The state of Tennessee allows four years and a summer for students to complete their high school graduation requirements.

NOTES: 

Each credit requirement may be met only once. Taking a subsequent course that meets the same requirement is considered an audit and is not counted for credit.

Credited core courses taken prior to 9th grade will count toward a student’s high school GPA. 

Career Focused Curriculum

The Fine Art and Foreign Language Requirements may be waived for students who are sure they are not attending a university immediately after graduation. These credits will be replaced with 3 additional focused elective courses (6 total) to prepare the student for his/her career choice.  Parents and students will meet with the counselor to develop and sign this career focused curriculum before those requirements may be waived.

JROTC Course Substitutions  (for students not choosing JROTC as their Focused Elective Group)

           JROTC (1 year)=Lifetime Wellness (1 credit)

           JROTC (2 years)=Lifetime Wellness (1 credit), PE (.5 credit)

JROTC (3 years)=Lifetime Wellness (1 credit), PE (.5 credit), US Government and Civics (.5 credit) and Personal Finance (.5 credit)

Testing Requirements

Final Examinations

Examinations shall be given at the end of each semester and shall be required of all students with one exception: *A student will be exempt from a second semester course examination provided the student has a 90% or higher for each 9 week grading period during the second semester and the course is a full year class. NO students will be exempt from state end-of-course exams.  All students enrolled in a one-semester course must take a final examination.   Exams will be given on scheduled days only.  NO early exams will be given.  Please note that in compliance with the Military Interstate Compact, military families who have current PCS orders that conflict with the exam schedule may request an exception from the principal.  Valid military orders must be presented.

TN Ready Examinations

TN Ready examinations are currently given in English I, English II, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, U.S. History, and Biology. Further, the results of these examinations will be factored into the student’s second semester grade at 15% as determined by the State Board of Education in accordance with T.C.A. 49-1-302 (2).

The student is not required to pass any single examination, but instead the student would need to achieve a passing score for the final course average in accordance with the State Board of Education’s uniform grading policy.

Course without a TN Ready exam:

• Count each 9-week grade 40% and the school exam 20%

• When student is exempt from 2nd semester exam, count each 9-week grade 50%. Students are exempt if they earned an A for N3 and an A for N4 in a year long course.

Course with a state TN Ready exam:

• 1st semester - each 9-week grade 40% and the school exam 20%

• 2nd semester - each 9 week grade 35%, TN Ready exam 15%, the school exam 15%

• When student is exempt from 2nd semester exam, count each 9 weeks 40% and the end of course exam is 20%.

ACT’s College and Workforce Readiness Benchmarks

ACT Benchmarks are minimum scores that indicate college and workforce readiness.  Students meeting these minimum scores have a 50 percent chance of earning a B or better and a 75 percent chance of earning a C or better in the corresponding entry-level college course.  Research also indicates that students meeting or exceeding the benchmarks are better prepared for success in the workforce. Students are encouraged to complete a strong academic program that will enable them to meet or exceed the ACT benchmark scores. While all students may not enter post-secondary education immediately following high school, they must be prepared for post-secondary training and lifelong learning.

*Students are required to meet all of the ACT readiness benchmark scores to graduate with an Honors or Highest Honors diploma, per state policy.

**ACT may periodically adjust benchmark scores to reflect changes in college and career readiness requirements.

Citizenship Assessment

All high school students shall complete the United States civics test. A student shall pass the test if the student correctly answers at least seventy percent (70%) of the questions.