Graduation Course Requirements

Graduation requirements for the School District of Springfield R-XII shall be a minimum of 25 units of credit completed during grades nine and above.

These are the requirements for high school graduation:

Graduation Requirements
Communication Arts*	4 units
Social Studies **	3 units
Mathematics	3 units
Science	3 units
Physical Education***	1 1/2 units
Health	1/2 units
Practical Arts	1 unit
Personal Finance	1/2 unit
Fine Arts *****	1 unit
Electives	7.5 units
Total****	25 units
Electives can come from any subject area.

 

* The Communication Arts requirement includes a minimum of three units of English. A fourth communication arts unit may be taken in the area of journalism, speech, or drama; however, courses from these areas may not count toward college entrance requirements.

**Students are required to complete three units of Social Studies as follows:

***The normal sequence for P.E. requirements of 1/2 unit each in the freshman, sophomore, and junior year is strongly encouraged.

****A maximum of two units of credit from approved correspondence courses may be counted toward graduation.

*****Fine Arts courses include music, visual arts, dance, theater. To earn fine arts credit for marching band or drum corps, students must play musical instruments and participate as musicians.

 

 

Attendance/Graduation Requirements

Students will be required to attend eight semesters in grades nine and above. A semester is defined as a period of time in which a student is enrolled in a minimum of three (3) units of credit. Permission may be granted to leave after seven semesters under specific conditions as stated below.

The student shall have:

Students successfully completing a planned educational experience shall be eligible to receive their high school diplomas with their graduating class.

 

 

Diplomas

High school diplomas awarded by Springfield's senior high schools are of two types - an "Honors" diploma and a regular high school diploma. the "Honors" diploma is awarded to pupils who rank in the upper fifteen percent of the graduating class. The top five percent of each graduating class shall receive the Board of Education Award.

The regular diploma is awarded to graduating seniors who have satisfactorily completed the requirements for graduation as established by the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the local Board of Education.

Graduation requirements for students who are eligible for special education services may be modified in accordance with determinations made at the meetings held to develop a student's Individual Education Plan. Please reference School Board of Education Policy IKFB for more specific details.

 

 

Receiving College Credit While in High School

Students wishing to accelerate and accumulate college credits while in high school will need to notify their counselor and/or principal in advance. OTC articulation offers high school students the opportunity to earn free college credit for approved high school courses. If a student earns a "B" or higher in an articulated course, the grade is forwarded to OTC and recorded on the transcript. When a student enrolls at OTC, the transcript will reflect all articulated courses completed in high school. There is no fee for articulated courses.

Advanced Placement

Advanced Placement is a nationally recognized program developed by Educational Testing Service which allows academically accelerated high school students to pursue college-level studies and to receive credit or appropriate placement from participating colleges or universities. Students working for Advanced Placement college credit are REQUIRED to take an examination.

The cost of the testing is to be paid by the student; however, where financial need exists, assistance can be provided.

The examination is graded and evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5 and ranked by Educational Testing Service. These ranks are then sent to participating colleges or universities specified by the student. Not all colleges or universities participate in the AP Program.

Students considering AP should discuss the details and requirements of the program with their counselor and their parents.