Graduation

Graduation Requirements

In Virginia, students begin making choices in middle school that impact their path to graduation. Understanding graduation requirements early helps ensure that students are on track to earn one of the two diplomas offered:

• Standard Diploma: Requires a set number of core and elective credits, as well as verified credits.
• Advanced Studies Diploma: Requires a higher number of credits, including additional advanced courses, and is often chosen by students aiming for college.

Requirements specific to when students begin 9th Grade:

• The diploma requirements a student must meet are based on the standards in place when they first enter the ninth grade. These requirements stay consistent for that student throughout high school, ensuring a clear path to graduation.

Middle School Courses for High School Credit:

• High School-Level Courses in Middle School: If a middle school student completes a course designed for high school credit (grades 9-12), it counts toward the standard credits required for graduation, provided it meets the same academic standards and rigor as high school courses.
• Verified Credit for Middle School Courses: To earn a verified credit for high school-level courses taken in middle school, students must meet specific assessment requirements, as defined for verified credits in high school.

Fine Arts or Career and Technical Education Course

The following courses will meet the fine arts graduation requirement: art courses, music courses, and drama courses. All Career and Technical courses will meet the graduation requirement. The course taken to satisfy the Fine Arts or Career and Technical Education course requirement may also serve as one of the two credits required to satisfy the sequential electives requirement.

Career Concentration

A Career Concentration is a coherent sequence of courses completed by a student in a specific career area and should be identified using Major Clarity.

Early College Scholars

To qualify for the Early College Scholars program, a student must:

• Have a “B” average or better;
• Be pursuing an Advanced Studies Diploma; and
• Take and complete college-level course work (i.e., Advanced Placement, or dual enrollment) that will earn at least 15 transferable college credits

Definitions

Verified Unit of Credit

In accordance with 8VAC20-131-110(B) of the Standards of Accreditation, a "verified unit of credit" or "verified credit" is a credit awarded for a course in which a student earns a standard unit of credit and completes one of the following:

• Achieves a passing score on a corresponding end-of-course SOL test.
• Achieves a passing score on an additional test, as defined in 8VAC20-131-5, as a part of the Virginia Assessment Program.
• Meets the criteria for the receipt of a locally awarded verified credit (see below) when the student has not passed a corresponding SOL test.

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. Sequential Electives Sequential electives are defined as two years of study in a focused sequence of elective courses.