Diploma Requirements
The requirements for a student to earn a diploma and graduate from a Virginia high school shall be those in effect when that student enters the ninth grade for the first time. Effective with students who entered ninth grade for the first time in the 2018-2019 school year and thereafter.
| Required Courses | Advanced Studies Diploma: Standard Credit | Advanced Studies Diploma: Verified Credit | Standard Diploma: Standard Credit | Standard Diploma: Verified Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Mathematics | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Laboratory Science | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
|
History and Social Science |
4 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
|
Health & Physical Education |
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Economics & Personal Finance Includes virtual course graduation requirement |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| World Language Courses shall include three sequential language or two pairs of sequential languages |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fine Arts | ||||
| Career & Technical Education | 1 | 0 | ||
| Electives | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Total Credits Required | 26 | 5 | 22 | 5 |
Additional Graduation Requirements
- AP, Honors, IB, Dual Enrollment, Work-Based Learning or CTE Credential - Students shall (i) complete an Advanced Placement, honors, International Baccalaureate, or dual enrollment course, or (ii) complete a high quality work based learning experience, as established by Board guidance on work-based learning; or (iii) earn a career and technical education credential approved by the board, except when a career and technical education credential in a particular subject area is not readily available or appropriate or does not adequately measure student competency, in which case the student shall receive satisfactory competency-based instruction in the subject area to satisfy the advanced studies diploma requirements. The career and technical education credential, when required, could include the successful completion of an industry certification, a state licensure examination, a national occupational competency assessment, or the Virginia workplace readiness assessment; and
- Virtual Course - Students shall successfully complete one virtual course, which may be a non-credit bearing course or a required or elective credit-bearing course that is offered online. Note that the Economics and Personal Finance course satisfies this requirement; and
- First Aid, CPR, and AED Training - Students shall be trained in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPRP, and the use of automated external defibrillators (AED), including hands-on practice of the skills necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Students with an IEP or 504 Plan that documents that they cannot successfully complete this training shall be granted a waiver from this graduation requirement. Note that the Grade 9 H/PE satisfies this requirement; and
- Demonstration of the 5Cs - In accordance with the Profile of a Virginia Graduate, students shall acquire and demonstrate foundational skills in critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and citizenship.
- African American History and High School Graduation Requirements - A recent change in Virginia law allows students to use African American History as a history and social science credit toward graduation requirements. For students pursuing a Standard Diploma, African American History may fulfill the same history and social science course requirement as World History I, World History II, or World Geography. When selecting courses, students and families should carefully consider both standard credit requirements and verified credit requirements. While African American History may be used to satisfy the applicable history and social science course requirement, the course does not have an associated Standards of Learning (SOL) test and therefore does not provide a pathway for students to earn a verified credit. Students who take African American History will need to ensure that they have another opportunity to earn the verified credit required for graduation. This may include taking and passing a course with an associated SOL assessment and meeting the requirements for a verified credit through that course. A high school history and social science sequence that provides opportunities to both earn a verified credit for graduation and provide space for taking African American History is:
- 9th Grade: World History I (World History to 1500)
- 10th Grade: African American History (optional) or World History II
- 11th Grade: Virginia and U.S. History (required for all students)
- 12th Grade: Virginia and U.S. Government (required for all students)
- Students and families are encouraged to work closely with their school counselor when selecting history and social science courses and developing a graduation plan. A student's diploma type, current verified credit status, academic goals, and individual graduation plan should all be considered when determining the most appropriate course sequence. Henry County Public Schools is committed to providing students with meaningful course options while ensuring that students and families understand how course selections may affect both standard and verified credit requirements for graduation.
Verified Unit of Credit
For students who enter the ninth grade during the 2018-2019 school year or thereafter, a verified unit of credit for graduation is a credit awarded for a course in which the student earns a standard unit of credit and: (1) achieves a passing score on a corresponding End-of-Course SOL test; or (2) achieves a passing score on an additional test approved by the board as part of the Virginia assessment program; or (3) meets the criteria for the receipt of a locally awarded verified credit conferred in accordance with board criteria and guidelines as provided in 8VAC20-131-110.B.3 when the student has not passed a corresponding SOL test in English, mathematics, laboratory science, or social studies; or (4) meets the criteria for the receipt of a verified credit for history and social studies by demonstrating mastery of the content of the associated course on authentic performance assessments, as provided in 8VAC20-131-110.B.4; or (5) meets the criteria for the receipt of a verified credit in English (writing) by demonstrating mastery of the content of the associated course on authentic performance assessments, as provided in 8VAC20-131-110 .B .5.
No more than one locally awarded verified credit may be used to satisfy these requirements except as provided in 8VAC20-131-110.B.4 regarding credit accommodations for students with disabilities.
Standard Unit of Credit
A standard unit of credit is awarded for a course in which the student successfully completes the objectives of the course.