Option Pathway

Option Pathway is a program offered by the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) that allows at-risk students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma (or the State of West Virginia High School Equivalency Diploma for HSE Opportunity students) through an alternative graduation pathway. To be eligible for Option Pathway, students must meet all eligibility requirements. 

Option Pathway (Option 1)

Option Pathway (Option 1) combines a state-approved career technical education (CTE) program of study, or the Option Pathway Career Integrated Experiential Learning (CIEL) CTE pathway with the WVDE approved high school equivalency (HSE) test to allow at-risk students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma. Since students do not earn credits in their core subject areas until ALL program requirements have been successfully met, parent/guardian permission is required (except for students enrolled in a West Virginia School of Diversion and Transition [WVSDT] facility) before the student is permitted to enroll in Option Pathway. Because this is a voluntary program, the student signature on the Option Pathway contract is also required.

To be eligible for Option Pathway (Option 1) students must:

• Be at least 16 years of age
• Be enrolled in and attending a West Virginia K-12 public high school approved to provide Option Pathway; a West Virginia Schools of Diversion and Transition program (WVDE institutional education program for juveniles); or the Mountaineer Challenge Academy (MCA)
• Take and achieve the minimum required scale scores of 538 in Reading and 518 in Math on the Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE)
• Be determined to be “at-risk” of not graduating by meeting one of the following criteria:
  • at least two years behind kindergarten cohort, or
  • credit deficiencies of at least one year behind 9th grade cohort, or
  • are at risk of not graduating with 9th grade cohort, or
  • unable to graduate with 9th grade cohort due to not meeting GPA requirements
• Must be referred to the program by a school administrator, counselor, or teacher
• Must attend Option Pathway classes taught by certified Option Pathway teachers for a minimum of 15 hours per week
• May not be enrolled in alternative education
• Must be enrolled in a CTE program of study or the CIEL pathway
• Must complete all other state assessments or courses required by the WVDE and/or by state code
• Will receive a high school diploma if they pass the entire HSE test AND successfully complete their state-approved CTE program of study or the CIEL pathway 

HSE Credit Recovery (Option 2)

HSE Credit Recovery (Option 2) is a supplemental program of the Option Pathway which may be offered by schools with an active Option Pathway (Option 1) program that has been approved by the WVDE. This supplemental program allows high school seniors the opportunity to recover credits in one major core subject area (by passing the corresponding HSE test) to graduate with their cohort. Per Policy 2444.4, HSE Credit Recovery is credit recovery of courses attempted and failed, NOT credit replacement for core courses in which the student has not earned a failing grade. Only schools that have an active Option Pathway (Option 1) program and listed on the county application are permitted to use HSE Credit Recovery, per WVBE Policy 2444.4. Currently, the following counties do not have Option Pathway: Clay, Fayette, Hampshire, and Morgan. 

Option 2 students may only recover credits in the core courses as outlined in Appendix 20, Approved Core Courses That May Be Recovered Through HSE Credit Recovery, Option Pathway Organizational Manual.

Note: A “senior” is defined as a student who has earned enough credits to be considered a senior according to the county’s retention/promotion policy. Students who are in the second semester of their graduation cohort year may use HSE Credit Recovery (Option 2) if, by passing the one core content areas high school equivalency test, they would be able to graduate in the current school year, even if their WVEIS grade level does not yet reflect they have enough credits to meet “senior” status.

To be eligible for HSE Credit Recovery (Option 2), students:

• Must meet the definition of being a high school senior as outlined above (as well as in the Option Pathway Organizational Manual)
• Must have a completed Referral Form for HSE Credit Recovery (Option 2) and HSE Opportunity (Option 3) Students, Appendix 18, Option Pathway Organizational Manual, signed by the school counselor, verifying the student’s eligibility to participate in Option 2. This form must be provided to the Option Pathway teacher before the student is permitted to take the GED Ready® practice test or GED® test.
• Are permitted to recover credits in core courses ONLY in the courses outlined in Appendix 20, Approved Core Courses That May Be Recovered Through HSE Credit Recovery, Option Pathway Organizational Manual as stated above
• Will receive a high school diploma once they have met all state (WVBE Policy 2510) and county graduation requirements

HSE Opportunity (Option 3)

HSE Opportunity (Option 3) is a supplemental program of the Option Pathway that may be offered by schools with an active Option Pathway (Option 1) program. This supplemental program allows students who are intent on dropping out of school the opportunity to take the HSE test and earn the State of West Virginia High School Equivalency Diploma while still enrolled in school. 

Only schools that have an active Option Pathway (Option 1) program and listed on the county application are permitted to use HSE Opportunity, per WVBE Policy 2444.4. Currently, the following counties do not have Option Pathway: Clay, Fayette, Hampshire, and Morgan.

To be eligible for HSE Opportunity (Option 3), students:

• Must be at least 17 years old (18 years old in counties that require students to attend school until age 18) and is eligible to officially drop out of school. Note: No 16-year-old student is permitted to take the GED test as an HSE Opportunity (Option 3) student since this is only permitted for students who are eligible to officially drop out of school
• Must be referred to the program by a school administrator, counselor, or teacher (have a completed Student Referral Form for HSEA Credit Recovery and HSEA Opportunity, Appendix 18 of the Option Pathway Organizational Manual, signed by the school counselor)
• Must be coded as Option 3 in WVEIS and take the entire HSE test before dropping out of school
• Do not receive a high school diploma but do receive the State of West Virginia High School Equivalency Diploma upon passing the entire HSE test
• Do not receive any grades or credits on their high school transcript 

• May go to an adult learning center to complete the HSE test if they do not pass the entire test prior to dropping out of school (only after they have dropped out of school).

  Note: Adult education programs are not permitted to serve students who are enrolled in school per federal guidelines.

Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy Graduation Pathway

The Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy Graduation Pathway provides students who are enrolled in and attending the Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy (MCA) residential program with the opportunity to earn their high school diploma through their home high school by completing the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program (NGYCP) courses and the WVDE approved high school equivalency (HSE) test. Upon successful completion of the Option Pathway (Option 1) program, MCA students will receive a high school diploma. 

Option Pathway at Mountaineer Job ChalleNGe Program

Students who completed (or “graduated” from) the 22-week Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy (MCA) program but who did not earn their high school diploma while at MCA are given the opportunity to enroll in the Option Pathway program at the Mountaineer Job ChalleNGe Program (MJCP) to complete their high school graduation requirements. These students are enrolled at their home high school but reside at and attend the Option Pathway class at MJCP. Upon successful completion of the Option Pathway program, these Option Pathway students will receive a high school diploma from their home high school.

Option Pathway for Middle College (Pilot Program)

This pilot program, which started in the 2024-25 school year, provides an opportunity for selected students in foster care or awaiting foster care to stay in school and graduate on time with their cohorts. This pilot is designed for students who are in foster care and have experienced educational challenges while in care. This pilot will stabilize the home environment for these youth while focusing on passing the high school equivalency and taking college courses towards an associate degree.  Students selected will spend the equivalent of their junior and senior year of high school at Fairmont State University as a middle college student. They will live in the dormitory, experience college life, and take approved college courses. Upon successful completion of the program, students can earn a high school diploma and can even earn an associate degree from Fairmont State University.