Graduation Requirements

¹Class of 2006, 2007 and entry pathway of 2008, 3^rd credit of math must be above Algebra I.  For Class of 2008 in skilled and professional pathways, 4^th credit of math must be above Algebra I.  For the Class of 2009 in skilled and professional pathways 4 credits of math are required with at least 3 of the 4 being Algebra I and above.  For the Class of 2009 in the entry pathway 3 math credits are required with at least 2 of the 3 being Algebra I and above.  For the class of 2010 in the entry pathway 4 math credits are required with at least 2 of the 4 being algebra I and above.  It is the intent that all students will take mathematics annually, but must take at least three (3) mathematics classes in grades 9-12.

²For Class of 2008 in skilled and entry pathways CATS 9, CATS 10, and one course above CATS 10 is required and in the professional pathway the 4^th credit in science must be above CATS 10.  For Class of 2009 in skilled and entry pathways CATS 9 and two (2) courses above the CATS 9 level are required and in the professional pathway the 4^th science credit must be above CATS 9.

³All students must participate in non-credit work based learning experience in their career major at some time in grades 11-12.

⁴Students are required to select a major and take specific courses outlined in the program of study.

⁵Students in professional pathway must meet the math and science requirement and two years of one foreign language. 

⁶For the Class of 2009 students in the entry pathway are required 4 concentration credits and students in the Class of 2010 in the entry pathway are required 3 concentration credits.

⁷Concentration is a series of credits directly related to students chosen career majors and postsecondary goals (pathways).

1.      Journalism, speech, drama, theater, and other related courses are electives and shall not be used as any of the four required units of English-language arts.

2.       The required units are early U. S. history, world history, and modern U.S. history for classes of 2006 and 2007.  Class of 2008 and beyond must additionally complete civics.

3.      At least one of the required three units of mathematics must be from the area of algebra, geometry, applied math I & II, pre-calculus, or trigonometry. All students are required to take algebra I and one unit above.  Successful completion of applied math I and II satisfies the algebra I requirement.  Students in professional and skilled pathways must have a fourth higher math above algebra I.  Class of 2009 students in professional and skilled pathways are required 4 credit of math and at least 3 of the 4 credits must be algebra I and above.  Classes of 2009 students in the entry pathway are required 3 math credits with at least 2 of the 3 credits being algebra I and above.  Class of 2010 students in the entry pathway are required 4 math credits with at least 2 of the 4 credits being algebra I and above.

4.      For the Classes of 2006, 2007, and 2008 two of the three science units must be CATS 9 and CATS 10.  The third science must be a lab science.  Vocational agriculture will satisfy the third science if two semesters are successfully completed.  The student and parent must be aware of the fact that some colleges do not accept these courses as lab sciences.  Students in professional pathway must have a fourth higher science above CATS 10.  For the Class of 2009 three credits in science are required one of which must be CATS 9 and two courses above the CATS 9 level.  Students in the professional pathway are required a fourth science credit which must be above the CATS 9 level.

5.      One fine arts unit must be earned in either visual art, music, theater, or dance.

6.      Through the Class of 2007 four career major units must be selected that relate to the career major chosen by the student at the end of the sophomore year and designated in the Five Year Plan.  These four units must be chosen from those courses listed in the county approved Program of Study.  The four career major units must reflect the cluster chosen by the student at the end of the eighth grade and the major chosen at the end of the tenth grade.  The cluster, major, and four career major units must be designated in the students’ Five Year Plan.  This plan must be reviewed and updated as needed and must reflect the students’ scheduled courses.  The Five Year Plan must be written individually for each child prior to the beginning of the ninth grade year.  The plan must reflect student, parent, and school input.  A career cluster area must be designated prior to the eighth grade.  For the Class of 2008 four credits in career major courses will be required.  The professional pathway will require an additional math credit, an additional science credit and two credits in one foreign language.  The skilled pathway will require an additional math credit and three concentration units and the entry pathway will require four concentration credits.  The class of 2009 will be required three credits in career major courses.  The professional pathway will require and additional science credit and two credits in one foreign language.  The skilled pathway will require three concentration units and the entry pathway will require four concentration units.  For the Class of 2010 students in the entry pathway will be required three concentration credits.

7.      The content standards and objective for introduction to the majors will be completed during the 9^th and 10^th grades.  These content standards and objectives will be integrated in various curricular areas.  The successful completion of the content standards and objectives will be designated on the student transcript.

8.      The work-based experience is required for a minimum of 30 hours.  The work-based experience may occur any time after the sophomore year and must be in an area related to the student’s designated career major area of study as reflected in the student’s Five Year Plan.  The successful completion of the 30 hours will be designated on the student transcript.

9.      Elective units are the additional offerings which are needed to complete twenty-seven (27) units through the class of 2008 and twenty-eight (28) units for the class of 2009 and beyond and which meet a student’s specific needs, interest, and abilities.

Source:  Policy and Administrative Regulations Guide, Harrison County Schools, 2005-2006, pages 45-48.