Le Grand Concours 2007:
 Eligibility Rules

Placement

    The following placement guidelines were taken from the 2004 Manual for National French Contest Administrators.  The information below is also summarized here.

Introduction

Level Placement

Division Categories

Ranking Winners

Students With Learning Disabilities

I. Introduction

The following Eligibility Rules include the criteria necessary to place most students in Le Grand Concours. There are always exceptions and borderline cases which the teacher and contest administrator must decide on the basis of good judgment, fairness, and consistency. The level at which the Contest Administrator registers a student is irrevocable. Therefore, in case of doubt, be sure to contact the National Chairman for Eligibility before registering the student

No student shall take the same level of Concours more than once. Exceptions: (1) Level 5: see below II. E; (2) FLES Students may take the same level more than once.  In particular, where a high school obliges all entering ninth graders to take French 1, this rule applies and the student who has already taken Concours at level 1, will have the choice of taking level 2 or abstaining for a year. If it is discovered that a student has been registered at the same level two years in a row (without having received prior written permission -- see D and E below), or that a student has entered the Concours at two different levels or divisions for the same competition, that student's registration shall be nullified. Teachers and Contest Administrators will keep registration records in order to prevent such repeat registrations and to simplify record keeping from year to year.

II. Level Placement

1. FLES Level: Grades one through six
2. Level 01: Seventh and eighth graders, who began French in the fall of the current school year and who are not receiving high school level credit for their French course. 01A = up to 1 previous year of French at school (FLES or any other French program); Level 01B = more than 1 previous year of French at school (FLES or any other French program). A student may enter Concours at level 01A/01B once only.
3. Levels 1-5: Students shall take Concours at the level which corresponds to the high school credit level assigned to the French course he or she is currently taking. Thus, for example, students at any school level who have begun French in the fall and who will receive high school credit for French I at the end of the academic year will be placed in Concours level 1.
4. Levels 01 - 4: Contestants will be permitted to take the Concours at the same level two years in a row provided they submit evidence to the Contest Administrator, through their teacher, that they are repeating the same French course.
5. Level 5: Since this examination changes substantially each year and is quite demanding at this level, students may repeat level 5.
6. Incorrect Placement: It is the responsibility of the student to enter the correct information on his or her answer sheet which leads to correct placement by Level and Division. The participating teacher is to verify the accuracy of placement and to refer it to the Contest or Center Administrator who may elect to verify. The ensuing level and division shall be the ultimate determination in arriving at a National rank. If, subsequent to the Contest, an error in placement is determined, the original National rank shall remain valid. The local chapter may re-compute rank for local statistical purposes.

For French programs on special calendars, or scheduling, or students in intensive programs that do not correspond to regular semester programs, check to see if the students can be entered in Division D or E (see below). If the students does not match these categories, contact the National Chairman of Eligibility.

III. Division Categories: Students may be entered at Divisions A, B, C, D, or E as determined by the Contest Administrator.

A. Divisions A and B for levels 01, 1 and 2: These two divisions at the first three levels permit fairer ranking of students of differing French backgrounds.  Division B is not offered after level 2 since the Concours is more challenging at the higher levels and early French experience will not provide students with a greater advantage over other students without this early experience. 

1. Division A is for the American-born student who has not lived with French-speaking parents, who has not attended a French school and who has not lived in a French-speaking community.
2. Division B is for:

1. (1) students who, after their sixth birthday, attended a school where French was the language of instruction for a total of more than one semester but fewer than four semesters (two years); or, (2) students who, after their sixth birthday, have lived in a French-speaking community for a total of more than one year but fewer than three years. (Three years or more = Division C.)
2. Students with one French-speaking parent.
3. Students taking, in addition to their regular French course, one course or more conducted predominantly in French.
4. Students who have spent two or more successive summers in a French-speaking area.
5. Ninth grade students taking Level 1 high school French, entering the Concours for the first time and who have previously taken one semester or more of instruction in French above the sixth-grade level.

3. With the exception of section e above, once registered in a division, the student remains in that division through Level 2.

B. Division C. 

This division is reserved for students who have a more extensive French background than B students. Examples:

• Native French students.
• Foreign exchange students.
• Students who, after their sixth birthday, have studied for two years (four semesters) or more at a school where French was the principal language of instruction and/or who have lived in a French-speaking community for three or more years.
• Both parents speak French.
• French is the principal language spoken at home.

C. Divisions D & E. Because the availability of Modular, Block and Flexible scheduling is rapidly emerging in our nation’s schools, there may be many variations in exposure to French. In each case, we ask the Contest Administrator to make a decision based, generally, on the guidelines below. En Principe, Division D refers to students still enrolled in French; E is designed for students "in-between" French courses.

1. Division D is for students who began their study of French at a given level (01 — 5) at the beginning of the fall semester but, at Contest time, are studying at the next level. Example: A student is enrolled in French 2 in September, 2004. Because the school is on modular scheduling, the course will be completed by December or January. At Contest time, normally in March, the student will be enrolled in French 3. This student shall be enrolled at level 2D.

Rationale: The student has completed French 2, but has not had enough experience in French 3 to achieve a good result. Students in Division D compete only against other students Division D. The student must earn a score equal to or better than students in Division A to earn the same rank.

2. Division E is for students who 1) began their study of French at a given level (01 — 5) at the beginning of the Fall semester but, at Contest time, are not enrolled in French; or 2) who began their French course only in the second semester of the academic year. Example: A student is enrolled in French 2 in September, 2004. Because the school is on modular scheduling, the course will be completed by December or January. At Contest time, normally in March, the student is not enrolled in any course in French. This student shall be enrolled at level 2E. 

Rationale: The student has completed French 2, but at the time of the Concours has not studied French for 2 — 3 months.

D. Ranking Winners. Concours participants, regardless of division (A -- E), take an identical exam at their level. However, the results of their performance are ranked separately. The National Eligibility office strongly recommends that Chapter Administrators restrict award rank in Divisions B, C, and D to those students who score higher respectively than Division A/B contestants at the same rank.

E. Students with Learning Disabilities. No later than two weeks before the registration deadline the student shall submit a document or documents that provide sufficient evidence for the Contest Administrator to judge the case. Such documents may include an IEP ("Individualized Education Plan") or a "504 Plan" (An agreement between the school and the student to the effect that the student requires certain special learning and testing accommodations) or other similar documents. The Contest Administrator will then determine whether to allow special accommodations to permit the student to perform equally with other students in Concours. Such accommodations may include, but are not limited to, longer test-taking time, brailled materials, sound scripts and alternate locations.

02/04/10