Academic Integrity Policy | Central Park East Hi

CPEHS Academic Integrity Policy

At CPEHS, we believe that academic integrity is a process students learn over time with the support of their families and educators. Students make mistakes, and when they do, we believe they can be teachable moments. We always encourage students and teachers to maintain active and ongoing communication, and we especially urge students to reach out to their teachers when they struggle with assignments and/or due dates. Just as we do with other infractions, we believe in fair and restorative approaches to handling issues of academic integrity. If, however, a student knowingly, consistently, and/or egregiously violates our academic integrity policy, there will be disciplinary consequences. The following document outlines the parameters of our newly implemented academic integrity expectations as well as protocols for addressing violations when necessary.

What is Academic Dishonesty: Cheating is the unauthorized use or attempted use of material, information, notes, study aids, devices or communication during an academic exercise*.

What Qualifies as Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writing as your own*

*From CUNY Academic Integrity Policy

Procedures:

All (minor and major) academic integrity violations will be tracked school-wide using a secure Google form and spreadsheet. For students who commit multiple infractions in separate classes, those infractions will be cumulative

Major vs. Minor Infractions

Minor infractions:

Copying homework or classwork from a classmate.
Handing in homework answers found on the internet without attribution.
Having a classmate complete your homework.
Giving your classmate answers without having worked together on the assignment.
Compensating a classmate to complete your homework.
Doing online homework for someone else (i.e. Delta Math, Membean)

Major infractions:

Copying full sentences, paragraphs, or complete essays from the internet and presenting them as your own without attribution.
Copying digital projects that pre-exist on the internet and presenting them as your own without attribution.
Having a “cheat-sheet” in your possession during an in-class quiz or exam.
Using an electronic device during a quiz or exam.
Copying/giving answers from/to a classmate during a quiz or an exam.
Giving a classmate information about a test (e.g., questions)
Student(s) accessing testing materials not meant to be accessed by student(s), and using or distributing materials, to gain an unfair advantage on a quiz or exam.

Steps for Addressing Minor Academic Integrity Infractions:

Before any other action is taken, ask to meet with the student privately to discuss the situation and gather information. Teachers may not accuse the student of being dishonest without meeting with the student first to gather information.
For the first minor infraction, students will be referred to the guidance counselor for a guidance conference to discuss available academic supports.
For first/second minor infractions, students will have three days to fix their mistake by redoing the assignment with integrity without penalty.
Students deserve to be treated as young adults and for the first two minor (homework/classwork) infractions, the students’ family will not be contacted.
For third minor infractions, teachers may deduct between 5% - 30% of points. Also, upon the third minor infraction, families will be notified and a guidance conference will be scheduled by the teacher or an administrator.
For any further minor infractions, the student will receive a zero on the assignment and school administration may penalize the student as per the disciplinary procedures set forth in the DOE’s Citywide Behavioral Expectations, which include a principal’s suspension.

Steps for Addressing Major Academic Integrity Infractions:

Before any other action is taken, ask to meet with the student privately to discuss the situation and gather information. Teachers may not accuse the student of being dishonest without meeting with the student first to gather information.
For the first major infraction, students will be allowed three (3) days to re-do the assignment and turn it back in without penalty. Students will also be assigned to a guidance conference, and families will be contacted.
If a second major infraction occurs, teachers may deduct between 5%-30% of points; and students will again have three days to re-submit the assignment.
If a third major infraction occurs, the student will receive a zero on the assignment and school administration may penalize the student as per the disciplinary procedures set forth in the DOE’s Citywide Behavioral Expectations, which include a principal’s suspension.