Carthage R-9 | P 2525 Graduation Requirements

The following requirements are necessary to graduate from Carthage High School. Credits are counted beginning with the ninth grade.

Credit Requirements

	Minimum for Graduation	*Cum Laude*	*Magna Cum Laude*	*Summa* *Cum Laude*
English Language Arts	4^a	4	4	4
Social Studies	3^b	3	3	3
Mathematics	3^c	3¹	4^1,2	4^1,2
Science	3^d	3³	4^3,4	4^3,4
Foreign Language	-	2⁵	2⁶	2⁶
Fine Arts	1	1	1	1
Practical Arts Personal Finance Computer Applications	.5 .5	.5 .5	.5 .5	.5 .5
Physical Education	1	1	1	1
Health	.5	.5	.5	.5
Personal Communications (Speech)	.5	.5	.5	.5
General Electives	10	8	8	8
TOTAL CREDITS	27	27	29	29
Minimum Grade Point Average		3.5	3.75	4.0

^a Students must take the English 2 End of Course Exam.

^b Students must earn 1 credit in U.S. Government and 1 credit in U.S. History. Students must also take the U.S. Government End of Course Exam as well as pass the Missouri and U.S. Constitution tests.

^c Students taking 8^th grade Algebra 1 must take an additional 3 math credits in high school (9-12). Algebra 1 taken during the eigth grade will be computed into a student’s high school cumulative grade point average. Pre-Algebra, Intermediate Algebra and Elements of Geometry do not count toward honors or NCAA eligibility. Students must take the Algebra 1 End of Course Exam.

^d Students must take the Biology End of Course Exam.

¹ Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra 11. Algebra 1 taken during eighth grade also counts toward honor requirements and will be computed into a student’s high school cumulative grade point average. Students taking 8^th grade Algebra 1 must take an additional 3 math credits in high school.

²One full credit of higher-level math: College Algebra (.5), Trigonometry (.5), Math Analysis (.5), Calculus, A.P. Calculus (1) ACT Math does not count towards honors.

³ Ninth grade Science, Biology, Chemistry, or any higher-level science class. Conceptual Biology and Environmental Science does not count towards honors. Conceptual Biology does not count toward NCAA eligibility.

⁴One credit of higher-level science: A.P. Biology, A.P. Chemistry, A.P. Physics (1 or 2), Dual Credit Survey of Physical Science, or Dual Credit Anatomy and Physiology.

⁵ Both credits must be in same foreign language.

⁶ Both credits must be in same foreign language, with no choice for substituting an additional math and science for the second year. A third year in the same foreign language may replace the one additional credit in math or science.

For the graduating classes of 2016 and beyond, state regulations may mandate additional End of

Course Exams and End of High School testing.

Class standings are determined from the fourth quarter progress report grades or first semester grades for December graduates.

Variations from Normal

A student must earn 27 credits to receive a Carthage High School diploma. All diplomas earned will be distributed after the spring graduation ceremony. Seventh semester senior graduates may participate in prom and all graduation functions.
A provision for part-time attendance has been provided to eleventh and twelfth grade students who are at least sixteen (16) years of age.
Students who are enrolled in the Basic Skills program will be required to meet the required units for graduation. An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will be developed for each student. Changes in the required units of credit may be deemed necessary. If so, such changes will be made by the multidisciplinary team and entered in the student’s IEP.
In addition to the program of study for graduation, a student must pass proficiency exams concerning American history, American institutions, and the Missouri and the United States constitutions to qualify for graduation from the District.
No student shall graduate without successfully completing a course of instruction of at least one (1) full credit in length on the institutions, branches and functions of the government of the State of Missouri, including local governments; the United States government; and the electoral process.
Students who complete a three-unit career and technical education program of studies may apply for a waiver of one unit of academic credit. The three-unit career and technical program must constitute a planned program leading to specific career-related competencies, not simply any three units of credit. The academic subject in which the waiver is granted must be one in which the student exhibits significant learning in the career and technical education program. For example, students completing a three-unit pre-engineering or bio-medical program might be permitted to waive one unit of an elective science.
Eligible students as defined in Regulation 2525 may pursue a timely graduation from high school through the School Flex Program. Eligible students participating in the School Flex Program will be considered full-time students.