Testing Out of Credits in the Livonia Public Schools

  • Students who feel they already possess a mastery of the subject area content expectations associated with an LPS required course before they even take the required course, may request to ‘test out’ from having to take the LPS required course. 

    Students who earn a passing grade (80% or higher) on the test out assessment will earn the credit (.5 or 1.0) required for graduation.  The credit earned from ‘testing out’ will be subtracted from the 18 credits of the Michigan Merit Curriculum. That student, however, must still earn the 23 credits that are required for a Livonia Public Schools diploma. 

    Credits earned through ‘testing out’ will be recorded on a student’s transcript with the course title, the credit earned, and a grade of an ‘S’, but the letter grade will not be included in the computation of a student’s grade point average.

    General Information

    1. Testing Out opportunities for most content areas will take place in December and May.
    2. Students must register on the Google form linked with each content area. 
    3. The Google form will be posted approximately thirty days prior to the testing out dates.
    4. The test out may be a multiple day experience.
    5. Passing is determined by a score of 80% or higher.
    6. Unless specifically noted, there is no fee for taking a test out.
    7. The NCAA does not accept test out credit for future college-bound student athletes.
    8. LPS does not loan textbooks for students to study for the test out.
    9. LPS does not provide practice tests or study sessions prior to the test out.

English Language Arts (ELA)

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  • ELA 9

  • ELA 10

  • ELA 11

  • ELA 12

Math

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  • Geometry

  • Algebra 1

  • Algebra 2

World Language Test-Outs

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Social Studies

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  • Government

  • World History

  • U.S. History

  • Economics

Science

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Health and Fitness Test-Outs

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  • Physical and Health Education Test-Out

FAQ

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  • Is the previous law on testing-out, outlined above, still in effect?

  • If a student "tests out" of a class, say Algebra I, but NEVER takes the Algebra I class {they knew the material, but didn't put in time in class), can they receive graduation credit?

  • Can a student test-out of a credit required for graduation under the Michigan Merit Curriculum? To test-out, does a student need to have a C+ or better?

  • Can a student test-out of any of the new credit areas required for graduation (including Civics)?

  • For testing-out, does there have to be a single test such as a final or end of course exam that covers all the content expectations for that credit area?

  • If there doesn't need to be a single test or final exam for testing-out, what are the other options?

  • What are some examples of multiple assessments?

  • Can students be required to demonstrate knowledge in addition to taking an assessment?

  • Does a testing-out assessment require a written exam?

  • Can a middle school student test-out of a credit required under the Michigan Merit Curriculum for high school graduation?

  • The old law says that "Credit earned under this section may or may not be counted toward graduation, as the board of the school district may determine ... " Does this provision still apply?

  • May a school or district establish requirements on how often testing-out is allowed, that is, how often the end-of-course exams and/or other assessments are given?

  • If a student is taking a class and then decides to test-out, is the school obligated to allow them to do so?

  • Can a district have a policy, which limits the number of classes a student could test­out of, for example: two high school classes over four years?

  • Can a school district deny credit to a student who is enrolled in a course and has not met the district attendance policy?

  • If a student passes the Calculus Advanced Placement (AP) test prior to entering high school, but has not taken Algebra II, can the district approve the AP test as an assessment to validate student proficiency in Algebra II?

  • Will the number of students graduating high school early increase as a result of allowing students to test out?

  • Can a district determine who is eligible to test out?

Testing Out Information from Michigan Department of Education

  • 380.1279(b) The board of a school district shall grant high school credit in any course to a pupil enrolled in high school, but who is not enrolled in the course, who has exhibited a reasonable level of mastery of the subject matter of the course by attaining a grade of not less than C+ in a final exam in the course, or, if there is no final exam, by exhibiting that mastery through the basic assessment used in the course which may consist of a portfolio, performance, paper, project, or presentation. For the purpose of earning credit under this section, any high school pupil may take the final examination in any course. Credit earned under this section shall be based on a "pass" grade and shall not be included in a computation of grade point average for any purpose. Credit earned under this section may or may not be counted toward graduation, as the board of the school district may determine, but the board's determination shall apply equally to all such credit for all pupils and credit earned under this section shall be counted toward fulfillment of a requirement for a subject area course and shall be counted toward fulfillment of a requirement as to course sequence. Once credit is earned under this section, a pupil may not receive credit thereafter for a course lower in course sequence concerning the same subject area.

Michigan Merit Curriculum Guidelines

  • 380.1278(a)(4)(c) A school district or public school academy shall also grant a student a credit if the student earns a qualifying score, as determined by the department, on the assessments developed or selected for the subject area by the department or the student earns a qualifying score, as determined by the school district or public school academy, on 1 or more assessments developed or selected by the school district or public school academy that measure a student's understanding of the subject area content expectations or guidelines that apply to the credit.