Senior Advising

College and Career Center

Graduation Plans

Foundation Program

The new law replaces the current three high school graduation plans (Minimum, Recommended, and Distinguished Achievement) with one Foundation program, on top of which students can earn endorsements and a "Distinguished Level of Achievement." (See TEA's side-by-side comparison chart of current graduation requirements.)

The new law makes earning an endorsement on top of the Foundation plan the default high school graduation plan for students, requiring that students entering grade 9 specify in writing which endorsement they intend to earn. Students can choose to graduate under the Foundation program alone (with no endorsement) only upon written permission of their parents and only after the sophomore year.

Foundation Program Required Course Credits

• Four English language arts, including ELA I, I, III and an advanced course

• Four math, including Algebra I, Geometry, and two advanced courses

• Four science, including Biology, Chemistry, Physics and another advanced course

• Four social studies, including World Geography, World History, U.S. History, one-half credit for Government and one-half credit for Economics

• Two foreign language (Students can substitute two credits of computer programming languages to meet this requirement.)

• One fine arts

• One PE

• Eight Electives including credit requirements for at least one Endorsement

Endorsements

To earn any endorsement, students must successfully complete four credits each of math and science and the courses required to complete the Endorsement.

Endorsement options include:

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) - includes courses directly related to science, including environmental science, technology, computer science, engineering, and advanced mathematics.

Business and Industry - includes courses directly related to database management, information technology, communications, accounting, finance, marketing, graphic design, architecture, construction, welding, logistics, automotive technology, agricultural science, and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning.

Public Services - includes courses directly related to health sciences and occupations, education and training, law enforcement, and culinary arts and hospitality.

Arts and Humanities - includes courses directly related to political science, world languages, cultural studies, English literature, history, and fine arts.

Multidisciplinary Studies - allows a student to select courses from the curriculum of each endorsement area described above and earn credits in a variety of advanced courses from multiple content areas sufficient to complete the Distinguished Level of Achievement under the Foundation program.

Distinguished Level of Achievement

Students can earn a Distinguished Level of Achievement under the Foundation program by completing four credits in math (must include Algebra II) and four credits in science, and obtaining at least one endorsement.

A student who has completed the core curriculum of an institution of higher education, as certified by the institution in accordance with commissioner rule, is considered to have earned a Distinguished Level of Achievement under the Foundation program and is entitled to receive a high school diploma from the appropriate high school, as that high school is determined in accordance with commissioner rule. A student who is considered to have earned a Distinguished Level of Achievement under the Foundation program in this situation may apply for admission to an institution of higher education for the first semester or other academic term after the semester or other academic term in which the student completes the core curriculum.

Performance Acknowledgement

Students can earn a performance acknowledgement on their diploma and transcript for outstanding performance in a dual-credit course, bilingualism and biliteracy, on a college advanced placement test or IB exam, or on the PSAT, ACT-Plan, SAT, ACT, or for earning a nationally or internationally recognized business or industry certification or license.