Academic Guidelines

Credits/Minimum Credit Enrollment Requirements

Credits are the units by which academic progress is measured. 24 credits are required for graduation. In most cases, courses which meet for one semester earn 0.5 credit (except for courses that are double blocked). Courses which meet for two semesters earn 1.0 credit. All 9th grade and 10th grade students must be enrolled in a minimum of eight credit bearing courses each semester. Juniors must be enrolled in a minimum of seven credit bearing classes (Honor Pass, Early Release and Late Arrival are not credit bearing and do not count). Seniors must be enrolled in a minimum of five credit bearing classes each semester (Honor Pass, Early Release and Late Arrival are not credit bearing and do not count). Juniors and seniors who have any required credits to recover must have a full schedule. Juniors and seniors may have only one teacher assistant position per semester. These are requirements are in alignment with Oregon Department of Education's Division 22 requirements. 

Each semester lasts eighteen weeks. Six and twelve week progress grades serve as progress report grades and are not reflected on students’ official transcripts. 

Students are asked to be thoughtful and precise with their course selections. Accurate course selection is important in creating a master schedule for the next year that meets the needs of all students. Counselors work hard to ensure that students get the courses they forecast for, whenever possible, and are happy to fix errors or misplacements. 

After the first 6 school days of each semester, if a student wishes to change their schedule, they must meet with a counselor and complete a Schedule Change Request Form. Dropping a class after 6 school days from the start of the semester will result in a “W’ withdrawal grade or a “WF” Withdrawal Fail grade on the transcript.

Students must meet the Forest Grove School District and OSAA eligibility standards to participate in athletics or extra-curricular activities. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of five classes, be on track to graduate, as well as pass five classes from the previous semester. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA or be subject to academic probation and/or athletic suspension.  All ninth graders are eligible to participate during the first six weeks of school if they are taking five or more classes. After the first six weeks of school, the standards are the same for all 9-12 grade students. Students interested in playing Division I sports in college must be NCAA or NAIA eligible. See your counselor at the beginning of junior year if interested.

Students planning to transfer to another school must present a written request from a parent or guardian to the Attendance Secretary. The Attendance Secretary will issue a withdrawal slip for the student to present to teachers (on the last A Day and B Day) in order to receive grades and return textbooks. Transcripts will be sent to the student’s new school upon request if all fines and fees are paid. Withdrawing from school for any reason other than transferring to another school requires meeting with a counselor and/or administrator. State law prohibits students from leaving school before age 18. A release from compulsory education may be granted at 16 or 17 years of age under special circumstances. Only an administrator can grant a release from compulsory education. 

Forest Grove High School will offer credit earned by proficiency. Credits will be earned by successful demonstration of knowledge and skills defined by standards that meet or exceed defined levels of performance. Individual departments will determine the criteria for measuring student proficiency in each course. Students must demonstrate proficiency in identified Essential Skills (ES) in order to receive course credit. These are 21st century skills needed for success in college, the workplace, and civic life. 

Students are able to challenge a course prior to the start of the course. Students can begin this process by providing written notification to the principal. Parent signature granting approval for the challenge is required. The department chair for the given subject will provide a comprehensive examination. This exam may entail multiple-choice, short answer, essay, oral production, an assigned speech, an assigned project or portfolio, or a combination thereof, which covers the essential standards for the course. A grade will be entered onto the student’s transcript based upon the outcome of the challenge exam regardless of the level of proficiency, which includes grades A-F. If a student is not satisfied with the grade, he/she must take the course to replace the grade. The first grade will then be replaced with “NG” (no grade). Students may only challenge a given course once. Students are not able to challenge a course they have already taken. 

Advanced Placement courses (which may be transferable to 4-year colleges or universities) that are taught at Forest Grove will be weighted as long as the student earns a passing grade, defined as receiving a grade A, B, or C. Therefore, an “A” in a weighted class will yield 5 points (4 points for the “A” and 1 more point as a weighted “bonus”); a “B” will yield 4 grade points; and a “C” will yield 3 grade points. Ds and Fs will not be weighted. Both regular and weighted GPA and Class Rank will be computed and recorded on a student’s academic transcript. 

Off-Campus Study Credits 

Forest Grove High School will offer credit in the following off-campus experiences:

1. Alternative Credit- see AP/College Credit Coursework

2. Tualatin Academy courses at Pacific University- see AP College Credit Coursework

3. Independent Study

4. Work Experience

Independent Study

1. Criteria for independent study must have departmental approval. Please see your counselor.

2. The advisor and department shall determine the amount of credit earned before the project begins.

3. Student and advisor shall meet weekly to review the project. 

4. 4. A total of not more than two (2) credits earned through independent study may be counted toward  graduation. 

Work Experience
1. Work experience credit is limited to juniors and seniors.
2. Credit is granted if the work experience is an integral part of the student’s planned program of study.
3. Monthly reports shall be filed by the student with the College/Career Program Specialist.
4. Students must complete required documentation within the first two weeks of enrolling in the class.
5. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain required paperwork from the College & Career Specialist.
6. 140 hours of work experience will equal one half unit of credit.
7. A total of not more than two credits may be counted toward graduation.
8. Grades will be Pass or Fail. 

Please see Interdepartment Courses for course descriptions and forecasting information