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Preparing for 9th Grade
Preparing for 9th Grade
We are proud to offer a personalized homeschool high school program that empowers students to thrive on their unique educational journey. With diverse curriculum choices, enrichment opportunities, and flexible learning options, families receive dedicated academic support thoughtfully aligned with their vision for high school success. Every student is paired with an Education Specialist (ES), who serves as the family’s trusted guide and main point of contact—partnering with you to ensure your student’s learning experience is meaningful, supported, and individualized.
As students enter 9th grade, they are introduced to two graduation pathway options: the A-G/College Prep Grad Path and the General Grad Path. While the A-G pathway is designed for students considering direct admission to a four-year university, we encourage all 9th grade families to consider it early to keep future post-secondary options open while students are still exploring their interests and adjusting to high school. Families work closely with their ES and the High School Team to review guidance, select courses for the Independent Study Agreement, and finalize enrollment each year.
Our approach is highly flexible and student-centered. We encourage families to build a personalized, interest-driven curriculum that may include a wide variety of materials and learning experiences beyond traditional resources. A-G course expectations are supported through clear checklists aligned with approved courses, helping ensure students stay on track while allowing for flexibility in how learning is completed. Most of this alignment work is handled in partnership with your ES, making the process smooth and supportive for families. Together, we help ensure each student’s high school experience is engaging, well-supported, and aligned with their goals and passions.
High School at Suncoast - Program Orientation
High School at Suncoast - Program Orientation
Please view the slide show and video below for an overview of our high school program and graduation paths.
Rising 9th Grader Enrollment Steps
Rising 9th Grader Enrollment Steps
Step 1 - Determination of Graduation Path
Step 1 - Determination of Graduation Path
Determining a student's Graduation Path is an essential component to helping determine their high school goals, along with their courses.
The High School Team will initiate an email to the family of a rising 9th grade student with information about our Graduation Paths and asking about the student's goals, if known. If a student's goals are not know, that's ok, not all 9th grade students will have clarity about their long term goals. However, we can still make a Graduation Path recommendation and suggest course sequences that will help keep their options open:
Visit our Graduation Guide page to explore Grad Path options in depth.
Reply to the High School Team with your student's preferred Graduation Path, along with any goals or interests that will help our team in creating a preliminary Graduation Plan for your student's courses.
We recommend the A-G/College Prep graduation path for all incoming 9th grade students.
High School Graduation Paths.mp4Step 2 – Creation of a Student’s Graduation Plan
Step 2 – Creation of a Student’s Graduation Plan
Every high school student at Suncoast is supported with a personalized Graduation Plan that guides their entire high school journey. This plan is created during onboarding and serves as a living document that follows the student throughout their time at Suncoast. It includes all required coursework, completed courses, and a clear year-by-year pathway designed to support timely graduation aligned with the student’s preferred pace and goals. It also highlights where flexibility exists, allowing for meaningful personalization based on the student’s interests and academic direction. As courses change over time, the Graduation Plan is updated to reflect those adjustments.
Please review the steps below related to the creation of your student’s Graduation Plan:
The High School Team will begin by developing a preliminary course sequence as a first draft of your student’s personalized Graduation Plan.
This draft will include commonly recommended courses by grade level, while clearly identifying areas where flexibility is available for personalization based on your student’s goals, interests, and Graduation Plan.
Please refer to the Suncoast Course Catalog (shown below) to support your course selections and help tailor your student’s plan.
Note: The Course Catalog is embedded below and can be viewed directly on this page without navigating away.
Once you have reviewed the proposed sequence, please reply to the High School Team to confirm your student’s course selections so we can update and finalize their Graduation Plan accordingly.
Once your student’s Graduation Plan is finalized, we will move on to Step 3.
Step 2b: Reference our Course Catalog
Step 2b: Reference our Course Catalog
Reference the Suncoast Course Catalog (found below) for assistance in selecting student courses for the 9th grade year of their Graduation Plan..
Please note: Our Course Catalog is embedded below, and all options can be viewed without leaving this page.
Step 3 - Finalizing a Student's Graduation Plan & Enrollment
Step 3 - Finalizing a Student's Graduation Plan & Enrollment
Once a student's Graduation Plan is complete, the High School Team will alert the student's Education Specialist (ES).
The student's ES will use their Graduation Plan to help them finalize the student's enrollment with the creation of an Independent Study Agreement (ISA). The parent/guardian, the student, and the ES will all need to sign the ISA to finalize the student's enrollment with our school.
Step 4 - Adjustments to a Student's Graduation Plan Mid-Year
Step 4 - Adjustments to a Student's Graduation Plan Mid-Year
The first Learning Period of each semester is a time to make any adjustments to a student's courses and their Graduation Plan.
Your ES will assist you by submitting any changes for approval to the High School Team to ensure that any proposed course changes will not negatively impact a student's path toward graduation.
Once your course changes have been approved, your ES will alert you to the next steps.
Step 5 - Adjustments to a Student's Graduation Plan for the Next Year
Step 5 - Adjustments to a Student's Graduation Plan for the Next Year
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Your ES will assist you by submitting any changes for approval to the High School Team to ensure that any proposed course changes will not negatively impact a student's path toward graduation.
Once your course changes have been approved, your ES will alert you to the next steps.
References and Resources
References and Resources
9th Grade Math Placement Policy 2025.02.05.pdfMath Placement Policy
Math Placement Policy
Our Math Placement Policy is Board-Approved and aligned with Education Code, still retaining flexibility and personalization. While most students are placed into 9th grade math courses that naturally progress in sequence from the last math course they have taken, we do have multiple measures of evaluation we can utilize for placing a student in a 9th grade math course.
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