IKF_Graduation_Requirements.FINAL_.doc

Graduation requirements are established to ensure high academic standards for the Eagle County Schools.. Graduation requirements are based on the needs of the students, the expectations

Graduation ​ ​Requirements

Graduation from high school is a culminating event that results from the foundations built at the

elementary and middle levels Graduation represents the culmination of collaborative effort at all 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 Graduation requirements are established to ensure high academic standards for the Eagle County Schools

Any student who meets these requirements shall be awarded a diploma Graduation requirements are

based on the needs of the students, the expectations of the School District, and guidelines of the Colorado

Department of Education They are designed for all students and should meet the needs of both college

and​ ​non-college​ ​bound​ ​students It is the intention of the Board of Education that these requirements will constitute the minimum number

and rigor of courses that will lead to graduation from the Eagle County School District It is expected that the​ ​large​ ​majority​ ​of​ ​students​ ​will​ ​pursue​ ​a​ ​course​ ​of​ ​study​ ​that​ ​exceeds​ ​this​ ​minimum

Multiple ​ ​Pathways

Graduation​ ​requirements​ ​should​ ​provide​ ​appropriate​ ​challenge​ ​and​ ​opportunity​ ​for​ ​students​ ​of​ ​all​ ​ability levels.​ ​​ ​The​ ​District​ ​defines​ ​graduation​ ​criteria​ ​for​ ​the​ ​following:​ ​Standard​ ​Diploma​ ​and​ ​College​ ​Prep Diploma.​ ​​ ​All​ ​pathways​ ​are​ ​available​ ​for​ ​students​ ​with​ ​special​ ​needs​ ​(SpEd,​ ​ESL,​ ​504,​ ​Medical

Conditions)​ ​depending​ ​on​ ​the​ ​option​ ​designated​ ​in​ ​the​ ​student’s​ ​individual​ ​learning​ ​plan​ ​and​ ​the​ ​amount

of​ ​modifications​ ​required

Students ​ ​must​ ​meet​ ​all​ ​of​ ​the​ ​following​ ​criteria​ ​to​ ​qualify​ ​for​ ​an​ ​ECS​ ​diploma:

1 A total of 25 credits must be earned A credit is defined as the amount of credit received for the successful completion of an ECS Board approved course Credits must be earned in the following content​ ​areas:

Credits ​ ​Required​ ​for​ ​Diploma​ ​and​ ​College​ ​Prep​ ​Diploma

Content

Standard Diploma Credit Requirement

College ​ ​Prep Diploma Credit Requirement

Notes

Remedial ​ ​English​ ​and​ ​reading​ ​classes​ ​earn​ ​elective​ ​credit and ​ ​do​ ​not​ ​qualify​ ​as​ ​English​ ​credit​ ​towards​ ​this requirement

Math 3 3-4* *Including​ ​one​ ​year​ ​beyond​ ​IM3/Algebra​ ​2​ ​and​ ​at​ ​least

three ​ ​years​ ​of​ ​HS​ ​math​ ​credit

Science 3 3-4* *Minimum​ ​of​ ​2​ ​credits​ ​in​ ​lab-based​ ​science​ ​including

Biology, ​ ​Chemistry,​ ​or​ ​Physics

Social

*Includes ​ ​.5​ ​credit​ ​of​ ​Civics/Government​ ​and​ ​.5​ ​credit​ ​of Economics

International

* ​ ​Students​ ​can​ ​be​ ​exempted​ ​from​ ​this​ ​requirement​ ​by scoring ​ ​proficient​ ​on​ ​a​ ​first​ ​year​ ​final​ ​exam​ ​for​ ​any foreign ​ ​language.​ ​The​ ​test-out​ ​option​ ​does​ ​not​ ​earn credit

** ​ ​Two​ ​years​ ​of​ ​study​ ​must​ ​be​ ​in​ ​the​ ​same​ ​language

Physical

● 25 ​ ​credit​ ​can​ ​be​ ​earned​ ​per​ ​season​ ​of​ ​high​ ​school athletic ​ ​team​ ​sports​ ​participation​ ​(CHSAA​ ​sanctioned)

as ​ ​pass/fail​ ​credit

● A ​ ​maximum​ ​of​ ​1.0​ ​credit​ ​can​ ​be​ ​earned​ ​through​ ​sports participation

● Principals ​ ​have​ ​discretion​ ​to​ ​approve​ ​other​ ​activities with ​ ​comparable​ ​criteria​ ​as​ ​pass/fail​ ​credit

Health .5 5 Recommended ​ ​at​ ​the​ ​9​ th​ ​ ​grade

Practical

Includes ​ ​any​ ​of​ ​the​ ​following​ ​courses:

● CTE ​ ​(Business,​ ​Culinary,​ ​Tech)

● Career/Tech ​ ​through​ ​CEPA

● Visual ​ ​Art​ ​(Art)

● Performance ​ ​Art​ ​(Music,​ ​Dance)

