Graduation Requirements

GRADE LEVEL ADVANCEMENT AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Class of 2026 through 2029

Graduation from Red Lion Area Senior High School is based upon the completion of the credits listed below in addition to state standards, Graduation Testing Requirements, and a graduation project.

Graduation from Red Lion Area Senior High School is based upon the completion of the credits listed below in addition to state standards, Pennsylvania Graduation Requirements, and a graduation project. 

Credits required for graduation:  24.45

Credits must be completed in the following departments:

• Four credits of English

• Three credits of social studies 

• Three credits of mathematics

• Three credits of science

• A fourth credit in either social studies, math, or science

• One credit of art or humanities (foreign language, family and consumer science, technology education, music, art, or agricultural education electives)

• One credit of health

•  0.5 credit of Personal Finance during 11th or 12th grade

• 0.25 credit for Graduation Project

• 1.5 credit of physical education

• 6.2 elective credits

Students who have not completed all requirements prior to the date scheduled for graduation exercises

 may not participate in any graduation activities.

Promotion Guidelines 

To ensure adequate yearly progress towards graduation, students must meet the minimum requirements listed below to be promoted to the next grade.  Students who remediate classes by attending summer school or attend pre-approved dual-enrollment courses prior to the beginning of the academic year will be re-evaluated for grade level placement.

• To be promoted from 9th grade to 10th grade prior to the start of the school year, the student must satisfactorily complete 5 credits

• To be promoted from 10th grade to 11th grade prior to the start of the school year, the student must satisfactorily complete 11.5 credits.

• To be promoted from 11th grade to 12th grade prior to the start of the school year, the student must satisfactorily complete 18 credits. 

  • Exception- Students with 17 credits could be considered senior status if their schedule allows them to be enrolled in all remaining courses required for graduation.

Students who fail to meet these criteria at the end of the school year will be retained in their grade until criteria are met.

Red Lion Graduation Project

Each student is required to complete a Graduation Project that requires two to three core activities completed each year and an additional five elective activities prior to beginning their senior year.  Students will be rewarded .25 credits upon completion of the project.

GRADUATION PROJECT CHECKLIST    

In 2018, Act 158 was signed into law by the governor, outlining state graduation requirements that go into effect for students in the Class of 2023 and beyond. To graduate from high school, students must meet all local graduation requirements related to credits and coursework along with the state requirements outlined in Act 158. For students graduating from Red Lion Area SHS, those requirements include earning a total of 24.45 credits, in the appropriate courses and successfully completing a Graduation Project. Students must also meet one of Pennsylvania’s five pathways outlined on the reverse side of this document to earn a diploma and demonstrate career and/or college readiness.

 GRADUATION PROJECT CORE ACTIVITIES: 

GRADE 9

• Academic Plan Reflection                                                  

• EVERFI Endeavor -- STEM Career Exploration

• Naviance Career Interest Profiler and Reflection

 GRADE 10 

• Academic Plan Reflection  

• EVERFI:  Keys to Your Future – College & Career Readiness           

GRADE 11 

• Academic Plan Reflection

• EVERFI Pathways:  Financing Higher Education or School to Work/Career Activity

GRADE 12 

• Cover Letter and Resume                                                                  

• Mock Job Interview (November)                                                     

In addition to the above listed Required Core Activities, a student MUST complete five (5) total Elective Activities from the list on the next page during grades 9-12 but before beginning his/her senior year.  Students are encouraged to complete one (1) Elective Activity before the end of his/her freshman year, two-three (2-3) Elective Activities before the end of his/her sophomore year, and all five (5) Elective Activities before the end of his/her junior year.   Elective activities that also meet Act 158 requirements are noted accordingly.

ELECTIVE ACTIVITIES  (Documentation for all elective activities is available in the Career Center.

• Budget Application completed in Personal Finance class (Grades 11-12) 

• Career- and/or academic-based camp participation

• Career-based field trip and reflection

• Career Exploration Program field trip and reflection – sponsored by York County Alliance for Learning (YCAL) (www.ycal.us)

• Career-related classroom project/guest speaker and reflection

• College Fair attendance and reflection – October - York College of Pennsylvania

• Leadership Reflection:  Executive Council Member, FFA Officer, Mini-THON Committee Member, Student Council Member

• Industry Related Certification/Credential – Electrical, LEAN Manufacturing, Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician, Cisco Certified Network Associate, CPR Certification, A+, IT Fundamentals, Network+, Security+, Server+, Ladder Safety Certification, OSHA CareerSafe, ServSafe, Stop the Bleed Certification, Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (successful completion meets one (1) artifact for Act 158 Evidence-Based Pathway)

• Internship experience and reflection

• Job Shadowing experience and reflection

• Military – Early Enlistment

• Military Night attendance and reflection

• Naviance AchieveWorks Intelligences and Naviance StrengthsExplorer 

• Naviance Post-Secondary Search or Military Search

• Pre-Apprenticeship Program – Building Trades; Electrical Level 1 and 2; and/or Manufacturing Level 1 and 2

• Real Life – A Financial Literacy Forum sponsored by Junior Achievement (Grades 11-12) and reflection

• STEM Summit sponsored by Junior Achievement (Grade 9) and reflection

• PSAT Test (scoring a minimum score of 970 meets Act 158 Alternate Assessment Pathway)

• ASVAB Test (scoring a minimum score of 31 meets Act 158 Alternate Assessment Pathway)

• ACT Test (scoring a minimum score of 21 meets Act 158 Alternate Assessment Pathway)

• SAT Test (scoring a minimum score of 1010 meets Act 158 Alternate Assessment Pathway)

• NOCTI Test

• Visit to post-secondary institution and/or trade/technical school and reflection

• Volunteer opportunities (10 hours = one (1) Elective Activity); may be at different organizations)

• York County School of Technology part-time Career Program (Grades 11–12) – Career Center Coordinator will reflect your enrollment in Naviance as an Elective Activity

• Successful completion of Penn College of Technology dual enrollment – Career Center Coordinator will reflect your enrollment in Naviance as an Elective Activity (successful completion meets one (1) artifact for Act 158 Evidence-Based Pathway)

• Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Early Enrollment Program (Grade 12) – Career Center Coordinator will reflect your enrollment in Naviance as an Elective Activity

Upon completion of all Graduation Project requirements, 

a student will earn 0.25 credit. 

This credit will appear on the January report card of a student’s senior year.