A+ ListServ Message - April 28, 2008
Electronic Transcripts
The A+ Schools section of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has been approached several times during the last several years about the possibility of utilizing electronic transcripts for students who have met the requirements of the A+ program.
As you may know, legislation has been proposed that would give express authorization for the use of electronic transcripts. At the present time, there is no express prohibition in state law regarding the use of these items. School districts that elect to utilize electronic transcripts will still fall under the confidentiality requirements of FERPA.
Vendors, who provide electronic transcript services to school districts and community colleges, would need to certify, in writing, to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, A+ Schools/Charter Schools Office that their environment for designating A+ students is secure and that only the designated A+ coordinator would be able to indicate that students have met the program requirements.
Please conSeptember 9, 2008breplyimpraplus@dese.mo.gov if you have questions regarding electronic transcripts
Requests for On-Site Reviews
Schools that are scheduled for an on-site visit for the 2008-09 school year should submit their requests for an on-site visit by May 1st. Please submit two fall dates and one spring date for your review. The spring date will only be utilized if there is a need to reschedule from the dates selected for the fall.
Stamp Security
The A+ stamp is provided by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to those Missouri public high schools that have met all the requirements approved by the Missouri State Board of Education and as such have been designated as A+ High Schools. The A+ stamp is to be used as the official seal on transcripts for those graduating seniors who have met all of the A+ schools program financial incentive requirements. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is not responsible for paying for financial incentives for students whose transcript has been stamped inappropriately.
Please ensure that only proper district authorities have access to the stamp and that it is kept in a secure location.
Submission of Eligible Students via MOSIS
Students who have successfully met all of the A+ requirements will be submitted as part of the MOSIS June Student Core File. Please work with your districts MOSIS/Core Data staff to ensure appropriate collection of students. High schools will no longer submit student eligibility information via diskette.
If the student is participating in A+ indicating a signed student agreement, you will use a Y in the A+ student field. If the student does not have a signed agreement, you will use a N in the A+ student field. All students in your high school must have an appropriate indicator in the A+ student field, not just those participating in A+.
Students who have successfully met all program requirements and will be graduating in the spring of 2008 will be indicated as such by using a C in the A+ student field.