VIRGINIA GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To receive a high school diploma, a student shall pass all components of the Literacy Passport Test as required by the Standards of Quality and prescribed by the Board of Education and meet the minimum requirements for one of the two diplomas outlined below for grades 9-12. These shall be the only requirements for a diploma , except that a local school board may prescribe additional requirements for a diploma if such requirements have been approved by the Board of Education. All additional requirements prescribed by local school boards and in effect as of June 30, 1997, are approved to continue through June 30, 1999, without further action by the Board.

1. Requirements for a Standard Diploma
   
   1. Beginning with the ninth-grade class of 1998-99 (graduating class of 2001-02), students shall earn the standard credits outlined in Section 2 below. Beginning with the ninth-grade class of 2000-01 (graduating class of 2003-04), students shall earn standard units of credit described in Section 2 below, and of the standard units of credit earned, students shall earn the following number of verified units of credit (see 8 VAC 20-131-110):  English-two; math-one; science-one; history/social science-one; and one additional verified unit of credit of the student's own choosing.

   2. Credits Required for Graduation

      Discipline Areas	Units		Verified Units
      English...........................................................	4	.....	.... 2
      Mathematics1................................................	3	.....	.... 1
      Laboratory Science2......................................	3	.....	.....1
      History and Social Sciences3..........................	3	.....	.... 1
      Health & Physical Education..........................	2
      Fine Arts or Practical Arts............................	1
      Electives.......................................................	6
      Student Selected Test...................................	---	.....	.... 1
      Total Units of Credit......................	22		6

      
      
      1. -- Courses completed to satisfy this requirement shall be at or above the level of Algebra and shall include at least two course selections from among:
         Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, or other mathematics courses above the level of Algebra and Geometry. The Board of Education may approve additional courses to satisfy this requirement.

      2. -- Courses completed to satisfy this requirement shall include course selections [from] at least two different science disciplines:  Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, or Physics.  The Board of Education may approve additional courses to satisfy this requirement.

      3. -- Courses completed to satisfy this requirement shall include U.S. and Virginia History, U.S. and Virginia Government, and one World History/Geography course. Courses which satisfy the World History/Geography course are:  (a) World History; (b) World Geography; (c) World History and Geography to 1000 A.D.; (d) World History and Geography 1000 A.D. to the Present; or (e) a semester course of World History to 1000 A.D. and a semester course of World Geography.  The Board of Education may approve additional courses to satisfy this requirement.

      Students completing the requirements for the standard diploma may be eligible to receive a Board of Education Seal and/or other honor deemed appropriate by the local school board as described in Section D below.

2. Requirements for an Advanced Studies Diploma
   
   1. Beginning with the ninth-grade class of 1998-99 (graduating class of 2001-02), students shall earn the standard credits outlined in Section 2 below.  Beginning with the ninth-grade class of 2000-01 (graduating class of 2003-04), students shall earn the standard credits outlined in Section 2 below, and of the total credits earned, students shall earn the following number of verified units of credits (see 8 VAC 20-131-110):  English-two; Mathematics-two; Science-two; History/Social Science-two; and one additional verified unit of credit of the student's own choosing.

   2. Credits Required for Graduation

      Discipline Areas	Units		Verified Units
      English...........................................................	4	.....	.... 2
      Mathematics1................................................	4	.....	.... 2
      Laboratory Science2......................................	4	.....	.....2
      History and Social Sciences3..........................	4	.....	.... 2
      Foreign Language4...........................................	3
      Health & Physical Education..........................	2
      Fine Arts or Practical Arts............................	1
      Electives.......................................................	2
      Student Selected Test...................................	---	.....	.... 1
      Total Units of Credit......................	24		9

      
      
      1. -- Courses completed to satisfy this requirement shall be at or above the level of Algebra and shall include at least three course selections from among:  Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, or other mathematics courses above the level of Algebra and Geometry.  The Board of Education may approve additional courses to satisfy this requirement.

      2. -- Courses completed to satisfy this requirement shall include course selections [from] at least three different science disciplines:  Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, or Physics.  The Board of Education may approve additional courses to satisfy this requirement.

      3. -- Courses completed to satisfy this requirement shall include U.S. and Virginia History, U.S. and Virginia Government, and two World History/Geography course.  Courses which satisfy the World History/Geography course are:  (a) World History; (b) World Geography; (c) World History and Geography to 1000 A.D.; (d) World History and Geography 1000 A.D. to the Present; or (e) a semester course of World History to 1000 A.D. and a semester course of World Geography.  The Board of Education may approve additional courses to satisfy this requirement.

      4. --Three years of one language or two years of two languages

      Students completing the requirements for the standard diploma may be eligible to receive a Governor's Seal and/or other honor deemed appropriate by the local school board as described in Section D below.

   
   

3. When students below the ninth grade successfully complete courses offered for credit in grades 9 through 12, credit shall be counted toward meeting the standard units required for graduation provided the courses meet SOL requirements or are equivalent in content and academic rigor as those courses offered at the secondary level, or verified units provided students achieve a passing score on end of course SOL tests.

4. Awards for Exemplary Performance
   1. Students who complete the requirements for a standard diploma with an average grade of "B" or better in the required courses will receive a Board of Education Seal on the diploma.

   2. Students who complete the requirements for an advanced studies diploma with an average grade of "B" or better and successfully complete at least one advanced placement course (AP) or one college-level course for credit will receive a Governor's Seal on the diploma.

   3. Students may receive other seals or awards for exceptional academic, vocational, citizenship, or other exemplary performance in accordance with criteria defined by the local school board.

5. Students completing graduation requirements in a summer school accredited under these standards shall be eligible for a diploma.  The last school attended by the student during the regular session shall award the diploma unless otherwise agreed upon by the principals of the two schools.

6. Students who complete a prescribed course of study as defined by the local school board but who do not qualify for diplomas shall be awarded a Certificate of Program Completion by the local school board.

7. Students who complete honors, advanced, Advanced Placement, college-level or courses required for an International Baccalaureate Diploma shall be deemed to have completed the requirements for graduation under these standards provided they have passed the end-of-course tests required to earn verified credits as required of students earning either a standard or an advanced studies diploma, or, in the case of a complete International Baccalaureate Diploma program, the number of verified credits required for an Advanced Studies Diploma.

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   E-mail comments to Guidance at vihs@internet-high

   Prepared by the Virginia Internet High School Guidance Department
   November 1998