Ohio Graduation Requirements Class of 2023 and Beyond

Ohio Graduation Requirements Classes of 2023 and Beyond

How to Earn Diploma Seals for Demonstration of Readiness

Criteria for earning these seals is set by existing Ohio law, code or board policy.

• OhioMeansJobs Readiness Seal (Ohio)

  • Demonstration of professional skills, work-readiness and work ethic competencies

  • Students must have at least a total of three (3) mentors to validate the fifteen (15) professional skills needed to earn the Seal.

• Industry-Recognized Credential Seal (Ohio) 

  • Earn a 12-point industry-recognized credential; OR

  • Earn a group of credentials totaling 12 points in a single career field - as outlined here 

• College-Ready Seal (Ohio)

  • Earn remediation-free scores on the ACT or SAT

• Military Enlistment Seal (Ohio)

  • Providing evidence of enlistment in an armed services branch of the military; OR

  • Participating in an approved Junior Reserve Officer Training (JROTC) program

• Citizenship Seal (Ohio)

  • Proficient on American History and American Government End-of-Course Exams; OR

  • Earning a grade of "B" or higher in American History and American Government; OR

  • Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate; OR

  • Earning a “B” or higher in approved College Credit Plus Courses

• Science Seal (Ohio)

  • Proficient on the Biology test; OR

  • Earning a grade of "B" or higher in an advanced science course; OR

  • Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate; OR

  • Earning a “B” or higher in an approved CCP course

• Honors Diploma Seal (Ohio)

  • Meeting the criteria for one of the six honors diplomas:

    • Honors Diploma

    • Career-Tech Honors Diploma

    • IB Honors Diploma

    • STEM Honors Diploma

    • Civics and Social Sciences

    • Fine Arts Honors Diploma

• Seal of Biliteracy (Ohio)

  • The student must demonstrate proficiency in English and high levels of proficiency in at least one other world language.

  • Students can demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one other world language through a series of test-based options

• Technology Seal (Ohio) 

  • Earn a score equivalent to proficient on an appropriate Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate test; OR

  • Earning a “B” or higher in an approved College Credit Plus course; OR

  • Completing a course offered through the student’s district or school that meets guidelines set by the Ohio Department of Education. 

• Community Service Seal (Local)

  • 10+ hours of documented and approved community service (through a community organization; OR

  • Can be a combination of ongoing acts of service; OR

  • May be a part of BT leadership course offered at FFS; OR

  • Participating in a school community service club

  • Must have proper documentation of completed community service hours

• Fine and Performing Arts Seal (Local)

  • Participation in one school play or musical (on or off stage); OR

  • Documented participating in an outside performance or recital; OR

  • Two (2) of participation in a school-sponsored club

• Student Engagement Seal (Local)

  • Full participation in:

  • Two (2) of athletics/marching band/cheerleading/show choir; OR

  • Documented participation in two (2) years of outside sport/activity

  • Two (2) years of participation in a school-sponsored club

For more information regarding Graduation Requirements, please visit http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohio-s-Graduation-Requirements or contact your School Counselor.

Recommended Curriculum for College Bound Students

(ALL COURSES MUST BE AT LEAST CAREER AND COLLEGE-READY/CCR)

• 4 credits of English

• 4 credits of Math (minimum of Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II)

• 4 credits of Social Studies (minimum of Modern World History, Modern American History, and American Government)

• 4 credits of Science (two advanced Sciences)

• 3 credits of a World Language (minimum of 3 years of the same language or 2 years each of two languages)

• 1 credit of Fine Arts

• 1/2 credit of Health

• 1/2 credit of Physical Education

Graduation with Honors

*Based on weighted GPA

(PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A SEPARATE FCSD HONORS RECOGNITION)

Summa Cum Laude

• 4 .0 GPA

• Gold robe, hat, tassel, sash, and cord

Magna Cum Laude

• 3.6-3.999 GPA

• Gold sash, tassel, and cord

Cum Laude

• 3.2-3.599 GPA

• Gold tassel and cord

*The end of first semester will be the time frame used for consideration of the Valedictorian and Salutatorian, along with the Top Fifteen.

