Academic Counseling Information

OUSD COURSES

OUSD provides students the opportunity to remediate grades or recover credits through one of two platforms, Apex Learning or Plato Courseware. Apex classes provide each student the opportunity to focus on exactly what he or she needs to master in order to recover credits or improve a grade. Plato offers a standards-based online learning program grounded in the tradition of solid research, sound pedagogy and applied innovation.

Policy: With counselor approval, a student may repeat a course in order to raise his/her grade. Both grades will appear on the high school transcript, but the student will receive credit only once for taking the course.   

COURSES TAKEN OUTSIDE OUSD

 Practice and Policy: Secondary students who wish to attend a private or public school other than an OUSD High School Program to recover credit from a failed class must secure petition approval from the Assistant Principal and Counselor prior to taking the course and transferring credits to their OUSD transcript. Only credits from an Accredited School (recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, such as WASC or ASC) will be accepted. The student must provide an official transcript to the high school registrar when the course is completed.

OUSD students are encouraged to take the most rigorous and accelerated program in which they can be successful. Dual enrollment allows students to take college classes while still in high school. Classes are taught by college faculty, either at the college, high school, or through distance education. Dual enrollment is advantageous to students because it is a cost efficient way to accumulate college credits and allows them to get a head start on their college careers. In some cases, the student may even be able to attain an Associate’s degree shortly before or after their high school graduation. Participation in dual enrollment may ease the transition from high school to college by giving students a sense of what college courses are like.

Policy and practices: All students interested in Dual Enrollment must meet with their high school counselor for advisement regarding the most appropriate plan of study for their goals as well as to receive instruction regarding necessary forms and process prior to enrolling. Tuition is free to high school students; however, students are required to pay for their textbooks as well as a small health fee.

Orange Unified School District has a variety of opportunities for students in the summer school program. Students who need to recover credits as well as those who would like to accelerate can enroll in courses offered through OUSD. The programs offered are open to any OUSD student who has promoted from 8th grade or is enrolled in grades 9-11. OUSD also partners with Santiago Canyon College to offer dual enrollment courses wherein OUSD students can earn college credits. Some courses may be used towards high school graduation requirements.

Policy: All students interested in summer school should see their high school counselor for advisement prior to enrolling. 

Orange Live is a web-based platform which allows students to meet high school graduation and college entrance requirements as well as complete CTE Pathways through online classes.  OUSD offers many courses through this virtual medium (a list can be found at the back of this catalog) and continues to add to its offerings each year. Orange Live allows participants to access and present resources as well as participate in activities and interactions within a digital course structure.