Graduation Requirements

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND DIPLOMA OPTIONS

To be eligible for graduation from the Falls Church City Public Schools, a student must have successfully completed the requirements for graduation as specified in the Regulations of the State Board of Education, the Standards of Quality, and the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in VA. There are two different diploma paths: the Standard Diploma and the Advanced Studies Diploma. The Standard and Advanced Studies Diplomas are available to all students. Students seeking the International Baccalaureate Diploma must complete a Standard or Advanced Diploma option.

Students must meet the state diploma requirements that are in place at the time of their entry into grade nine. Students who achieve a passing grade in a course and a passing score on an end-of-course SOL test shall be awarded a verified unit of credit in that course. Students may earn verified credits in any courses for which end-of-course SOL tests are available. The Falls Church City School Board awards diplomas to all secondary school students who earn the credit prescribed by the State Board of Education, pass the required tests, and meet other requirements as prescribed by the local School Board and approved by the State Board of Education. The local School Board awards Certificates of Program Completion to students who complete required coursework, but do not meet the Virginia testing requirements. Provisions are made for students who transfer between secondary schools as outlined in the Standards of Accreditation. Reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements for diplomas are provided for students with disabilities as needed.

Additional Requirements for Graduation

AP, Honors, IB, Dual Enrollment, Work-Based Learning, or CTE Credential - Students shall (i) complete an Advanced Placement, honors, International Baccalaureate, or dual enrollment course; or (ii) complete a high-quality work-based learning experience, as established by Board guidance on work-based learning; or (iii) earn a career and technical education credential approved by the board, except when a career and technical education credential in a particular subject area is not readily available or appropriate or does not adequately measure student competency, in which case the student shall receive satisfactory competency-based instruction in the subject area to satisfy the advanced studies diploma requirements. The career and technical education credential, when required, could include the successful completion of an industry certification, a state licensure examination, a national occupational competency assessment, or the Virginia workplace readiness assessment.

Virtual Course - Students shall successfully complete one virtual course, which may be a non-credit-bearing course or a required or elective credit-bearing course that is offered online. Guidance on this requirement is provided in the Guidance Document Governing Certain Provisions of the SOA (8VAC20-131) (Word).

First Aid, CPR, and AED Training - Students shall be trained in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of automated external defibrillators (AED), including hands-on practice of the skills necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Students with an IEP or 504 Plan that documents that they cannot successfully complete this training shall be granted a waiver from this graduation requirement, as provided in 8VAC20-131-420(B).

Demonstration of the 5 C’s – In accordance with the Profile of a Virginia Graduate, students shall acquire and demonstrate foundational skills in Virginia’s 5 C’s: critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and citizenship. Meridian High School/Mary Ellen Henderson MS reflects the Profile of a VA Graduate through the IB Learner Profile traits. As IB learners we strive to be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective. For more information about the IB Learning Profile visit the https://www.ibo.org/benefits/learner-profile/ website.

The minimum requirements for each high school diploma are summarized in the following tables:

2024-2025

Standard and Verified Credits

Standard Unit of Credit

A “standard unit of credit” or “standard credit” is a credit awarded for a course in which the student successfully completes 140 clock hours of instruction and the requirements of the course. A standard unit of credit may be awarded based on a waiver of the 140 clock hour requirement as provided in Policy IKFD Alternative Paths to Attaining Standard Units of Credit.

Verified Unit of Credit

A “verified unit of credit” or “verified credit” is a credit awarded for a course in which a student earns a standard unit of credit and completes one of the following:

1. Achieves a passing score on a corresponding end-of-course SOL test.

2. Achieves a passing score on an additional test, as defined in 8 VAC 20-131-5, as a part of the Virginia Assessment Program.

3. Meets the criteria for the receipt of a locally awarded verified credit when the student has not passed a corresponding SOL test.

4. Meets the criteria for the receipt of a verified credit in history and social science by demonstrating mastery of the content of the associated course on an authentic performance assessment that FALLS CHURCH CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Policy IKF Former FCCPS Policies 6.14 and 6.15 Page 3 complies with guidelines adopted by the Board of Education.

5. Meets the criteria for the receipt of a verified credit for English (writing) by demonstrating mastery of the content of the associated course on an authentic performance assessment that complies with guidelines adopted by the Board of Education.

Students may also earn verified credits by taking alternative tests to the SOL assessment. Such tests may only be those approved by the Virginia Board of Education, and the student may earn verified credits only by achieving that score established by the Board of Education.

Mary Ellen Henderson MS Grading System

Grading Information

Completed high school credit-bearing courses taken during the 2020-2021 school year and beyond will earn one full credit (1.0) at the end of the school year. The year-long grade will be the only grade to appear on a student’s high school transcript while enrolled in middle school. A high school transcript includes grades and credit earned, transferred grades and credit if awarded from previous schools. A final middle school report card for all courses enrolled at Henderson will be mailed home at the end of each school year to include year long courses, semester courses, and quarter courses.

