Endorsements acknowledge extra coursework
Published 6:56 am Monday, July 11, 2016
<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">I attended a high school graduation ceremony this past May. After the announcement of the three divisions of cum laude recipients, an announcement was made of those with an academic endorsement. What is the significance of an academic endorsement?</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Endorsements certify that students have taken courses beyond those required for a diploma.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The state Education Department allows school officials to offer several kinds, including academic, career/technical and community service endorsements.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">To receive the academic endorsement, students must meet the following requirements:</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Complete the Louisiana Core 4 curriculum.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Earn a grade-point average of at least 2.5.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Score “good” or “excellent” on end-of-course tests in English II, English III, algebra I, geometry, biology and U.S. history.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Score at least 23 on the ACT.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Complete a senior project, an AP course, an IB course or three hours of nonremedial core-area credit.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">For the career/technical endorsement, students must do the following:</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Complete the Louisiana Core 4 curriculum.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Earn a GPA of at least 2.5.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Score “good” or “excellent” on end-of-course tests in English II, English III, algebra I, geometry, biology and U.S. history.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Score at least 20 on the ACT or get a WorkKeys rating of “Silver.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Earn an industry-based certification approved by the state or do three college hours in a career technical area, along with completing a senior project that involves 20 hours of work-based learning in the student’s concentration area or 90 hours of work-based learning.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">To receive the community service endorsement, students must do at least 80 hours of community service over their four-year career — at least 10 hours in the first year, 20 in the second and 25 in each of the final two years.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Community service can involve work with groups or initiatives that fall within any of a dozen or so categories, including arts and culture, crisis support, disaster relief and environment.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Additionally, the state allows — but doesn’t require — school officials to affix a “seal of biliteracy” to the diplomas or transcripts of students who complete all English language arts requirements; score at least 19 on the ACT series’ reading and English parts; and demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">How to demonstrate proficiency, according to R.S. 17:273.4:</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“Passing a world language Advanced Placement examination with a score of three or higher or a world language International Baccalaureate examination with a score of four or higher.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Completing “a four-year high school course of study in a world language” or completing “seven Carnegie units or more in language or content courses in a world language immersion setting.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“Passing a foreign government’s approved language examination and receiving a receipt of a certificate of competency from the authorizing government agency at the European B2 level, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Advanced Low level, or equivalent measures.”</span>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.louisianabelieves.com/courses/diploma-endorsements.</span>
<span class="R~sep~AHeadBrief">Permittees must tell officers about firearm</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">This is related to concealed carry permits. What is the correct response to an officer when you’re stopped? What do you tell him about the gun?</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">From Louisiana R.S. 40:1379.3:</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyInfoBox">“A permittee armed with a handgun … shall notify any police officer who approaches the permittee in an official manner or with an identified official purpose that he has a weapon on his person, submit to a pat down, and allow the officer to temporarily disarm him.”</span>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.legis.la.gov.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">The I</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nform</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">er answers questions from rea</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ders each Sunday, Monday a</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nd Wednesday. It is re</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">searched and written by</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Andrew Perzo</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">, an</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">American Press</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">staff wri</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ter. To ask a question, call</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">494-409</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">8 and leave voice mail, or ema</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">il informer@americanpress.com.</span>