Academic Requirements for Athletes

Academic eligibility requires that high school students (grades 9-12) must pass a minimum of five one-credit courses, or the equivalent, in the immediately preceding grading period. Physical Education does not count toward the Academic Eligibility requirement due to the fact it counts only as .25 credits. To determine credit equivalency: multiply full-year courses by a factor of 1; semester courses by a factor of 2; twelve-week courses by a factor of 3; and nine-week courses by a factor of 4. 

A student enrolled in the first grading period after advancement from the eighth grade must have passed a minimum of five of all those subjects carried during the preceding grading period in which the student was enrolled.

A student enrolling in the seventh grade for the first time will be eligible for the first grading period regardless of the previous academic achievement. Thereafter, in order to be eligible, a student in grade 7 or 8 must be currently enrolled in school during the immediately preceding grading period and must have received passing grades during that grading period in a minimum of five of those subjects in which the student received grades.

It should be noted that dropping a class may result in losing your academic eligibility. It is always best to check with your counselor or an athletic director to make sure that you remain eligible before you make any changes in your schedule. It is strongly recommended that athletes are allowed only one early release period as a senior. 

College Entrance Exams

PSAT/NMSQT www.collegeboard.org

(Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test)

• This is a practice test for the SAT, which is also used to determine National Merit semi- finalists. It is given once each year in October to sophomores and selected juniors interested in taking the PSAT. The testing will occur on the third Wednesday of October. The test is administered at the high school.

SAT Reasoning Test www.collegeboard.org

(Scholastic Assessment Test)

• The SAT is generally taken during the junior and/or senior year. Students receive a Verbal and Math score and possibly a Writing score. This test is open to any college bound student. The test is offered approximately six times during the academic school year.

SAT Subject Tests           www.collegeboard.org

(Scholastic Assessment Test: Subject Tests)

• These are one-hour tests, which measure a student’s knowledge of specific subjects and his/her ability to apply that knowledge. Certain colleges require this test. Check with the college you plan to attend. The test is offered several times during the academic school year. Students can take up to three tests at one sitting.

ACT                               www.actstudent.org

(American College Test)

• The ACT is generally taken during the junior and/or senior year. Students receive scores in English, Reading, Math, Science and Writing as well as a composite score. This test is open to any college bound student. The test is offered approximately six times during the academic school year.

• The goal of the Fairfield City School District is to ensure that ALL students graduate college and/or career ready. In order to ensure we reach this goal, college and career readiness assessments are administered to all students during their high school years at the district’s or state’s expense.  On the third Wednesday in October, students in grades 10-12 will have the opportunity to take the 

  • The practice ACT (10th and 11th grade); OR 

  • The PSAT (10th and 11th grade); OR

  • The Workkeys (10th and 11th grade); OR 

  • The ASVAB (10th or 11th grade)

All 11th grade students are required to take the ACT in the spring, per the Ohio Department of Education.  We are able to use the data from these assessments to help students find their areas of strength and areas of need. In addition, the information gathered from these assessments helps our staff guide students’ choices into their next phase of life. 

Grade Reports and Grading Scale

Semester grades are used to determine whether credit was earned. Semester grades are also used to calculate class rank and honor roll membership.

Grades are issued at the end of each quarter (9-week period). Semester final grades are determined by averaging two 9-week quarter grades. 

The following grading scale will be used in all classes in the Fairfield City Schools:

Letter Grade     Grade Range

A+ 98 to 100

A 93 to 97

A- 90 to 92

B+ 87 to 89

B 83 to 86

B- 80 to 82

C+ 77 to 79

C 73 to 76

C- 70 to 72

D+ 67 to 69

D 64 to 66

F 0 to 63

Some classes carry weighted grades. Weighted grades can affect a student’s grade point average and class rank.  (See Calculating Weighted Grades)

Calculating Grade Point Average (GPA)

Each student’s grades are combined in a grade point average (GPA). The grade point average appears on a student’s permanent high school records. This number will be included when colleges, trade schools, employers or military recruiters ask for a student’s high school records. Every course taken in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 will count toward the grade point average. Students who start their high school years by earning low grades in ninth grade find that it can take two or three additional years to bring up their GPA. In each course, teachers will explain what is required in their classes and will provide suggestions for earning good grades.