● Internships, ​ ​work​ ​experience

● Community ​ ​Service​ ​(at​ ​a​ ​rate​ ​of​ ​.5​ ​credit​ ​for​ ​60​ ​hrs​ ​of pre-approved ​ ​service)

Prescribed 17.5 19 ​ ​-​ ​21 Prescribed ​ ​Credits​ ​(listed​ ​above)

Choice 7.5 4 ​ ​-​ ​6 +Students ​ ​can​ ​select​ ​any​ ​classes

TOTAL 25 25 Total ​ ​credits​ ​required​ ​to​ ​graduate

+This table defines the minimum number of credits required in various subjects of study To reach

25 credits required to graduate, students may fulfill the remaining balance with any courses that match​ ​their​ ​post-secondary​ ​goals​ ​for​ ​college​ ​and​ ​career​ ​readiness

2 To earn a diploma approved by the Colorado Department of Education a student must prove college and career readiness by demonstrating competency in core subjects using criteria establish

by​ ​the​ ​Colorado​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Education

Minimum ​ ​Colorado​ ​College​ ​and​ ​Career​ ​Ready​ ​Determinations Established ​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Colorado​ ​State​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Education

um ​ ​College​ ​and​ ​Career​ ​Ready​ ​Determinations​ ​for​ ​English​ ​and​ ​Math​ ​are​ ​set​ ​to​ ​match​ ​proficiency​ ​levels​ ​on​ ​higher​ ​education’s ement ​ ​in​ ​credit​ ​bearing​ ​classes,​ ​industry​ ​certificates,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​military’s​ ​cut​ ​scores​ ​for​ ​academic​ ​consideration​ ​for​ ​preferred

hey ​ ​are​ ​designed​ ​to​ ​be​ ​of​ ​approximate​ ​comparable​ ​rigor​ ​and​ ​will​ ​be​ ​refined,​ ​improved,​ ​and​ ​added​ ​to​ ​over​ ​time

monstrate ​ ​competency​ ​in​ ​each​ ​content​ ​area​ ​using​ ​any​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​items​ ​in​ ​the​ ​competency​ ​demonstration​ ​menu​ ​for​ ​that​ ​content hing ​ ​to​ ​attend​ ​four​-​year​ ​postsecondary​ ​institutions​ ​will​ ​also​ ​need​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​the​ ​entrance​ ​requirements​ ​for​ ​their​ ​institutions​ ​of

62 ​ ​on​ ​Reading

– ​ ​National​ ​Career​ ​Readiness​ ​Certificate Bronze ​ ​or​ ​Higher Bronze ​ ​or​ ​Higher

ts ​ ​must​ ​be​ ​proven​ ​as:​ ​valid,​ ​comparable​ ​in​ ​rigor​ ​to​ ​the​ ​other​ ​choices,​ ​standardized​ ​in​ ​their​ ​administration,​ ​free​ ​from​ ​outside ibly ​ ​judged​ ​by​ ​a​ ​third​ ​party​ ​and​ ​aligned​ ​to​ ​the​ ​standards.​ ​Specific​ ​rubrics​ ​for​ ​district​ ​use​ ​in​ ​each​ ​subject​ ​area​ ​will​ ​be​ ​created

ong ​ ​and​ ​between​ ​high​ ​school​ ​educators​ ​and​ ​pertinent,​ ​subject​-​specific​ ​industry​ ​and​ ​college​ ​advisors

T, ​ ​SAT,​ ​AP​ ​and​ ​college​ ​credit​ ​determinations​ ​are​ ​set​ ​at​ ​the​ ​spring​ ​2013​ ​thresholds​ ​for​ ​“no​ ​need​ ​for​ ​remediation”​ ​as​ ​outlined​ ​in mmission ​ ​on​ ​Higher​ ​Education’s​ ​Admission​ ​Remediation​ ​Policy.​ ​These​ ​thresholds​ ​are​ ​under​ ​review​ ​and​ ​may​ ​be​ ​revised​ ​by

ompetency ​ ​demonstration​ ​in​ ​the​ ​above​ ​menu​ ​fully​ ​measures​ ​the​ ​new​ ​academic​ ​K​-​12​ ​standards,​ ​the​ ​determinations​ ​begin​ ​the mpetency ​-​based​ ​system.​ ​While​ ​not​ ​identical​ ​instruments,​ ​the​ ​menu​ ​of​ ​competency​ ​determinations​ ​shares​ ​thresholds​ ​of

mparable ​ ​levels​ ​of​ ​rigor

f ​competencies​ ​may​ ​be​ ​modified​ ​to​ ​accommodate​ ​students​ ​with​ ​exceptionalities​ ​(i.e.,​ ​students​ ​with​ ​disabilities​ ​and​ ​students

d ​ ​talented.)

