Senior year fills students with excitement about graduation, as well as enthusiasm, and sometimes anxiety, about entering the next phase of their lives. The resources in this packet can help guide students, and the important adults in their lives, through the planning process for graduating from high school, entering postsecondary education or training, enlisting in military service, or joining the workforce. For individualized assistance, please contact Jasmine DeJean, College Access and Persistence Counselor.
To graduate in Tennessee, seniors must complete:
English: 4 credits (including English I/II/III/IV, SDC Speech & Communication, 9 ELD, 10 ELD, DE English Comp. I/II)
Math: 4 credits (including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, IMI/II/III, AP Pre-calculus, SDC Stats, any DE Math course)
Science: 3 credits (including Biology and Chemistry/Physics, AP Environmental Science)
Social Studies: 3 credits (including U.S. History, World History and Geography, and US Government/Economics)
Foreign Language: 2 credits (same language)
Fine Arts: 1 credit (visual arts, music appreciation, band)
PE/Wellness: 1.5 credits (0.5 PE credit, 1 credit of Lifetime Wellness)
Personal Finance: 0.5 credits
Elective Focus: 3 credits (pathway credits - Health Sciences track, Computer Science, or Advanced Academics)
Total Required: 22 credits (see required courses above)
Check your transcript to ensure you are on track. Schedule a meeting with me if you have any concerns about your credit status.
Additional credits as determined by school structure and program.
* The World Language requirement may be met using an alternate option for EL students and those with exceptional situations. Please contact your school counselor for additional information.
Credit Recovery
Students earn credits by passing classes. However, sometimes passing a class presents a challenge and options for credit recovery are needed. Please contact your school counselor for school-specific information about each option below and to determine which best addresses the need.
Course retake: If a student has room in his/her schedule, and exhibits success in other classes, repeating the failed course as part of their regular school-day schedule could be an option. This allows the student to earn the full number of grade points available in the course and the missing credit. The maximum grade a student can earn is 60%.
Credit recovery: STEM provides a flexible credit recovery option using an online platform Edgenuity. Contact your school counselor for complete information on credit recovery and for important guidelines specific to students seeking NCAA eligibility for collegiate athletics.
Required Tests
To graduate all students must take the ACT and a Civics exam.
ACT: No minimum score required for graduation but earning a composite score of 21 or higher provides access to a variety of postsecondary opportunities and scholarships. Please refer to the STEM Prep College Connection webpage for information and resources.
Civics: Students must take and pass a United States citizenship and immigration services civics test with a score of 70 or higher. Please ask the school’s US Government teacher for more information about the content of the test and the school’s test administration schedule.
Ready Graduate Status
The Tennessee Department of Education established a set of criteria for students to meet that would indicate their readiness to enter college. Trade/technical school, the military, or the workforce upon graduation from high school. Meeting one (1) of the four criteria below satisfies this expectation:
Earn an ACT Composite score of 21 or higher
Earn an SAT Composite score of 1060
Complete four Early Postsecondary Opportunities (EPSOs)
Earn credit in two EPSOs and one of the criteria below:
An industry certification, or
A score of 31 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test
Meeting or not meeting “Ready Graduate” status does not impact a student’s ability to graduate, but it does indicate a student developed the skills needed for likely success in postsecondary education, military service, or entering the workforce.
A Note About GPAs & Transcripts
Tennessee HOPE Scholarship = Money for Good Grades!
Did you know that keeping solid grades in high school can help pay for college? With Tennessee’s HOPE Scholarship, a student who graduates from an in-state high school and then meets either a 3.0 unweighted GPA or scores at least 21 on the ACT becomes eligible for up to $4,500 per year—that’s $2,250 per semester for full-time study at a Tennessee college
To maintain the award in college, students must file the FAFSA each year, stay enrolled full-time, and meet GPA benchmarks: a 2.75 cumulative GPA after 24 and 48 credit hours, and a full 3.0 after 72 hours
Students from lower-income families may also qualify for the HOPE Aspire supplement (up to $750/semester), and high achievers with a 3.75 GPA plus a 29 ACT score can earn the GAMS supplement—earning even more money for college