New Course Request and Approval Process

Kevin Arias Updated by Kevin Arias

New Course Request and Approval Process 

The BPS course approval process now sits in the Office of Teaching & Learning with the Data Owner, Chief Lesley Ryan Miller. 

In order for a BPS school to receive approval for a new BPS created course they will have to submit the course for approval between October 1 - First Friday of December. Dual enrollment and Early College courses have two deadlines: one for fall courses June 1 - Second Friday of August and another for spring courses Last Monday of October - Third Wednesday of January. Once the form has been submitted and the syllabus has been shared with the appropriate department point of contact, the school should receive a receipt of confirmation within 24-48 hours. In the next 7-10 business days, the department will either approve the syllabus & course or send the proposal back to the school with feedback for edits prior to approval. Submitting syllabi with limited access will delay approval. After approval by the department, confirmation will be sent to ODA & OIIT for the course to be added to the district catalog and onto Aspen. (See the graphic below)

    

Important Documents: 

New Course Deadlines for Next Year: 

  • Non-College Credit Courses:  October 1 - First Friday of December
  • Fall Semester College Credit Courses:  June 1 - Second Friday of August
  • Spring Semester College Credit Courses:  Last Monday of October - Third Wednesday of January

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Q: Who can request a new course?
A: School Level: Principal/Headmaster, Assistant Principal/Headmaster, Program Director, Registrar/School Counselor/Early College Advisor, Teacher Leader
District Level: Content Program Directors, T&L Executive Directors 
Q: What should be included in the syllabus to ensure approval?
A: BPS Suggests looking at the Syllabus Check-list to ensure your submitted syllabi meet all requirements. 
Q: What is the State Identification Code and how do I find it?
A:  The State Identification Code is a National code assigned by the National Center for Education Statistics. The SCED (School Courses for the Exchange of Data) code is a classification system for prior-to-secondary and secondary school courses. It is used to compare course information, maintain longitudinal data about student coursework, and efficiently exchange course-taking records. SCED is based on a five-digit Course Code that provides a basic structure for classifying course content. Additionally, SCED elements and attributes provide descriptive information about each course.  Each BPS course has an assigned SCED Code, which is used to identify the department and governance of a course, as well as the required teacher license for the course. Appendix G1 & G2 provide the codes for courses, as well as whether or not the count for Core, Elective, or NA, towards BPS Graduation.  
Q: What are some courses that do not count towards credits or Graduation? 
A: Generally speaking, Study Skills, Strategies for Success, Study Hall, Advisory, MCAS Prep, & Functional Courses (Special Education Courses) do not count towards credit or graduation.However some exemptions may apply in certain circumstances.

How did we do?

How to add a Course to Your School Course Catalog

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