The Board defines as a major role of secondary schools the responsibility for providing the youth of the school district with opportunities to acquire and to apply basic skills necessary for contemporary adult life. Such skills are defined as those which enable one to address effectively and efficiently the decisions and opportunities presented in a free society.

Secondary school instructional delivery and support services reflect the high school graduation requirements and assist each student to develop the student’s unique potential to function in contemporary society. The Board of Education will enforce and adhere to all State graduation requirements as detailed in law and in State Board of Education Rules.

DEFINITIONS

Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Pathways – Three elective units in a coherent sequence that includes rigorous content aligned with industry-related standards leading to college and work readiness in a focused area of student interest.

Unit Credit - one unit of credit awarded for a minimum of 150 clock hours of instruction in a traditional schedule, or 135 hours in an approved block schedule.

Unit Credit, Summer School - one unit of credit awarded for a minimum of 120 clock hours of instruction.

Core Curriculum - areas of study in which a student must complete courses in order to meet graduation requirements. Courses in these areas are categorized as required, selective or elective.

Required Course - one that is mandatory to meet graduation requirements.

Elective Course - a course that a student may select beyond the core requirements to fulfill the unit credit requirements for graduation.

Dual Enrollment Program – A process through which high school students take courses from a state public or private postsecondary institution while still enrolled as a high school student and receive unit credit both at the high school and at the postsecondary institution.

Off-Campus Offering - a preplanned experience for which a student may earn credit in a setting removed from the school system; includes, but is not limited to, cooperative education programs,

internships in business, youth apprenticeship programs, community or government programs and correspondence courses from regionally accredited schools.

Joint Enrollment Program - a program of study that allows a Fulton County high school student to receive only postsecondary credit hours from a Georgia public college, university or technical college.

Transfer Credit - credit earned outside the Fulton County School System that is applicable to graduation requirements.

A student shall become eligible for graduation upon meeting the following criteria:

23 units of credit have been completed,

State assessment requirements have been met.

Attendance requirements have been met.

High School Diploma

This document certifies that students have satisfied attendance, unit credit and state assessment requirements.

High School Certificate

This document is awarded to students who do not complete all of the criteria for a diploma but who meets all requirements for attendance and unit credits.

Special Education Diploma

The Special Education Diploma is awarded to students with disabilities assigned to a special education program who have not met the state assessment requirements or who have not completed all of the requirements for a high school diploma but who have nevertheless completed the Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Students with significant cognitive disabilities are those with significant intellectual disabilities or intellectual disabilities concurrent with motor, sensory or emotional/behavioral disabilities who require substantial adaptations and support to access the general curriculum and require additional instruction focused on relevant life skills and participate in the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA).

Students with significant cognitive disabilities may graduate and receive a regular high school diploma when the student’s IEP team determines that the student has:
(I) completed an integrated curriculum based on the GPS that includes instruction in Mathematics, English/Language Arts, Science and Social Studies as well as career preparation, self determination, independent living and personal care to equal a minimum of 23 units of instruction,
(II) participated in the GAA during middle school and high school and earned a proficient score on the high school GAA test, and

(III) reached the 22nd birthday OR has transitioned to an employment/education/training setting in which the supports needed are provided by an entity other than the local school system.

Waiver from Requirements

The total number of required unit credits 23 cannot be waived.

GRADUATION EXERCISES

A student will be allowed to participate in graduation exercises after all requirements for a High School Diploma or a Special Education Diploma have been met. If a student has not passed any portion of the GHSGT after four attempts, and they meet the criteria for a state waiver or variance, they should immediately submit a request to the state. Criteria for waivers and variances can be found at http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/tss_learning.aspx?PageReq=TSSLearningWaivers

Qualified students should apply following the winter testing period of their senior year to assure their request is considered in time to participate in graduation exercises. High school counselors shall monitor student progress toward graduation requirements, and advise students who meet the criteria for a waiver or variance of this option in a timely manner.

Career and Technical Education Pathways

Four (4) Units of English/Language Arts

Language Arts Core – 3 units and World Lit/Composition - .5 unit (And either) British Lit/Composition - .5 unit (or) Multicultural Lit/Composition - .5 unit (or) Contemporary Lit/Composition - .5 unit ----------------------------------------------------------- (Or) AP Lit/Composition – 1 unit or College English – 1 unit

Four (4) Units of Mathematics Proposed Course Names for GPS High School Math Courses Proposed Support Course Names (Elective Credit Only) State Course Name Integrated Advanced Algebra Support Math I Support Integrated Geometry Support Math II Support Proposed On Level Course Names State Course Name Integrated Advanced Algebra Math I Integrated Geometry Math II Integrated Algebra II Math III Integrated Trigonometry Math IV Proposed Accelerated Course Names State Course Name Accelerated Advanced Integrated Algebra Honors Accelerated Math I Accelerated Integrated Geometry Honors Accelerated Math II Accelerated Integrated Pre-Calculus Honors Accelerated Math III