When calculating grade point averages, Fairfield High School will award quality points for all courses (weighted and unweighted) as follows:

Letter Grade Grade Range GPA Value

A+ 98-100 4.3

A 93-97 4.0

A- 90-92 3.7

B+ 87-89 3.3

B 83-86 3.0

B- 80-82 2.7

C+ 77-79 2.3

C 73-76 2.0

C- 70-72 1.7

D+ 67-69 1.3

D 64-66 1.0

F 0-63 0

All grades earned in grades 9-12 will count in the calculation. Grade point averages will be calculated to two decimal places. College Credit Plus classes will be averaged into the GPA. Grades earned at Butler Tech will use Butler Tech’s grading scale.

Calculating Weighted Grades

For College Credit Plus (CCP), Advanced Placement (AP), or Honors (H) courses, an additional weight will be added onto the grade point average, providing the student earns a C- or above in those courses. For full year classes, .015 will be added to the GPA at the end of each semester. College courses will receive a .03 add-on at the conclusion of the course. 

The following courses are weighted:

9th Grade Honors Biology, Honors Geometry

10th Grade      Honors English 10, AP Studio Art: Drawing, AP Music Theory, Honors Algebra II, CCP Biology (BIO 131/132), AP Environmental Science, Honors Physics, Honors Chemistry, AP World History, CCP French III (FRE 1101)

11th Grade      Honors English 11, AP English 11: Language and Composition, AP Studio Art: Drawing, CCP/Honors Pre-Calculus (MAT153), AP Statistics,  AP Music Theory, Honors Vocal Impact, Honors Symphony Orchestra, Honors Wind Ensemble, CCP Anatomy (BIO 151/152), AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, Honors Physics, Honors Chemistry, CCP Psychology (PSY 110), CCP Sociology (1101), AP Psychology, AP United States Government and Politics, AP United States History, CCP French III (1101), CCP French IV (FRE 1102), CCP American Sign Language III (201), CCP American Sign Language IV (202), CCP Spanish IV (TBD), CCP Quantitative Math (1105)

12th Grade      CCP English (ENG 101/102), AP English 12: Literature and Composition, AP Studio Art: Drawing, CCP Calculus (MAT 251), CCP/Honors Pre-Calculus (MAT 153), CCP Quantitative Math (1105), AP Calculus BC, AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, AP Music Theory, Honors Vocal Impact, Honors Symphony Orchestra, Honors Wind Ensemble, CCP Anatomy (BIO 151/152), AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, Honors Physics, Honors Chemistry, CCP Psychology (PSY 110), CCP Sociology (1101), AP Psychology, AP United States Government and Politics, AP United States History, CCP American Sign Language III (201), CCP American Sign Language IV (202), CCP French III (1101), CCP French IV (FRE 1102), CCP Spanish IV (TBD), 

Credits

• Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, FHS moved to awarding 0.5 credit at the end of each semester of each course, provided the student shows mastery of the content. 

• Students will still receive one (1) full credit for successful completion of both semesters. Our hope is this will allow the teacher/school to focus on the specific area(s) of student need. 

• GPA will now be calculated at the end of each semester. 

Retention of Truant Students

Under Section 3313.609 of the Ohio Revised Code, the Board is required to adopt a policy on the retention of truant students. The Board shall prohibit the promotion of a student to the next grade level if the student has been truant (absent without excuse) for more than ten (10%) percent of the required attendance days in the current school year and has failed two or more of the required curriculum subject areas in the current grade. These provisions may be waived if the student’s principal and teacher agree, in writing, that the student is academically prepared to be promoted to the next grade level.