Students are required to complete four years of English instruction in order to graduate high school. They also must pass the English (ELA) MCAS test, a required standardized test taken each year in Massachusetts. ESL can count as credit for English but when possible, they will take English classes with their English-speaking peers.

In addition to the required English courses, there have been many fun courses in the English Department such as Creative Writing or American Film Studies that can be taken as an elective.

Students are required to complete four years of math instruction in order to graduate high school. They also must pass the Math MCAS test, a required standardized test taken each year in Massachusetts. Current Newcomer and Emerging Level ESL students usually start their math requirements at Beverly High School with SEI Math. This course is co-taught by an ESL and math teacher. This class gives special focus to academic vocabulary and skills needed to understand and explain math concepts and word problems as well as teach math concepts necessary to be successful in subsequent math classes. After taking SEI Math, students will often join their English-speaking peers for Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra II.

Students with advanced math skills are encouraged to take advanced-level "Honors" and "AP" courses in various math courses, which are beneficial on college resumes and can even count as college credit. The mathematics department encourages students to purchase a TI-84 graphing calculator for use in their math classes. If cost of the calculator is a concern, please approach your ESL teacher for more information. It is important to note that the graphing calculator is permitted for use on the MCAS, PSAT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests, AP, and ACT exams. If you are interested in these kind of advance course opportunities, please send an email to your guidance counselor to discuss it!

Students are required to complete three years of lab science and one additional science course in order to graduate. They also must pass the Science MCAS test, a required standardized test in Massachusetts. Current Newcomer and Emerging Level ESL students will usually start their science requirements at Beverly High School with SEI Biology. This course is co-taught by an ESL and science teacher. This class gives special focus to academic vocabulary and skills needed to understand and explain basic biology concepts necessary to be successful in CP Biology. After taking SEI Biology, students will often join their English-speaking peers for CP Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, or Earth Science.

Students at an advanced English level and are interested in careers in medicine, health services, engineering, etc. are encouraged to take other science courses such as Human Anatomy and Physiology, Environmental Sciences, Robotics, Forensic Science, Marine and Coastal Science.

Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses:

Honors Biology, Engineering, Chemistry and Physics are demanding in both commitments of time and sophistication. These courses are designed for the highly motivated and self-disciplined student. The Honors science courses are designed for students considering science or engineering majors in college. Honors courses are prerequisites for Advanced Placement (AP) Courses in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

College Preparatory Courses: All college preparatory courses require a significant time commitment and seriousness of purpose on the part of the student. If you are interested in these kind of advance course opportunities, please send an email to your guidance counselor to discuss it!

There are three required history courses to complete before graduation: U.S. History I, U.S. History II, and World History and on other social studies course. Current Newcomer and Emerging Level ESL students will have SEI U.S. History I and SEI U.S. History II with their ESL teacher. These classes give special focus to EL students' pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, decoding and text-comprehension skills. They will also build academic vocabulary and skills needed for other history classes at the high school. After taking SEI U.S. History I and II, students will often join their English-speaking peers for World History.

World History covers the social, political and economic developments of modern Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. This survey course emphasizes the development of critical thinking and study skills as it examines such topics as the French Revolution, Imperialism and the World Wars. Students will be expected to stay informed of current events and will be required to write a research paper. There are options for taking advanced-level "Honors" and "AP" courses in several history courses, which are beneficial on college resumes and can even count as college credit. If you are interested in these kind of advance course opportunities in history, please send an email to your guidance counselor to discuss it!

In addition to the required courses, the History Department at Beverly High School offers many different classes in history that can count as elective credits such as World Mythology, Sociology, The 60s and Beyond, Economics, History of Beverly and Essex County, 21st Century Civics, Criminal Justice, Facing History, and Psychology.

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EL students who wish to attend college or university are required to take two years of a foreign (not English) language before graduation. This can be your home language, if it is offered at BHS. The World Language Department at Beverly High School offers instruction in the modern languages of American Sign Language (ASL), French, German, and Spanish. Any student can choose a new language and start that sequence of study any time during their high school careers. Many interested students study two languages at the same time.

There are options for taking "Honors" and "AP" courses in each language which are beneficial on college resumes and can even count as college credit. College-bound students who started a modern language in the middle school are recommended to continue this language for a minimum of two years in high school or, preferably, three or four years. It is recommended to see your guidance counselor to discuss how to fulfill requirements for admission to a four-year college.

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