Henderson does not rank students.

Placement/Promotion Procedure

Grade placement and promotion requirements are determined by School Board Policy and Regulation Number 6.44. The minimum requirements for placement in a given grade are as follows:

Minimum Schedule Requirements

School Board Policy 9.22 states, “Students shall be scheduled for a full school day unless excused by the principal or principal’s designee.”

Any student who wishes to take a reduced schedule or be dismissed at the completion of five class blocks must have the permission of the Associate Principal. Families must submit a written formal request to the Associate Principal stating the reasons for the waiver.

Standard and Verified Credits Earned in Middle School

When students in middle school successfully complete the requirements for high school credit-bearing courses, credit will be counted toward the subject area requirement for graduation and will be counted in the cumulative grade point average calculation. Verified credits earned in those classes will also count towards a student’s graduation requirements.

Omitting Credits Earned in Middle School

Beginning with the 7th grade class of 2019-2020. In accordance with Virginia state regulations, FCCPS Policy IKEB permits parents of students who take a high school credit-bearing course in middle school to request that the grade be omitted from the student's high school transcript and the student not earn high school credit for the course. Guidelines and the procedures for expunging grades for high school courses taken in middle school can be found on the linked documents. FCCPS parents must make this request no later than June 30th at the end of the sixth, seventh or eighth grade year in which the course was taken. Parents of transfer students who are entering 9th grade will have until September 30th of the freshman year to make the request to expunge a high school course taken in middle school from their previous school division. All families will receive notice in June each year of the expungement process for a high school credit-bearing course taken in middle school.

FCCPS Request to Expunge High School Courses Taken in the Middle School

Request to Expunge High School Courses Taken in Middle School Form (Spanish)

Grade Point Average Calculations

A student’s grade point average is determined by totaling all quality points awarded and dividing the sum by the total number of credits attempted. GPA's are only calculated for high school credit-bearing courses.

Schedule Change Procedures

Students begin the registration process for courses each year beginning in January-March. Students will have an opportunity with parents/guardians to make changes to course requests after the registration window closes with specific dates outlined in the Course Selection website. When school opens in the fall students may add or change a course during the first 10 school days of the semester for scheduling errors, missing courses, or honors level programming. Course requests may not be honored in the fall and throughout the school year based on the following: course capacity being reached and/or teacher/block preference. Students are responsible for the assigned work up until the drop date. Students desiring schedule changes must discuss the change with the classroom teacher, parent/guardian, counselor, and, when appropriate, a Case Manager, and Athletic Director for student-athletes. Student-Athletes must remain in at least 5 subject classes and have passed at least 5 classes in the previous semester to remain eligible for VHSL sponsored athletics and activities. Forms can be obtained in the student services office on the 3rd floor at Henderson speaking with the registrar. A signed Schedule Change Form must then be turned in to the student's counselor.

Dropping Courses throughout the year will impact your high school transcript (see below)

Honors Courses

Some Henderson MS classes have been identified as Honors courses. The material in these courses tends to be greater in terms of quantity and complexity than in other courses. The breadth of study and product requirements are more advanced. Students planning to enroll in Honors classes should be academically motivated and have a strong record of academic success. Honors courses do not carry weighted grades.

Tuition Students

Henderson MS accepts students from outside the school district boundaries on a tuition basis. Tuition rates and service fees are set by the School Board. The application procedures may be obtained online: FCCPS Non-Resident Tuition Program. A complete tuition application packet consists of transcripts, immunization and health records, original birth certificate, test scores, and related school records. The prospective student and parent/guardian will meet with the Director of Secondary Schools Counseling or Assistant Director of Secondary Schools Counseling and the Associate Principal who will make a recommendation initially to the tuition application committee (School Counselor, Assistant Principal, Special Education Administrator, and Assistant Principal of Student Support) before recommending the student to the Superintendent and the School Board for acceptance. Students who are currently enrolled in Virginia public high school transferring to another Virginia public high school are not eligible for participating in VHSL sponsored athletics or VHSL sponsored activities for the current enrolled year.

ACADEMIC/ ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY

Students in 8th grade may participate in the extra-curricular activities within the Meridian High School athletic program. Student-Athletes that participate on a high school Junior Varsity (JV) teams operate under the Virginia High School League (VHSL) regulations.

VHSL Eligibility Regulations:

You must complete a VHSL eligibility form each year.
You must be a student in good standing at Henderson Middle School.
You must be currently taking 5 or more classes.
You must have passed 5 subjects the previous semester.
You must not have reached your 19th birthday on or before the 1st day of August of the year of participation.
You must not have been enrolled in grades 9-12 for more than 8 semesters.

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