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Individualized Student Learning Opportunities

The New Jersey Student Learning Standards establish a core body of knowledge and skills that all students need in order to become healthy, productive, well-informed, employable citizens of an ever-expanding and changing world. However, not all students will achieve the standards in the same way, at the same pace, or with the same level of success. The New Jersey Department of Education encourages local school districts to permit alternative learning experiences that are stimulating and intellectually challenging, and that enable students to fulfill or exceed the expectations set forth in the Student Learning Standards.

Individualized Student Learning Opportunities (ISLO), formerly known as "Option II" (N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.1(a)1ii) of the high school graduation requirements allows local school districts to design and/or approve educational experiences that serve as an alternative to traditional instruction. Participation in Individualized Student Learning Opportunities is predicated on the application process through which students seek approval. The process for application, evaluation and assessment is detailed below. Attainment of credit toward graduation is based on the successful completion of assessments that verify student achievement in meeting or exceeding the Core Curriculum Content Standards at the high school level.

Students can apply for a maximum of six (6) credits per academic year. Students are permitted to complete only one course per subject/content area through ISLO during their time at PCTVS.

The ISLO application must be completed by July 1st for the following school year.

Any student who wishes to complete an ISLO application, must meet with their school counselor first to review the plan. The school counselor will then provide the ISLO application to the Parent(s)/Guardian(s).

Additional Information / Requirements

  • Individual responsibility to meet any additional criteria required by participating institutions.
  • The student will receive letter grades designated on their transcript, but it will not be calculated in a student’s overall Grade Point Average (GPA). Course dropped after published drop/add dates will be recorded as “withdrawn” on district transcript.
  • The Passaic County Technical Vocational School District reserves the right to administer its own final assessment to determine student proficiency as applied to New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards.
  • The student and/or student’s parent/guardian is responsible for all arrangements related to participation in Individualized Student Learning Opportunities Credit experiences including, but not limited to, payment of tuition and fees, books and other required materials, transportation, safety, and knowledge of all relevant information pertaining to the experience.
  • The student must submit documentation upon completion of Individualized Student Learning Opportunities Credit including official transcripts, evaluation reports, attendance reports, completed projects, and any other documents to their school counselor, as required by the Individualized Student Learning Opportunities Committee.

District Approval Process

  1. Contact appropriate school counselor to receive the link to complete the Individualized Student Learning Opportunities application.
  2. Request will be reviewed by the grade level Assistant Principal.
  3. If approved, the Individualized Student Learning Opportunities Committee will review the request.
  4. Final review completed by the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction.
  5. Student/Parent(s) will be notified of the decision within twenty (20) school days from the initial request.