With the recent changes in House Bill 96, the Ohio Biennium Budget, Ohio now recognizes career-technical education courses approved under the state’s Career-Technical Assurance Guide (CTAG) and Industry Recognized Credential Transfer Assurance Guide (ITAG) transfer initiatives as Advanced Standing Courses. This guidance document is intended to support schools and districts in implementing fair and consistent policies for CTAG course weighting and class standing. While each school must develop its own local policy, this resource is designed to help clarify expectations, reduce confusion, and address common questions. It reflects current law and administrative rules to promote equity across all advanced standing programs. Use it as a reference when reviewing or updating local grading policies.
What secondary career-technical education subject coded courses are eligible (CTAG) courses for weighting purposes?
Eligible courses are those that comply with the career-technical education credit transfer criteria, policies, and procedures established under section
3333.162 of the Revised Code. For a list of eligible career-technical education (CTAG) courses, please visit the Transfer Credit Ohio webpage
Career-Technical Assurance Guide (CTAG) Descriptions and access the
CTAG Guidance Document. Only career-technical education (CTAG) courses with curriculum code
VN, VT, or
VP meet the credit transfer criteria referenced under section
3333.162 of Revised Code and are generally referred to as a Career-Technical Assurance Guide (CTAG).
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What secondary career-technical education subject coded courses are eligible (ITAG) courses for weighting purposes?
Eligible courses are those that comply with the career-technical education credit transfer criteria, policies, and procedures established under section
3333.162 of the Revised Code. For a list of eligible career-technical education (ITAG) courses, please visit the Transfer Credit Ohio webpage
Industry-Recognized Credential Transfer Assurance Guides and access the
ITAG Guidance Document. Industry Credential Only courses with subject code (38XXXX) and curriculum (VT) meet the credit transfer criteria referenced under section
3333.162 of the Revised Code and are generally referred to as Industry Recognized Credential Transfer Assurance Guide (ITAG).
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When must the school weight a career-technical education (CTAG/ITAG) course?
If the school has advanced standing courses (CCP, AP, or IB) or honors courses that are weighted, then the school MUST weight all career-technical education CTAG/ITAG eligible courses.
For example: If the school offers an AP course weighting, then any career-technical education CTAG/ITAG eligible course must also be equally weighted.
If the school does not have a weighted grading scale or preferential class standing policies, a school or district is not required to weight career-technical education CTAG/ITAG eligible courses.
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Does the district from which the student will graduate have to offer weighting to career-technical education courses on their campus in order for the law to be extended to the career-technical education courses at a Joint Vocational School District or other approved career-technical education provider?
No, regardless of provider and/or course location, any career-technical education courses that comply with the career-technical education credit transfer criteria, policies, and procedures established under section
3333.162 of the Revised Code shall be included the awarding of weighted grades and the calculation of class standing for those courses.
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Does a school have to apply corrected weighting of grades in the final calculation of grade and class standing for a course completed in prior year?
If a district has a weighted grading policy, it may review its policies and determine locally if the new weight will be assigned to previously completed coursework. All course grades awarded after Sept. 30, 2025 for courses complying with the career-technical education credit transfer criteria, policies, and procedures established under section 3333.162 of the Revised Code must be weighted.
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How do career-technical education (CTAG) courses factor into class standing?
The policy must be equivalent to the school’s policy for courses taken under the advanced standing programs (CCP, AP, or IB) or honors courses. If the policy includes awarding a weighted grade or enhancing a student’s class standing for these courses, the policy must also provide for the same weighting or enhancement to be applied to career-technical education (CTAG) courses that articulate to postsecondary credit (ORC 3313.6031 and ORC 3333.162).
This ensures that students who complete CTAG-aligned career-technical education courses are recognized equitably in GPA and class rank calculations, just as students in other advanced standing programs are. Schools may not assign greater value to CCP, AP, IB, or Honors courses than to career-technical education (CTAG) courses, in accordance with ORC 3313.6031.
A district cannot create policies that exclude career-technical education (CTAG) courses or students who participate in career-technical education (CTAG) courses in the calculations for valedictorian, salutatorian, class standing, or class rank.
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When a district has multiple high schools and the weighting of courses differs, how is the weight of a CTAG course determined?
Courses that are weighted differently at high schools within the same district must be weighted according to the building in which the student is enrolled. If the district has a district-wide weighting policy, then all buildings must use the same weighted grading scale. This ensures consistency and fairness in how CTAG/ITAG courses are factored into GPA and class standing across the district.
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When a CTAG requires successful completion of multiple courses for the CTAG to be earned, does the weighting apply to all courses required?
Yes, each career-technical education course required for a multi-course Career-Technical Assurance Guide meets the criteria established under
ORC 3333.162 and meets the definition of Advance Standing course under
ORC 3313.6013.
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Does ORC 3313.6031 apply to Career-Technical Education Industry Credential Only courses aligned to Industry Recognized Credential Transfer Assurance Guides (ITAG)?
Yes. Students enrolled in an Industry Credential Only course approved by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce that aligns with an ITAG complies with the career-technical education credit transfer criteria, policies, and procedures established under section
3333.162 of the Revised Code.
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Are career-technical education courses written in local bilateral articulation agreements considered advanced standing?
No, local bilateral articulation agreements are not recognized as advanced standing nor required to comply with the career-technical education credit transfer criteria, policies, and procedures established under section
3333.162 of the Revised Code.
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