Integrated Advanced Algebra or Accelerated Advanced Integrated Algebra Honors - 1 unit Integrated Geometry or Accelerated Integrated Geometry Honors – 1 unit Integrated Algebra II or Accelerated Integrated Pre-Calculus Honors – 1 unit ----------------------------------------------------------- (And either) Integrated Trigonometry – 1 unit Discrete Mathematics – 1 unit AP Calculus AB/BC – 1 unit AP Statistics – 1 unit College Calculus II and III (via GA Tech) 1 unit Other Mathematics Courses as developed by the GDOE – 1 unit ________________________________________ 2008 Freshmen with Geometry Completed Algebra II – 1 unit Pre Calculus – 1 unit AP Calculus – 1 unit College Calculus II and III – 1 unit

AWARDING OF CREDIT

Course Credit

All one-period courses earn one-half unit credit of credit per semester. Each one-period semester course must offer a minimum of 75 clock hours of instruction.

Exception to clock hour rule requires local Board and State Board of Education waiver.

Credit by Examination

A student may be granted credit by examination in accordance with the Board policy and administrative procedure pertaining to this subject. (See IH - "Acceptance of Student Course Credit and/or Grades.")

ESOL Credit

A student enrolled in English to Speakers of Other Languages will be required to meet the four units of English Language Arts for graduation through sheltered course offerings from the ESOL Department. Students will be required to take the following sheltered Language Arts courses:

ESOL 9th Grade Composition and Literature
ESOL 10th Grade Composition and Literature
Sheltered American Literature and Composition
ESOL 12th Grade Composition and Literature.

Off-campus Offerings

Credit may be granted for courses taken through a school, including an online learning program that has been accredited by a regional accrediting association and approved by the office responsible for secondary curriculum and instruction. Before enrolling in such a course, the student must have approval from the local school.

Online Courses

Students should be scheduled for courses at their local school, rather than an online course. The following will be considered valid reasons for not taking the course at the local school:

· The desired course is not offered.
· A student has failed a class and cannot recover credit and meet four year plan goals.
· A student is requesting credit for a course that is not necessary for graduation and exceeds the four year plan.
· A student needs to free up their schedule to take a required course or a specialized course or a specialized course not offered online and/or fitting into the student’s schedule. (For example: Career & Technical Education courses, Advanced Placement courses, etc.)

When local school approval is granted for students to enroll in online courses, the following preferences should be applied:

· First preference should be given to a Fulton County Schools (FCS) Virtual Campus course.
· If no FCS Virtual Campus course is offered, second preference should be given to a Georgia Virtual School course.
· If the student requires a class that cannot be taken from his local school, the FCS Virtual Campus, or the GA Virtual School; he may request approval to register for a course offered by an alternative source, provided that the source and specific course have been approved by the office responsible for secondary curriculum and instruction.

Dual Enrollment

Dual/Joint enrollment unit credit is based on administrative procedures on this subject. (See IED(2) - "Joint Enrollment/Postsecondary Options".)

Transfer Credit

A student who enrolls from another state shall meet the graduation requirements for the graduating class the student enters and the state assessment requirements.

A student who has been withdrawn from a Georgia public school for more than one school year shall meet the graduation requirements for the graduating class in which the student re-enrolls and the state assessment requirements.

All transfer credit from non-accredited schools shall be validated through a proficiency test. (See IH - "Acceptance of Student Course Credit and/or Grades.")

Courses Taken Prior to High School

Following State Board of Education guidelines, credit may be awarded for high school courses taken in middle school.

STATE ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS

All students will be required to post passing scores on each subtest of the Georgia High School Graduation Test.

A student who has no means of written communication because of a severe physical disability shall not be required to take the writing portion of the state assessment requirement.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPLEMENTING AND ADMINISTERING GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The Superintendent or designee shall have responsibility for implementing and administering the graduation requirements, including the following:

Developing procedures and guidelines.

Granting special consideration to students new to the district, providing, however, that such consideration shall not be in violation of Georgia Administrative Rules.

The Board, exercising local authority, has adopted requirements which exceed the state minimum criteria for graduation.

The Board, accepting its full responsibility, has established instructional support services and delivery services to uphold the multiple criteria for high school graduation. These services include the following:

Providing an ongoing guidance component beginning in middle school for familiarizing the student with graduation requirements and for examining the likely impact of individual career objectives on the program of study the student plans to follow; also, to provide annual advisement sessions to report progress and offer alternatives in meeting graduation requirements and career objectives.

Providing record keeping and reporting services that document student progress toward graduation and include information for the school, parent(s) and student.

Providing diagnostic and continuous evaluation services that measure individual student progress in meeting competency expectations for graduation.

Providing instructional programs, curriculum and course guides and remedial opportunities to assist each student in meeting graduation requirements.

Providing appropriate curriculum and assessment procedures for each student who has been identified as having disabilities which prevents the student from meeting the prescribed competency performance requirements.