34 C.F.R. § 691.16 Recognition of a rigorous secondary school program of study.
Title 34 - Education
(a) For an award year, the Secretary recognizes in each State at least one rigorous secondary school program of study as established by an SEA or, if legally authorized by the State to establish a separate secondary school program of study, an LEA. (b) For each award year, the Secretary establishes a deadline for SEAs and LEAs to submit information about the secondary school program or programs that the SEA or LEA identifies as a rigorous secondary school program of study, and, in the case of an LEA, documentation that the LEA is legally authorized by the State to establish a separate secondary school program of study. (c) In identifying a rigorous secondary school program of study, the SEA, or the LEA if applicable, must consider separate identifiable secondary programs that— (1) Are offered by secondary schools in the State, including public, charter, private, tribal, and home schools; (2) Are considered by the SEA, or by the LEA if applicable, to prepare a student to pursue postsecondary education successfully; and (3) Are not General Education Development (GED) Certificate programs. (d) In addition to those programs identified by States or LEAs and recognized by the Secretary as rigorous under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the Secretary recognizes the following secondary school programs of study as rigorous: (1) Advanced or honors secondary school programs established by States and in existence for the 2004–2005 or 2005–2006 school year, as identified by the Secretary. (2) Any secondary school program in which a student completes at a minimum the following courses: (i) Four years of English. (ii) Three years of mathematics, including algebra I and a higher-level class such as algebra II, geometry, or data analysis and statistics. (iii) Three years of science, including one year each of at least two of the following courses: biology, chemistry, and physics. (iv) Three years of social studies. (v) One year of a language other than English. (3) A secondary school program identified by a State—level partnership that is recognized by the State Scholars Initiative of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), Boulder, Colorado. (4) Any secondary school program for a student who completes at least two courses in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program sponsored by the International Baccalaureate Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, and receives a score of “4” or higher on the examinations for at least two of those courses. (5) Any secondary school program for a student who completes at least two Advanced Placement courses and receives a score of “3” or higher on the College Board's Advanced Placement Program Exams for at least two of those courses. (e) For each award year, the Secretary publishes a list of rigorous secondary school programs of study that the Secretary recognizes. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–1)
Title 34: Education
PART 691—ACADEMIC COMPETITIVENESS GRANT (ACG) AND NATIONAL SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS ACCESS TO RETAIN TALENT GRANT (NATIONAL SMART GRANT) PROGRAMS
Subpart B—Application Procedures
§ 691.16 Recognition of a rigorous secondary school program of study.
