Hico Secondary General Information

Additional Information on Hico HS Graduation Requirements and GPA & Rank can be found on subpages found by clicking on the links.

Foundation High School Program 

Students entering grade 9 in the 2014-2015 school year and thereafter shall enroll in the courses necessary to complete the curriculum requirements of the Foundation High School Program AND at least one endorsement.  The Foundation Plan with an Endorsement requires 26 credits to graduate.  Students who have satisfied the applicable requirements of the Foundation Plan and earn an Endorsement, the Distinguished Level of Achievement, and/or a Performance Acknowledgement shall have those completions documented on the academic achievement record (AAR), also known as the high school transcript.

Endorsement Completion

In order to earn an Endorsement, a student must successfully complete the curriculum requirements consisting of a coherent sequence of courses in at least one of the following categories:

• Arts and Humanities

• Business and Industry

• Public Services

• STEM

• Multidisciplinary Studies

  •  Four credits in Advanced Placement or Dual Credit Courses

  • Four credits in each of the four foundation subject areas to include English IV, Chemistry and/or Physics

For more information on how the Hico ISD Programs of Study correspond to an Endorsement in one of the categories listed above, click here for the HISD Program of Study and Endorsement Crosswalk.

Distinguished Level of Achievement 

A student may earn this designation by successfully completing the curriculum requirements for the Foundation High School Program, successfully completing the curriculum requirements for at least one Endorsement, and must successfully enroll and complete Algebra 2 as one of the four mathematics credits.

Performance Acknowledgements 

A student may earn this designation for outstanding performance in several manners:

• Dual Credit

  •  Successful completion of at least 12 hours of college academic courses (4 classes), earning a grade of 3.0 (B average) or higher on a scale of 4.0

• Bilingualism and Biliteracy

  • Demonstrate proficiency in two or more languages by completing all English Language Arts requirements, maintaining a minimum grade of 80 on a scale of 100

  • Complete minimum of three credits in the same language in a language other than English, maintaining a minimum grade of 80 on a scale of 100

• College Board Advanced Placement

  • Earn a score of 3 or higher on a College Board Advanced Placement examination

• PSAT / ACT / SAT

  • Earn a score on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) that qualifies the student for recognition as a commended scholar or higher by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, or part of the National Hispanic Recognition Program, or part of the National Achievement Scholarship Program

  • Earning scores of at least 410 on the EBRW section and 520 on the mathematics section of the SAT

  • Earn a composite score on the ACT exam (without writing) of 28

 Automatic College Admissions

In order to qualify for automatic college admission under the Foundation High School Program, a student must be ranked in the top 10% of the graduating class at the time of application and earn the Distinguished Level of Achievement. The only exception to this rule is in regards to the University of Texas in Austin, who will notify high schools the exact percentage that will be automatically accepted one year prior to the expected graduation date.

In order to receive a Texas high school diploma

A student must complete all the necessary credits for graduation and must satisfactorily meet all the testing requirements.

In order to walk across the stage for Hico HS graduation

A student must complete all Hico ISD credit requirements to graduate.  Students who have not mastered all five STAAR EOC assessments will walk, but will receive a certificate of attendance.  If a student has not earned all the required graduation credits, he/she will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony.

Honor Graduate

For the purpose of determining honors to be conferred during graduation activities, the district shall calculate class rank according to the following policy:

GPA will be calculated using the numerical average of all eligible core academic courses recorded on the high school transcript.

1. Only final course grades will be used in the calculation.

2. Courses not recorded on the high school transcript will not be included in GPA calculation.

3. GPA will be recalculated at the conclusion of each academic term and at the end of each academic year. For the purpose of graduation honors/class rank, GPA will be calculated at the end of the 3rd 9-week grading period 

   1. As dual credit grades are not considered final course grades until the end of the semester, they will not used in this calculation until end of semester terms. 

Valedictorian and Salutatorian

Honors given to the eligible senior students with the highest and second highest ranking, respectively.  To be eligible for such recognition, a student must:

• Have been continuously enrolled in the district high school for the four semesters immediately preceding graduation,

• Have completed the Recommended Program or the Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program for graduation, and

• Be graduating after exactly eight semesters of enrollment in high school.

AP (Advanced Placement)

One of several ways that students may earn college credit.  Hico High School offers AP Calculus.  Students enrolled in this course has an opportunity to take an AP exam given in May.  Scores of 3, 4, or 5 on the exam indicate the student is doing college-level work.  The actual college credit awarded depends on the particular university the student attends.  

Honors

Courses taught in the academic core areas in preparation for Advanced Placement or Dual Credit courses.  Usually offered at the freshman and/or sophomore level.

Dual Credit

One of several methods by which high school students may earn college credit.  Students in these courses are dually enrolled in both Hico High School and Ranger College.  Dual credit classes are available for all P-TECH students at Hico ISD.

STAAR End-Of-Course Assessment

High school students must take and pass required courses and the end-of-course exams for those courses. The assessments are based on the state curriculum standards. The end-of-course exams are designed to ensure students are learning specific course material and are prepared to succeed. 

• English I

• English II

• United States History

• Algebra I

• Biology

 The purpose of the EOC assessments is to measure students’ academic performance in core high school courses and to become part of the graduation requirements beginning with the freshman class of 2011-2012 and beyond.  The EOC assessments for lower-level courses must include questions to determine readiness for advanced coursework.

Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2)

Required of all students planning to take college classes, including Dual Credit courses offered at Hico High School.  Test is designed to assess college readiness in four areas:  reading, writing, math, and essay composition.

HISD offers multiple TSIA2 testing opportunity during the  year at HHS.  Check with your school counselor for additional information and specific dates.

TSIA2 Exemptions

A student may be exempt or waived from taking the TSIA in the following ways:

• ACT

• SAT

• GED

• HiSET

• TAKS

• STAAR EOC

• Military

• Previous Coursework

• Level 1 Certificate Waiver (42 hours or less)

• Previous Degree

• CLEP and Advanced Placement (AP)

• TSI Public Officers or Employees (SB 2786)

PSAT / NMSQT (Preliminary SAT and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test)

Offered to students in grades 9-11.  The PSAT is administered during the month of October under guidelines of College Board.  It is a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT.  Junior students are eligible for recognition and scholarships within the National Merit Program.  Students must register in the counseling office for a slight fee, usually around $17.  It also provides college information and career tools for the students to use in post-secondary plans.

It is highly recommended that students take either the SAT or ACT test

during the JUNIOR year of high school.

SAT Reasoning Test

College admissions test assessing critical-thinking skills in the subjects of math, reading, and writing.  Scores range in each section from 200 – 800 with a combined score totaling from 400 to 1600.  It is typically taken during the junior and senior year of high school, although sophomores are certainly eligible to participate as well.  

HISD offers an SAT School Day Testing opportunity once a semester at HHS to Juniors (Spring Semester ) and Seniors (Fall and Spring Semester).  Check with your school counselor for additional information and specific dates.

Students not able to test through HISD should plan in advance when taking this test as only a few National testing dates are established each school year.  Registration is completed online at www.collegeboard.org.  

Dates for 2025-2026 are:

• March 14         (Deadline – February 27)

• May 2                (Deadline – April 17)

• June 6              (Deadline – May 22)

Dates for 2026-2027:

• August 22, 2026

• September 12, 2026

• October 3, 2026

• November 7, 2026

• December 5, 2026

• March 6, 2027

• May 1, 2027

• June 5, 2027

ACT

Assesses general educational development in the areas of English, Math, Reading, and Science.  Writing portion is available for an extra charge, but is not required.  Highest possible score is a 36.  Again, students should plan in advance as only a few testing dates are available each school year.  Registration is done online at www.actstudent.org  

Dates for 2025-2026 are:  

• February 14       (Deadline – January 9)

• April 11             (Deadline – March 6)

• June 13             (Deadline – May 8)

• July 11               (Deadline – June 5) 

Dates for 2026-2027

• September 19, 2026

• October 17, 2026

• December 12, 2026

• February 27, 2027

• April 10, 2027

• June 12, 2027

• July 10, 2027

Requirements for Admission to Public Universities in Texas

Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, House Bill 3826, 80th Texas Legislature, added the requirement that students meet one or more of the following thresholds in order to be considered for admissions to any general academic teaching institution, including those with open enrollment policies:

• Students who entered high school in 2014-15 and after must successfully complete the Foundation plus Endorsement high school program.

• Successfully complete a curriculum that is equivalent in content and rigor to an advanced high school program at a high school that does not offer such a program.

• Satisfy the College Readiness Benchmarks on the ACT or SAT assessment.

The statute does not apply to students entering public junior and community colleges.  Once admitted and credit earned at the junior college level, students may then apply and transfer to a general academic teaching institution.

Top Ten Percent Rule

Texas students who are in the top ten percent of their graduating class are guaranteed automatic admission to all state-funded universities provided they complete one of the two criteria:

• For students entering high school in 2014-2015 and after, complete the Distinguished Level of Achievement.

• Satisfy the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in English=18, Math=22, Reading=22, Science=23, Writing=3 or higher or earn at least 480 on the EBRW and a minimum of 530 on the mathematics test of the SAT.

 Students must make certain that they also submit an application to the Texas public university for admission before the institution’s deadline.  This ruling applies only to admission, students are not guaranteed acceptance into their desired choice of major.  Keep in mind that most students will apply to college during the fall semester of their senior year.  Therefore, the ranking that will be seen when applying is determined after the second semester of the junior year, or also known as the sixth-semester ranking.

Exemption to the Top Ten Percent Rule

TEC (51.803) changes the Top Ten Percent Rule as it applies to the University of Texas at Austin.  Each fall, UT-Austin must notify secondary schools of its intentions for the coming school year.  For freshman admits for the Summer/Fall of 2027 through the Spring of 2028, UT-Austin will automatically admit students in the top 5% of their graduation class.

Hico ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Superintendent, Shelli Stegall, 901 Cedar Street, Hico, TX, 254-796-2181, sstegall@hico-isd.net

Hico no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, discapacidad o edad en sus programas o actividades y brinda igualdad de acceso a lost Boy Scouts y otros grupos juveniles designados. La siguiente persona ha sido designada para manejar consultas sobre las politicas de no discriminacion: Superintendent, Shelli Stegall, 901 Cedar Street, Hico, TX, 254-796-2181, sstegall@hico-isd.net