Student Course Requests

The topics below describe the PlusPortals course request process and the steps for writing course descriptions, recommending courses, and approving course requests.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Course Request Process
• Write a Course Description
• Recommend Courses for Students
• Recommend Courses for One Student
• Recommend Courses for Multiple Students
• Review and Approve Course Requests
• Review and Approve One Student's Course Request Form
• Review and Approve Course Requests for Several Students

Course Request Process

The process of creating, completing, and approving course requests follows the order described below:

1. Your PlusPortals administrator creates a course request form and publishes it for students to view. The course request form may include course descriptions created by teachers and/or other staff members to help students select the appropriate courses.
2. If enabled by their PlusPortals administrator, teachers can recommend courses they teach to students. The course recommendations only appear in the students' course request forms if the recommended courses are offered to the students.
3. Students complete their course request forms.
4. Parents have the option of approving and commenting on their children's course selections.
5. A reviewer, such as a teacher or staff member, reviews, approves, and sends the course request forms to the school administrative office for processing.

Write a Course Description

You can create descriptions of the courses you teach, which students can read while completing their course request forms. Course descriptions provide students with more information to assist them in making appropriate course selections.

To create a course description, follow these steps:

1. On the Master menu, click the Course Requests tab, and then click Course Catalog.
   
2. From the Displaying Courses from Active Year list, click the course you want to write a course description for.
   Note: Only school administrators can add courses to the list.
   
3. In the text editor on the right side of the page, type the course description. Using the text editor tools, you can format the text and add hyperlinks and tables.
4. When you are finished, click Save, and then click OK.
   

   To edit a course description, click the course, make your changes in the text editor, and click Save.

Recommend Courses for Students

You can make course recommendations for students, which they can view while completing their course request forms. You can recommend courses for one student or for several students at a time.

You will only see the Course Requests tab if your PlusPortals administrator has enabled it.

Your recommendations only appear on a student's course request form if the courses you are recommending are offered to the student.

Recommend Courses for One Student

To recommend courses for one student, follow these steps:

1. On the Master menu, click the Course Requests tab.
2. Click Recommendations.
   
3. Click the student you're recommending courses for.
4. Click Add Recommendation to see all the courses for the scheduling year.
   

   You can filter items in a column by clicking, or change the order of items in a column by clicking the column heading.

5. Select the check boxes for the courses you want to recommend, and then click Next. The recommendations appear in the Courses list.
6. To add a comment, click the course you want to comment on.
7. Click Edit, type your comment, and then click Save.
   

   When you click Edit, it's replaced with Save and Cancel.

   To delete a course recommendation from the Courses list, select the course check box, and then click Remove Selected Recommendation.

Recommend Courses for Multiple Students

To recommend courses to several students at a time, follow these steps:

1. On the Master menu, click the Course Requests tab.
2. Click Recommendations.
3. Click Batch Add Recommendation.
   
4. Select the check box for the section the students are in.
   
5. Select the check boxes for the students you want to recommend courses to.
6. Select the check boxes for the courses you want to recommend.
7. Click Next.
   

   To delete several course requests from the Courses list, click Batch Remove Recommendation. In the PlusPortal dialog box, select the section the students are in, select the students, select the course(s) you want to delete, and then click Next.

Once added, you can filter items in a column by clicking , or change the order of items in a column by clicking the column heading.

Review and Approve Course Requests

After parents approve their student's completed course request forms, you can review, approve, and send your students' course request forms to the school administrative office for processing. You can review and approve course request forms for one student or for several students at once.

Review and Approve One Student's Course Request Form

To review and approve the course request form for one student, follow these steps:

1. On the Master menu, click the Course Requests tab. The Review Requests tab displays by default.
   
2. In the Select Course Request Form drop-down list, select the form you want to review. A check box only appears next to a student's name if the student has submitted a course request form. After you review the course request form, the check box disappears.
3. For the course request form, you want to open, click . Courses display with check boxes or bullets next to them. Check boxes indicate the student can select multiple courses, while bullets indicate the student can only select one course. When a student requests a course, the check box or bullet next to the course title is selected (or filled in). Courses that display in blue have comments or have been approved.
4. Click the arrow next to the course title to display parent and student comments.
   

   Click next to the course to view details about the course.

   Review your school’s policy for approving course requests. Some schools only approve the student’s course request if a parent has also approved the selection.

5. Select the Approved by Reviewer check box and under Reviewer's Remarks, add your comments.
   

   Your comments are visible to both parents and students.

   Only click Submit when you're ready to send the course request form to the school administrative office. Once you click Submit, you can't edit the course request form.

6. When ready, scroll to the bottom of the form and click Submit. To save the form without submitting it, click Save & Revisit Later.

Review and Approve Course Requests for Several Students

To review and approve the course request forms for several students at once, follow these steps:

1. On the Master menu, click the Course Requests tab.
   The Review Requests tab displays by default.
   
2. In the Select Course Request Form drop-down list, select the form you want to review.
   A check box only appears next to a student's name if the student has submitted a course request form. After you review the course request form, the check box disappears.
3. Select the check boxes for the students whose courses you want to approve.
   

   Only click Approve All Selected Course Requests when you're ready to send the course request forms to the school administrative office. Once you click Approve All Selected Course Requests, you can't edit the course request forms.

4. To approve the course request forms and send them to the office, click Approve All Selected Course Requests.