Board Policy IKF, Graduation Requirements
Graduation requirements are an expression of the Board of Education's commitment to development of the full learning potential of all students. Graduation from high school is a culminating event that results from the foundations built at the elementary and middle levels. Graduation is a collaborative effort among levels in a student's public school career. Each level of school and each staff member or parent/guardian who instructs or counsels a student shares responsibility for the ultimate ability of that student to demonstrate proficiency in the content standards and to meet the expectations for graduation.
The Individualized Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) Each student who enters an Adams 14 high school will develop a personal education plan or ICAP. This plan will set his/her intended course of study as he/she begins his/her journey toward graduation. The student and an academic adviser (this may be a teacher, counselor, dean, administrator or other professional school staff member) will review and amend the plan each semester, prior to the development of a new class schedule. This process will not only provide clear information and a focus on the future for the student, but also bring a new purpose to the important articulation between middle school and high school staff members.
Graduation requirements are based on the units of credit earned in high school or on a combination of units of credit earned and demonstrated achievement of state and district content standards, depending on year of enrollment.
The Board of Education supports student preparation for post secondary educational and work experience, and strongly encourages students to participate in a rigorous academic core curriculum consisting of (4) four years of English, (4) four years of math, (3) three years of science, (3) three years of social studies, (2) two years of academic electives and at least (1) one year of a world language as required by the Higher Education Admission Requirements (HEAR) established by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) for admission to four-year public colleges and universities in Colorado. Students may receive counseling services in order to help them develop a plan to meet the requirements for a four-year state university or college.
Public two-year colleges have open enrollment policies, meaning that students applying to these schools do not need to meet the CCHE admissions requirements. Meeting the CCHE admissions requirements does not guarantee admission to a four-year public institution. Colleges and universities may have additional requirements.
Transfer students shall attend an Adams County School District 14 (Adams 14) high school for a minimum of one full 12 week term (or equivalent) to qualify for graduation. The principal may be petitioned for a waiver.
The following criteria shall entitle a student to a high school diploma:
To graduate from an Adams 14 school, a minimum of 23.0 credits is required. To meet the CCHE requirements a student must take one additional credit in math and one additional credit in foreign language which can be used as “Academic Electives” or as “Other Elective”. Students who receive their high school diploma through the Work Keys program or through attending a designated Alternative Education Campus will not meet CCHE requirements and will not be eligible to immediately enroll in a four-year university in Colorado; however, they will be eligible to enroll in a two-year community college program. Students who complete an alternative pathway to graduation will receive a diploma from the district's alternative high school.
Class Rankings and Grade Point Averages Graduating seniors shall be ranked within the graduating class upon the basis of grade-point averages for the four-year program, excluding the last semester of the senior year. The process that determines the selection of valedictorian and salutatorian for each high school is promulgated and kept in file in the office of the principal at each school.
Grades for regular classes will be given the following values: A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0 and D=1.0. Grades for advanced placement classes, honors classes, International Baccalaureate Diploma Program will be given the following values: A=5.0, B=4.0, C=3.0 and D=2.0 and F=0.0. Grades for college classes beginning with the graduating class of 2010 will be given the following values: A=5.0, B=4.0, C=3.0, D=2.0 and F=0.0.
Such grades as pass/fail or satisfactory/unsatisfactory shall not be counted in determining class rank or grade point average.
After a course has been passed, no future grade earned in the same course shall be used to determine class rank or grade point average. The student with the highest class rank will be valedictorian. When more than one student holds the numerical one rank, all students holding the rank will be declared co-valedictorians.
Credit for College Classes Academic credit granted for postsecondary courses successfully completed by a qualified student shall count as high school credit toward the Board's graduation requirements, unless such credit is denied. High school credit shall be denied for postsecondary courses that do not meet or exceed the district's standards.
Credits earned under the Colorado Accelerating Students through Concurrent ENrollmenT (ASCENT) program shall count as high school credit toward graduation requirements unless credit is denied by the principal and the denial is upheld by the Superintendent and the Board of Education.
Provided that the high school has approval by the Superintendent or designee, students will complete the ASCENT program if they meet all of their graduation requirements and meet the requirements to earn an Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Science (A.S.), or Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree from a community college or a certificate of career and technical education.
Academic Electives Acceptable academic electives include additional courses in English, Mathematics, Natural/Physical Sciences, social sciences, foreign languages, art, music, journalism, drama, computer science, honors, advanced placements, International Baccalaureate courses and Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses that have postsecondary articulation agreements following a Program of Study (POS).
History, Culture and Civil Government As required by Colorado Revised Statutes, satisfactory completion of a course on the civil government of the United States and the State of Colorado shall be a condition of high school graduation in Adams 14.
Credit for Physical Education Students may earn up to 1.0 credit of physical education by successful completion of theatre/dance class, completing a season of athletics, participating in marching band or ROTC, and Independent Study for physical education. Students may also receive a .50 physical education credit for lettering in varsity sports.
Athletic sports that are sanctioned by the Board of Education and meet the criteria below may exempt a student from the physical education graduation requirement. No grade or credit will be given for athletic participation and such exemptions will not reduce the total number of hours required to earn a diploma. Both semesters of the physical education requirement may be exempted by athletic participation.
Criteria governing physical education exemptions:
Credit from Other Institutions and Home-Based Education Programs All students entering from outside the district must meet the district graduation requirements. The principal shall determine whether credit toward graduation requirements shall be granted for courses taken outside the district. Students, who are currently enrolled in the district and wish to obtain credit from outside institutions must have prior approval from the principal. Credits will be accepted from other accredited institutions as evaluated by the principal.
The district shall accept the transcripts from an approved home-based educational program. In order to determine whether the courses and grades earned are consistent with district requirements and district academic standards, the district shall require submission of the student's work or other proof of academic performance for each course for which credit toward graduation is sought. All students from home-based programs must demonstrate proficiency in the district-adopted content standards at their appropriate placement level before being placed in that particular grade. The district may test the student to determine placement.
Independent Study Independent study, work experience, and experienced-based programs approved in advance by the principal may be taken for high school credit. Students must submit a request for approval that includes a summary of the educational objectives to be achieved and monitored by a faculty member.
State and District Content Standards The Board of Education recognizes that high expectations and high standards for student achievement are necessary so that students will be well prepared for continuing education and entry into the workforce. Therefore, in addition to earning the required number of credits, graduating students will be required to meet state and district content standards.
Students will demonstrate achievement of the required state and district content by meeting the required standard of performance on the assessments and by earning credit in the required areas. Credit may be granted retroactively for a prerequisite course if a student is advanced to the next level course in the sequence and earned credit at that level.
These performance requirements may be waived by the building principal for a special education student, but only if consideration of his/her individualized educational plan suggests that a waiver is necessary. Other circumstances which require special consideration such as learning needs, health situations, emergencies, and conditions which are beyond the student's ability to control, may also be the basis for granting a waiver by the principal, or the creation of an individualized learning plan for the student.
Credit shall be conferred by the Board of Education through its administrative personnel. Each building principal shall exercise professional judgment to meet the individual needs of students.