here are some helpful hints for implementing a-g courses for your high school students.

Guidelines:

1. Students must follow the course outline posted and have the information included in their learning records.  The course outline can be found on our website at http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/highschool/Courseinfo/agcoursetitle.htm

2. The textbook must be listed in the learning record, and the documentation needs to include the concepts from the outline either written in the learning record or marked in the LR content standards.

3. Students must use an approved textbook from the course outline, preferably a CA Standards aligned textbook.

4. Students can use an updated edition of the textbook.

5. You can find the UC list of approved courses for CWCS at https://doorways.ucop.edu/list/

Course Specific hints:

Social Studies  Students must follow the course outline.

English            Students must follow the course outline and read at least three novels from the suggested reading list alongside the curriculum.  The course must emphasize reading and expository writing.

Mathematics    Students must follow the course outline, several online providers are listed on the Algebra course outline.

Lab Science     Lab Science courses must include at least 20% laboratory work.  The University of California will not allow labs to be completed in a home environment nor can “lab kits” sufficiently provide students with the lab experience that UC is expecting from our students.  Therefore, a-g Biology, a-g Chemistry, a-g Physics and a-g Anatomy/Physiology must have an on site type/formal lab component.  Options include taking the course at community college, taking supplemental labs at our Modesto Learning Center offered by Lecia Leige, or taking the lab portion from Dan Wyrick, a vendor, in Lodi.

Language Other than English 

Students must follow the course outline and should be given opportunities to apply dialogue.

Visual and Performing Arts

Students must follow both the course outline and the California State Standards by subject at http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/index.asp .  The course must include some cultural and historical studies and should not simply be a performance experience.

College Prep Electives

Our approved electives include a-g Life Science, a-g Physical Science, a-g Earth Science, a-g Economics, a-g  European History.  The sciences in this category do not need a 20% lab component, however, lab experiences are recommended.

Other options for satisfying UC a-g Subject Requirements include passing AP exam scores, SAT Subject Scores, and Community College Courses. For more information, see http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/educators/counselors/resources/materials/documents/options_stsfyng_ag.pdf . Contact the Guidance Department for details.

Math and Foreign Language courses can be validated with a C or better in a higher level course, for more information see http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/educators/counselors/resources/materials/documents/uccsu_ag_comp2010_11matrix.pdf . Contact the Guidance Department for details.

a-g UC Guidelines:
New UC guidelines regarding a-g courses require a student to take proctored exams.
These guidelines may reduce the number of service vendors that will be able to provide a-g HQT access. CWCS approved a-g vendors are indicated on this list with a "a-g Yes" in the HQT column. Here are the department a-g oversight requirements for approved a-g vendors: English, Math, Science, Social Science,Visual & Performing Arts
We have been informed by UC that we can provide a list of approved online vendors to choose from for the 09-10 school year as a transition to their new guidelines. After June 2010, we will only be able to use online vendors that have been approved by UC directly. Here is the list of online a-g vendors for the 2009/2010 school year.