Students coming from other countries with no or limited previous formal schooling who are older than 14 years old will be placed in grade 9 and are recommended for the Newcomer classes at their corresponding International Academy.

Credits awarded

Awarding English Credits

• Students coming into AACPS are given an English Proficiency Test at the International Student Office (ISO) to determine English Proficiency. 
• Students scoring Fluent English Speaker and Competent English Reader will be awarded English credit.  Students scoring competent will receive 1 English credit for each year of English taken (English 9, 10, 11, etc), as long as classes were at least 4 hours per week for one full academic year.
• Students scoring less than fluent/competent on the English proficiency test will receive Independent Study English credit which will not meet graduation requirements and count only as elective credit. 
• English/Independent study English taken will be awarded .5 credits for 3 hours or less per week for a full academic year of study.  One full credit will be awarded for 4 or more hours of study per week for one full academic year.
• One year of ESOL studies in the United States may be counted as an English credit toward graduation.

Awarding Math Credits placing students into Math courses

• Students coming into AACPS from foreign school systems who have only “mathematics” on their transcripts are given an International Student Math Placement Test at the International Student Office (ISO) to determine prior math experience.
• Students with prior formal schooling, who do not score proficient at the “basic skills” level of math, are recommended for placement into dual course – Algebra and Data Analysis.
• Students with no or limited formal schooling will be recommended for placement into Fast Math.
• Students not scoring proficient on the “basic skills” level of the test will be awarded Independent study math credit for any math appearing on their transcripts at the high school level.
• Students who score proficient at the “basic skills” level of math, and not on the first part of Algebra will be placed into Algebra I. 
• Students who score proficient on the first part of the Algebra and not on the Geometry section will be placed into Algebra II (and the following year will take Geometry) and will be awarded credit for Algebra I. 
• Students who score proficient on the Geometry section but not on the second part of Algebra will be placed into Algebra II and will be awarded credit for Algebra I and Geometry.
• Students scoring proficient on the second part of Algebra and not in Trigonometry will be placed in Pre Calculus or Foundations of College Algebra and will awarded Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II credits.
• Students scoring proficient beyond the Trigonometry level will be placed in Pre-Calculus and be awarded credits for Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II.
• Students scoring proficient in Pre-Calculus will be placed in Calculus.
• Math credits will be awarded based on performance on the International Student Math Placement Test and number of years of math studied at the high school level.

Awarding Foreign Language Credits

• Students will be awarded one credit of Independent Study Foreign Language for each full year of Foreign Language studied overseas. 
• ESOL Students coming from overseas with language studies in their native language are exempt from the foreign language requirement for graduation.

Awarding Social Studies Credits

• Students will only be awarded World Civilization credits for classes that include studies of world history per initial student interview.
• Studies of local history/civics/geography will be counted as an Independent Study Social Studies course.

Awarding Science Credits

• Science courses in other countries are usually taught concurrently.  That is, biology, chemistry and physics may be taught all in the same semester in one class. 
• For students with biology, chemistry and physics on their transcripts for one full year of study, a decision will be made for credits awarded based on “seat hours” in each class.

Awarding Elective Credits

• Elective credits are awarded based on number of hours per week in a semester.  Interviews with student will determine appropriate equivalent course.