(1) For the purpose of this section, "applicant" means an eligible student applying for the grades comparison option.

(2) A school district representative or designee shall utilize the grade comparison tool(s) provided by the office of superintendent of public instruction to calculate the grade comparison of the applicant against those identified as the cohort.

(3) To complete the grades comparison option for eligible students, the grades comparison tool will:

(a) Identify the group of students in the same school as the applicant who took the same mathematics, science or English language arts high school courses, whichever is applicable, in the same school year as the applicant. This group includes all of the students in the school who took courses with the same course title and course number (e.g., Algebra 1, Sophomore English) as the applicant, in the same school year, regardless of the grade level of the student. When selecting courses to be used, the following guidelines shall be followed:

(i) The credits generated by the courses must equal two annual high school credits and must include the most recent courses taken in which a comparison cohort of six or more students can be identified.

(ii) In order for applicants using the cohort comparison to meet the mathematics standard, the courses must be eligible for a mathematics graduation credit.

(iii) In order for applicants using the cohort comparison to meet the English language arts standard, the courses must be eligible for an English/Language arts graduation credit.

(iv) In order for applicants using the cohort comparison to meet the science standard, the courses must be eligible for a science graduation credit.

(b) From the group of students identified in (a) of this subsection, the grades comparison tool shall identify the "comparison cohort," which includes all students who met or slightly exceeded the state standard on the high school assessment. For purposes of determining "who met or slightly exceeded the state standard," scores in Level 3 shall be used:

(i) Mathematics: 2583 - 2681;

(ii) English language arts: 2583 - 2681; and

(iii) Science: 400 - 422.

(c) If there are fewer than six students in the comparison cohort, the cohort will be expanded to also include students in Level 4. If there are still fewer than six students in the comparison cohort, the applicant is not eligible to use the grades comparison option.

(d) The grades comparison tool shall compute the grade point average for the selected courses for the applicant and for each student in the comparison cohort. The following grade - number conversions shall be used:

(e) The grades comparison tool shall then calculate the mean comparison cohort grade point average of all the students in the comparison cohort.

(f) The grades comparison tool shall then compare the applicant's grade point average in the relevant high school courses to the mean comparison cohort grade point average of the students in the comparison cohort.

(g) If the applicant's grade point average is below the mean comparison cohort grade point average, the student is not eligible to file the grades comparison form and no further action is required.

(h) If the applicant's grade point average is equal to or higher than the mean comparison cohort grade point average, the school district representative or designee shall submit the form with the results of the calculation via the graduation alternatives application for approval by their district assessment coordinator.

(i) If the district assessment coordinator, or their designee, agrees that the eligibility criteria have been met, the district assessment coordinator or designee shall approve the form(s), with the results of the calculation, in the graduation alternatives application for submission to the office of the superintendent of public instruction for approval.