Easton Area High School requires all students to earn 24.50 units between grades 9 and 12 to be awarded a diploma. Course credits must be earned as follows:
Courtesy M. Chillot
Students are encouraged to select their elective credits from courses that fit into their desired career pathway. Those students who plan to attend a four-year college should take a minimum of two years of a foreign language; however, many colleges like to see three or more years of foreign language study.
Students are promoted to the next grade level by earning a specified number of credits:
● 5.50 credits (to be a sophomore)
● 11.50 credits (to be a junior)
● 17.50 credits (to be a senior)
There are no exceptions to this policy. If a student fails a required course, they are encouraged to attend summer school in order to ensure graduation with their class, or they will be required to repeat the course the following year.
Act 158 requires that students meet the statewide graduation requirement through one of the following five pathways:
***NEW*** Personal Finance
The Pennsylvania State Board of Education recently approved Academic Standards for Personal Finance, along with updates to Chapter 4, which require instruction aligned to the new standards. These Academic Standards go into effect on July 1, 2026, along with a legislative requirement that all school entities provide a mandatory high school course. The standards focus on the fundamentals of personal finance, income, spending, saving and investing, risk and insurance, and credit, intending to develop student financial literacy.
Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, students at Easton Area High School will be required to complete this course in their Junior year. The course will be taught as a one-semester, 1/2 credit course that meets daily for 39 minutes. The course will be scheduled to coincide with the students' lunch period. The Junior year Advisory will be revised to a one-semester, 1/2 credit course that meets daily for 39 minutes during the opposing semester. Students who do not successfully complete the Personal Finance course in their Junior year will be required to retake the course as a Senior before receiving Senior Privileges.
A Cyber option will be available for students with scheduling conflicts; however, course and graduation requirements will remain the same as the in-person course.
Class rank is determined by computing a general average derived from grades at the end of each marking period. It is cumulative beginning with the first quarter of 9th grade and ending with the final grades in grade 12. Advanced Placement courses are weighted 9% of all grades 60 through 100; Honors courses are weighted 6% of all grades 60 through 100. Class rank is calculated each marking period and at the end of the year. All courses are included in rank and GPA calculation except for Physical Education, Junto, and Rechauffe.
The Advisory periods are 39-minute periods built into the school day and are part of students' schedules in grades 9-11. The Advisory period will be held opposite the students' lunch period. This time will focus on goal setting, career awareness (Xello), graduation pathways, and post-secondary planning. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, during the Junior year, Advisory and Personal Finance will be completed for one semester each, opposite the student's lunch period.