Policy No. 2410
Each student who has successfully completed an instructional program appropriate to his/her interests and needs shall be awarded a diploma at graduation ceremonies. The board shall award a regular high school diploma to every student enrolled in the district who meets the requirements of graduation established by the district. Only one diploma shall be awarded with no distinctions being made between the various programs of instruction which may have been pursued.
The board shall establish graduation requirements which, as a minimum, satisfy those established by the state board of education:
English - 3.5 credits
Mathematics - 2 credits
Social Studies - 3 credit
Science (1 credit in laboratory science) - 2 credits
Occupational Education - 1 credit
Physical Education - 2 credits
Health - .5 credit
Fine Arts - 1 credit
Electives - 7 credits
TOTAL.......................................... 22 credits
PLUS a high school education plan and a culminating project.
A credit is defined as 180 (50 minute) hours of planned instructional activities excluding passing time. A Carnegie unit (180 hours/50 minute) is required unless a waiver process has occurred. No student may earn more than one credit/year to satisfy the state board requirements in English, Mathematics and Science except as provided in WAC 180-51-065. The board shall approve additional graduation requirements as recommended by the superintendent.
The superintendent shall develop procedures for implementing this policy which include:
A. Recommending course and credit requirements which satisfy the state board of education requirements and recognize the expectations of the citizens of the district.
B. Determining which courses satisfy particular subject area requirements and whether a particular course may satisfy more than one subject area requirement including a process for determining the credits the district will recognize for courses taken through another program recognized by the state (another public school district, an approved private school) or those courses taken by students moving into the state from another state or country. Decisions regarding the recognition of credits earned before enrolling in the district will be based on the professional judgment of the high school principal or designee based on an evaluation of the student’s former program and demonstrated knowledge and skills in the discipline for which credit is sought. The decision of the principal may be appealed to the superintendent within fifteen school days.
C. Making graduation requirements available in writing to students, parents and members of the public.
D. Providing for a waiver of graduation requirements for an individual student when permitted;
E. Granting credit for learning experiences conducted away from school, including National Guard high school career training.
F. Granting credit for correspondence, vocational-technical institutes and/or college courses for college or university course work the district has agreed to accept for high school credit, state law requires that the district award one high school credit for every five quarter hour credit or three semester hour credit successfully earned through a college or university, except for community college high school completion programs where the district awards the diploma; Tenth and eleventh grade students and their parents shall be notified annually of the Running Start Program.
G. Granting credit for work experience.
H. Granting credit based upon competence testing, in lieu of enrollment.
I. Granting credit for high school courses completed before a student attended high school, to the extent that the course work exceeded the requirements for seventh or eighth grade.
J. Counseling of students to know what is expected of them for completion of their schooling.
K. Preparing a list of all graduating students for the information of the board and release to the public.
L. Preparing suitable diplomas and final transcripts for graduating seniors.
M. Planning and executing graduation ceremonies.
In the event minimum test requirements are adopted by the board, a student who has been certified for Special Education shall satisfy those competency requirements which are incorporated into the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Satisfactory completion of the objectives incorporated into the IEP shall serve as the basis for determining completion of a course.
A student shall be issued a diploma after completing the district's requirements for graduation.
A student's diploma or transcript may be withheld until the student pays for any school property that has been lost or willfully damaged. Upon payment for damages, or the equivalency through voluntary work, the diploma or transcript will be released. When the damages or fines do not exceed $100, the student or his/her parents shall have the right to an appeal using the same process as used for short-term suspension as defined in Policy 3241, Classroom Management, Corrective Actions or Punishments. When damages are in excess of $100, the appeal process for long term suspension as defined in Policy 3241, Classroom Management, Corrective Actions or Punishments shall apply.
Graduation requirements in effect when a student first enrolls in high school shall be in effect until that student graduates unless such period is in excess of ten years.
In the event that other forms of corrective actions are imposed for violations of school rules, the student may be denied participation in graduation ceremonies. Such exclusion shall be regarded as a school suspension. In such instances, the diploma will be granted.
Cross References: Board Policy 3110 Qualifications of Attendance and Placement
Board Policy 3241 Classroom Management, Corrective Actions or Punishment
Board Policy 3520 Student Fees, Fines and Charges
Legal References RCW 28A.230.090 High school graduation requirements or equivalencies — Reevaluation and report by state board of education — Credit for courses taken before attending high school — Postsecondary credit equivalencies
RCW 28A.230.120 Option to receive final transcripts — Notice
RCW 28A.600.300-400 Running Start
RCW 28A.635.060 Defacing or injuring school property — Liability of parent or guardian
Chapter 180-50 WAC Courses of studies and equivalencies
Chapter 180-51 WAC High school graduation requirements
Chapter 180-57 WAC Secondary Education — Standardized high school transcript
Chapter 392-169 WAC Running Start
Management Resources:
Policy News, April 1999 Variations complicate college credit equivalencies
Policy News, December 2000 2004 High School Graduation Requirements Adopted
Adoption Date: April 28, 2003, April 23, 2007
Blaine School District