Earning Credit

Students must complete 60 hours of instruction in a course to earn 0.5 credits at the end of each semester. The District has a variety of ways for students to earn credit. 

• Internal credits are taken at a District school.

• Dual Enrollment coursework taken in a District classroom is considered to be internal credit. 

• External credits are taken outside of the school district. 

• External credits are limited to 6.0 total credits in high school and must be pre-approved by the school of full-time enrollment. 

• Dual Credit coursework taken at a higher education institution (not in a District classroom) is considered to be external credit.

• Concurrent credits are taken when a student attends a District school full-time and earns credit at another school at the same time. Concurrent credits must be pre-approved by the school of full-time enrollment.

NAC 389.040

Internal Credit

Students are enrolled in courses at their school of full-time enrollment to earn the majority of the credits needed for graduation. Your high school has a list of all the courses being offered for internal credit in this catalog. That list contains core subject areas and elective courses. Additional internal credit examples are listed below.

High School Credit Taken in Middle School 

Certain coursework taken in middle school (Grades 6–8) may be counted as credit required to graduate from high school. 

Honors and College-Level Course Offerings 

The District Honors and College-Level Course Offerings are designed to challenge students to enroll in more demanding and rigorous coursework and to improve the advanced academic achievement of students demonstrating accelerated educational potential, while providing college and career readiness skills in preparation for postsecondary enrollment. College-Level Course Offerings include AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment coursework.

AP and IB students shall demonstrate preparation for college-level instruction by taking the AP or IB examinations sponsored by the College Board and the International Baccalaureate. Students are required to take the AP or IB examinations for each course. Parents/guardians may waive the testing requirement related to AP and IB by informing the school administration in writing.

District Regulation 5127, High School Graduation Requirements.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) 

Career and Technical Education in Nevada is organized into sixteen (16) nationally and federally recognized clusters. Each high school in the District may offer different programs and course sequences. Please review the section Courses and Descriptions for details on CTE courses. 

For more information, visit: doe.nv.gov.

Dual Enrollment

Students take a college-level course at the school of full-time enrollment that is taught by an approved instructor. There is typically a cost. Dual Enrollment courses taught through a formal cooperative agreement with the District are considered to be internal credit.

CTE College Credit

Students complete state-approved programs in CTE to earn postsecondary credit at no cost to the student. CTE College Credit is articulated credit (the high school coursework aligns to postsecondary courses), and the teacher of record is a high school CTE teacher. Students complete an application through the college of their choice (e.g., CSN).

To qualify for the CTE College Credit, students must complete an approved CTE program with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, pass the end-of-program and workplace readiness assessments, and be currently enrolled in or have previously been enrolled in a credit-bearing course. This includes CSN Jumpstart Concurrent Enrollment courses, dual enrollment, or taking courses after high school graduation.

Families can use the Campus Student/Parent Progress Report to track progress toward a CTE program (career tech program) online. Students who complete a CTE program of study according to the criteria are eligible to earn the CTE College Credit within three years of graduating from high school and upon admission to a postsecondary institution. The amount of credit is dependent upon the state standards for each high school CTE program and how the standards align with the college courses for a certificate or degree in a related career pathway.

Credit by Exam (CBE) 

Students can earn credit for certain courses in which they demonstrate mastery of the course material. CBE is not a credit retrieval option. To be eligible to take a CBE, the student must not have previously been enrolled in the course and received a progress grade. Nevada Learning Academy (NVLA) offers a variety of options for CBE. 

CBE Policies

• Tests can only be taken for original credit

• Tests can only be taken one time per course

• CBE credits are considered internal credits

• All exams are computer-based and will be taken online

• English courses require reading for the exam

• CBE is not considered an Honors credit

• Students must earn a 70% on the CBE to earn credit

• Final grades are posted as a P for passing

• Failed tests are not posted to the student’s transcript

For more information, visit www.nvlearningacademy.net. 

External Credit

External credits may be granted for coursework completed outside of the District while a student is enrolled in the District. District enrollment includes coursework taken during the school year and during the summer months. Dual Credit courses taken outside of the District are considered to be external credits. A maximum of six (6) external credits can be applied toward graduation from high school. A maximum of three (3) external credits can be earned in the combined core areas of English, mathematics, science, and social studies.

External credits in the following categories must be pre-approved with supporting documentation by a student’s school of full-time enrollment. The school determines which supporting documentation is accepted, but all external credits must be from accredited institutions. Students may request the External Credit Application (CCF-850) from a school counselor.

Dual Credit

Students take coursework outside of the regular school day from an approved and accredited college/university. There is typically a cost. Community Service 

0.5 elective credit will be granted for volunteering 60 hours (1.0 credit for 120 hours) of time at a school-approved community agency (1 credit max).

Educational Travel Credit 

0.5 elective credit will be granted for a 21-day educational trip/tour (1.0 credit for 42 days). Students are required to submit a log with general descriptions of sites visited detailing items of interest, the student’s reactions, and photographs of the student at the sites. A parent or guardian may sign logs for educational travel credit supporting documentation.

Enrichment Program 

Elective credit will be granted for successful completion of academically accelerated coursework at accredited institutions.

Online/Correspondence Course 

High school credit will be granted for high school coursework completed at accredited institutions.

Music Equivalent Credit 

High school credit will be granted for private music lessons. A student is limited to 0.5 credits for each school year (1 credit max). The instructor must be certified, or demonstrate membership in one of the following organizations: The National Association for Music Education, The American Music Teachers Association, The Music Teachers National Association, The Suzuki Music Teachers Association, or a faculty member at a college, university, or school of the arts.

Concurrent Credit

Concurrent credits are credits a student earns from another District school while still attending the school of full-time enrollment. A student may not be enrolled in two or more instances of the same course at the same time. All concurrent course enrollments require prior approval from a school counselor. There is no limit on earning concurrent credits. See a school counselor for more information on concurrent credit options.