3 Completion of the Individual Career and Academic Plan, known as the ICAP Required by state statute for every ninth through twelfth grade student (or in the years required for a student to graduate), the ICAP is designed to assist a student and his or her parent or legal guardian in exploring the postsecondary career and educational opportunities available to the student, aligning course work and curriculum, applying to postsecondary education institutions, securing financial aid,​ ​and​ ​ultimately​ ​entering​ ​the​ ​workforce

4 Demonstration of 21​st Century skills The skills include critical thinking and reasoning, information literacy, collaboration, self​-​direction, and invention These skills are embedded in the Colorado Academic Standards As a result, students’ successful completion of coursework and/or other learning experiences aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards may provide one method for students to demonstrate 21st Century skills Student engagement in and completion of extracurricular activities, service learning experiences, capstone projects, and other student demonstrations​ ​may​ ​also​ ​serve​ ​as​ ​demonstrations​ ​of​ ​21​st ​​ ​Century​ ​skills

Credit ​ ​from​ ​other​ ​institutions​ ​and​ ​home-based​ ​programs

All students entering from outside the district must meet district graduation requirements Transfer students must submit transcripts for review to the registrar at the perspective ECS high school they plan to attend Transcripts will be reviewed to determine which classes transfer, the value of those transfer credits,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​accompanying​ ​GPA​ ​translation

The District provides credit bearing online courses through World Academy, which fulfill ECS graduation requirements Therefore, students currently enrolled in Eagle County School district schools who wish to obtain credit from outside institutions, or through online programs, must have prior approval from the principal Eagle County high schools may accept a limited number of online credits from online providers​ ​not​ ​supervised​ ​by​ ​ECS​ ​teachers,​ ​based​ ​on​ ​principal​ ​discretion

The district shall consider transcripts from home-based educational programs In order to determine whether courses and grades earned are consistent with district requirements and district academic standards, the district may require submission of the student’s work or other proof of academic performance for each course for which credit toward graduation is sought In addition, the district may administer testing to the student to verify the accuracy of the student's transcripts The district may reject any​ ​transcripts​ ​that​ ​cannot​ ​be​ ​verified​ ​through​ ​such​ ​testing

Alternate education/Independent Study plans to meet individual academic needs may be approved by the principal​ ​in​ ​consultation​ ​with​ ​appropriate​ ​school​ ​and​ ​District​ ​Office​ ​staff

Non-immigrant ​ ​Foreign​ ​Students​ ​(Foreign​ ​Exchange)

Non-immigrant foreign student who enroll through a one-year exchange program are not eligible to graduate​ ​from​ ​a​ ​district​ ​high​ ​school

Student ​ ​course​ ​load

The course load for freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors shall be a minimum of 7 credits per school year Students who wish to take fewer credits in any given school year must obtain advance permission from​ ​the​ ​principal

Graduation requirements of the Eagle County School District are based on the units of credit earned in grades 9-12 A unit of credit (.5) is defined as the amount of credit earned for the successful completion

of a full semester course Semester courses shall be counted as 5 credit Quarter courses shall be counted

as​ ​.25​ ​credit

Graduation

Upon completion of these graduation requirements, the student may participate in the year-end graduation ceremony of the school from which the final credits were gained A student is not eligible to participate in the graduation ceremony from the school from which he/she transferred Students must be in attendance during the current school year and receive credit in the current year to graduate in that year ECS students who travel abroad in approved exchange programs or Fasttrack Programs will be able to graduate with their class in which he/she was previously enrolled Principals have the ultimate discretion to determine who​ ​participates​ ​in​ ​graduation​ ​ceremonies

Years ​ ​of​ ​Attendance

The District believes that most students benefit from four years of high school experience and are encouraged not to graduate early However, in some cases, students need the challenge provided by post secondary education or other opportunities at an earlier age Therefore, the principal may grant permission to students wishing to graduate early, provided the student has met all the district graduation and​ ​timeline​ ​requirements

LEGAL​ ​REF.: C.R.S.​ ​22-33-104.5​ ​​(home-based​ ​education​ ​law)

C.R.S.​ ​22-1-104​ ​​(teaching​ ​history,​ ​culture​ ​and​ ​civil​ ​government)

C.R.S.​ ​22-32-132​ ​​(discretion​ ​to​ ​award​ ​diploma​ ​to​ ​honorably​ ​discharged​ ​veterans)

C.R.S.​ ​​22-2-106​ ​​(Updated​ ​Graduation​ ​Requirements)

CROSS​ ​REFS.: AE,​ ​Accountability/Commitment​ ​to​ ​Accomplishment

AEA,​ ​Standards​ ​Based​ ​Education

IA,​ ​Instructional​ ​Goals​ ​and​ ​Learning​ ​Objectives IHA,​ ​Basic​ ​Instructional​ ​Program

IHBG,​ ​Home​ ​Schooling IHCDA,​ ​​Postsecondary​ ​Options/Concurrent​ ​Enrollment ILBA,​ ​District​ ​Program​ ​Assessments

ILBB,​ ​State​ ​Program​ ​Assessments

ILBC,​ ​Literacy​ ​and​ ​Reading​ ​Comprehension​ ​Assessments JFABB,​ ​Admission​ ​of​ ​Non-Immigrant​ ​Foreign​ ​Students