Graduation Requirements

To graduate from high school, students in our district typically complete the Foundation High School Program with a Distinguished Level of Achievement (DLA). This requires students to complete 26 credits and choose an endorsement– an area of focus based on a student’s post-secondary goals, interests and future career plans.

The school district advocates for students to graduate with a Distinguished Level of Achievement (DLA) to ensure students receive a well-rounded education aligned with their career interests and post-secondary goals. A student must earn a DLA distinction to be admitted to a Texas public university under the Top 10% automatic admission law.

Course Requirements for Graduation with DLA Distinction:

Complete 22 credits under the Foundation High School Program, including:

4 English credits
3 Math credits
3 Science credits
3 Social Studies credits
2 Language Other Than English (LOTE) credits. Credits must be in the same LOTE
1 Physical Education credit
1 Fine Arts credit
5 Elective course credits

Complete Endorsement Requirements, including:

1 additional Advanced Math credit, including Algebra II. Students that take Algebra II and graduate in the top 10% of your class are eligible for automatic admission to Texas state universities.
1 additional Science credit
2 additional Elective credits aligned to endorsement curriculum requirements
Any curriculum requirements associated with a chosen endorsement (typically a combination of 4 core and / or elective courses)

If a student is unable to complete the requirements to receive a DLA distinction, students may graduate under the Foundation High School Program without endorsement requirements. If a student would like to graduate under a Foundation High School Program plan without any endorsement, they must make this decision after their sophomore year.

To opt-out of an endorsement, students and families must meet with their school counselor to discuss the benefits of graduating with an endorsement, and the student’s parent or guardian must give written permission for the student to opt out of an endorsement. and parent, or guardian.

Endorsement Options:

An endorsement consists of a sequence of courses that are grouped together by interest or related careers. When starting high school, students choose at least one endorsement with help from teachers, counselors, and their families as part of their Personal Graduation Plan (PGP). Students must choose an endorsement in their freshman year, but can change it if their interests evolve. Students may also earn more than one endorsement as part of their high school diploma.

S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math): This endorsement is ideal for students interested in careers related to health sciences, engineering, robotics, technology or software systems.
Business & Industry: This endorsement caters to students interested in various sectors such as business, communications, marketing, finance, manufacturing, information technology, transportation, and advanced journalism.
Public Services: This endorsement is designed for students interested in education, government, health science, law enforcement, fire science, and JROTC programs.
Arts & Humanities: This endorsement is for students drawn to the fine arts, literature, languages, or social studies.
Multidisciplinary Studies (a mix of subjects): This endorsement is a flexible option suitable for students with broad interests, and requires advanced courses from various subject areas that prepare a student for postsecondary education.

Endorsements help students take classes that match their interests and prepare them for college and career options. As part of the PGP process, school counselors will provide students & families more details of available classes under each endorsement to help them decide which endorsement option is best for the student.

STAAR End of Course Exams (State Testing):

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) are state-mandated tests that all students in Texas take from 3rd grade through high school. Students must pass these five End-of-Course (EOC) exams to graduate:

Algebra I
English I
English II
Biology
U.S. History

Passing these tests shows whether a student is on track to graduate high school and ready to take the next step to college, workforce training, or a career

Financial Aid Requirement:

In 2019, the Texas Legislature established a requirement for Texas students to complete a financial aid application (or formally opt out) in order to graduate. Each student must do one of the following in order to graduate:

Complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); or
Submit a signed opt-out form.

A student may opt out of the financial aid application graduation requirement if a parent or guardian submits a signed form, the student is 18 years of age or older and submits a signed form, or a school counselor authorizes the student to decline to complete and submit the application for good cause.

Please visit here to view TEA requirements for High School Graduation in detail.

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