Jefferson Area Local School District
Administrative Guidelines
 

5460 - GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

In order for a student to qualify for a diploma in this District, s/he must have satisfactorily completed the following courses and earned at least twenty-one (21) credits.

Graduation must be earned by passing all mandated subjects, a major sequence, and earning total units required for the specific diploma sought. Credit toward graduation shall be granted for any course that a student successfully completes outside of school hours at an accredited postsecondary institution whether or not the course was paid for by the District or by the parents or student. In addition, the student must have attained the applicable score on the tests required by the State Board of Education for graduation in reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies. Each student must demonstrate, unless exempted, the required level of skill in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies at the end of the tenth grade.

As an alternative to the requirement that a student attain the applicable scores on the Ohio Graduation Tests ("OGT") in order to be eligible to graduate, a student may meet the OGT testing requirements if s/he satisfies all of the following conditions:

 A.passes four (4) out of five (5) OGT tests and has missed passing the fifth test by ten (10) points or less

 B.has a ninety-seven percent (97%) school attendance rate in each of the last four (4) school years, excluding any excused absences

 C.has not been expelled from school in any of the last four (4) school years

 D.has a grade point average of at least 2.5 out of 4.0 in the subject area of the test not yet passed

 E.has completed the high school curriculum requirement in the subject area of the test not yet passed

 F.has participated in any intervention programs provided by the District in the subject area and has a ninety-seven percent (97%) attendance rate, excluding any excused absences, in any of those programs provided at times beyond the normal school day, school week, or school year or has received comparable intervention services from another source, and

 G.holds a letter recommending graduation from each of the student's high school teachers in the subject area not yet passed and from the high school principal

Students in special education shall receive a diploma if certified they have properly completed the requirements of their IEP, and unless exempted, they take the tests required by the State Board of Education for graduation, with or without accommodations. Students should not be exempted from taking the prescribed tests unless no accommodation can be made to enable the student to take the test. They shall participate in all graduation activities.

Diploma - The requirements for graduation are based on grades nine (9) through twelve (12) and are listed below. However, no student shall be required to remain in school for any specific number of semesters or other terms if the student completes the required curriculum early.

For Graduation Classes Through 2013:

Each student must earn at least twenty-one (21) credits in order to graduate and receive a diploma. The distribution of such credits is to be as follows:

 

English Language Arts

4

 

Health

1/2

 

Physical Education

1/2

 

Mathematics

4

 

Science (1 physical/1 biological)

3

 

Social Studies

3

 

Fine Arts, including music

 
 

Electives (including at least one

6

 

whole or two half units, in arts,

and/or foreign language)

 
     

For Graduating Classes of 2014 and Beyond:

Each student must earn at least twenty-one (21) credits in order to graduate and receive a diploma. The distribution of such credits is to be as follows:

 

English Language Arts

4

 

Health

1/2

 

Physical Education

1/2

 

Mathematics

4

 

Science (1 physical/1 biological)

3

 

Social Studies

3

 

Fine Arts, (including music)

 
 

Electives (including at least one

6

 

or any combination of foreign

 
 

language, fine arts, business,

 
 

career-technical education,

 
 

family and consumer sciences,

 
 

technology, agricultural

 
 

education or English language

 
 

arts, mathematics, science, or

 
 

social studies courses not

 
 

otherwise required

 

Credit may be earned at an accredited postsecondary institution.

One (1) unit is a minimum of 120 hours of course instruction, except that for a laboratory course, it is a minimum of 150 hours of course instruction.

One-half (1/2) unit is a minimum of sixty (60) hours of course instruction, except that for physical education courses, it is a minimum of 120 hours of course instruction.

Students below the ninth grade level may take high school courses for advanced credit toward graduation. In order to receive such credit, the course must be taught by a person certified/licensed to teach in high school and the course must be designated by the Board as meeting the high school curriculum requirements.

Any person, residing in the District, who has completed the academic requirements in any high school but has not passed all the tests required by the State Board of Education for graduation is to be awarded a diploma from this District if s/he retakes and passes any unpassed tests at the high school during the designated testing days, unless excused from the achievement tests as provided in law. The person is not required to meet the requirements established by this District.

Revised 4/20/07
Revised 5/14/09
Revised 2/19/13
Revised 11/12/13

© Neola 2013