Graduation Requirements

Three graduation plans are available, but one, the minimum high school program (22 credits), is being de-emphasized due to concerns that it does not contain courses required for success in college.  This has prompted the requirement that starting with the 9th grade class of 2004-05 and all 9th graders thereafter, students will have to enroll in the recommended high school program (24 credits) or distinguished achievement program (24 credits).  However, current law allowing a student to opt out of the recommended or distinguished achievement program, with parental and school approval, is still in effect.

For 9th grade students in 2007-08 and thereafter
Recent legislation requires students entering 9th grade in the 2007-08 school year and thereafter to take a fourth credit of math and a fourth credit of science under the recommended or distinguished achievement program, resulting in a total of 26 credits required for each program.

Alternate courses to meet recommended high school program requirements
Recent legislation requires the commissioner of education to develop English language arts, math, science and social studies courses to be offered by fall 2009 to students who need additional assistance in preparing for college success. These courses can be used to meet the recommended high school program graduation requirements.

Personal finance as graduation requirement
Legislation passed in 2005 requires that instruction in personal financial literacy be included in one or more courses needed for graduation no later than the 2008-09 school year, and specifically requires that personal finance be taught in any economics course beginning with the 2006-07 school year.

Incentives for college
Legislation passed in 2005 and 2006 provides incentives for college:

• Requires each district to implement a college credit program by fall 2008 that would allow students to earn the equivalent of 12 semester hours of college credit in high school.
• Creates a pilot program to begin in fall 2006 that would allow participating junior colleges to waive tuition and fees and provide free textbooks for educationally disadvantaged high school students enrolled in concurrent credit courses.
• Requires every institution of higher education in Texas to grant at least 24 semester credit hours to students who graduate from high school with an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.
• Revises the Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program to require completion of the recommended high school program.
• Creates an early college education program to provide at-risk and other students accelerated high school graduation and college credit.

Personal graduation plan/TAKS failure
Principals must designate school personnel to implement a personal graduation plan for middle/high school students who have failed the TAKS or will not likely graduate on time.

Web posted: 08/03/07