6146 - Graduation Requirements

6146

Instruction

Graduation Requirements

To ensure that all students graduate from our schools with the knowledge, skills, and work habits they will need in adult life, the Windsor Locks Public Schools have adopted a mastery-based system of teaching, learning, promotion, and graduation.  Beginning with the Windsor Locks High School Class of 2020, all students will need to demonstrate achievement of all cross-curricular and content-area graduation standards before receiving a high school diploma.  These new graduation requirements will ensure that each student provides evidence that they have achieved expected learning standards, and acquired the knowledge, skills, and work habits that will prepare them for postsecondary education and modern careers. 

The District’s standards-based diploma system also requires our schools and educators to provide the interventions, support systems, and personalized-learning pathways that each student needs to master the expected standards and graduate college, career, and life-ready.

Graduation from our public school implies (1) that they have satisfactorily demonstrated the District’s performance standards, assesses in part by the statewide mastery examinations, and (2) that they have fulfilled the legally mandated number and distribution of credits.

Definitions

Mastery-Based Learning refers to approaches used in which students advance upon mastering skills and content according to an established set of rigorous standards. Students move ahead when they have demonstrated mastery of content, not when they have reached a certain birthday or completed required hours in a classroom.

A mastery-based learning environment consists of state standards and district-developed competencies that put the focus on students demonstrating what they know and are able to do through the compilation of a body of evidence.  The competencies that students are expected to meet are clearly articulated.

Content Graduation Standards are the final outcomes expected of students upon graduation from high school.  They focus instruction on the most foundational, enduring and leveraged concepts and skills within each content area. 

A. Communicating Graduation Requirements

To ensure that every student and family has the information and resources they need to appropriately plan and sequence the student’s education decisions, our schools, educators, and staff will clearly and consistently communicate prior to entering high school and throughout the student’s education career the gradation standards and diploma requirements that must be met to earn a high school diploma.

The Superintendent, through the high school principal or other designee, shall be responsible for ensuring that accurate, up-to-date information concerning all graduation standards and diploma requirements are (1) readily available to all incoming students and their families in the spring preceding the start of each school year, and (2) published on the district and high school websites. A detailed guide to graduation standards, academic expectations, and diploma requirements will be disseminated to all incoming ninth-grade students at the time of course selection.  This policy will also be referenced in each edition of the high school student handbook and on the district and high school websites.

As soon as it is practical and feasible, the Board expects the Superintendent or designee to inform all students and their families of any modifications made to the District’s graduation requirements, which extends to all applicable changes in relevant state law, rules, or regulations.

The Board has approved the following schedule of minimum requirements for graduation, which encompasses minimum graduation requirements specified by the state and described in relevant laws, rules, and regulations.  The Board is aware that current law and regulations are subject to change.

B. Academic Requirements for Graduation

All students must master the following graduation requirements:

1. All students will demonstrate that they have achieved mastery in the content-area graduation standards based on Connecticut State requirements.  As a transitional plan while the Connecticut State Legislature studies and ultimately makes a final decision about the use of the Carnegie Unit as the basis for earning “credits,” students shall earn a minimum of 25 credits based on mastery of the graduation standards associated with the subject areas listed.

a.       Humanities* (which includes ELA) 9 credits including civics and the arts

b.      STEM – 9 credits

c.       Physical Education and Wellness – 1 credit

d.      Health and Safety Education – 1 credit

e.       World Languages – 1 credit

f.        One-half credit in personal financial management and financial literacy
(applied to humanities, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or as an elective credit)

g.      Mastery-based assessment – 1 credit

     o  Culminating project that demonstrates mastery of cross curricular standards:

• Clear and effective communicator

• Self-directed learner and collaborative worker

• Creative and practical problem solver

• Responsible citizen

• Informed thinker

Beginning with the graduating class of 2027, the Board shall no longer require a one-credit mastery-based diploma assessment in order to graduate from high school.

h.      Electives – 3 credits

*The humanities are fields of learning that help us understand and appreciate human history, culture, values, and beliefs.  Philosophy, literature, religion, art, music, history, and language have become part of the subjects collectively categorized as the humanities.

The Windsor Locks Public school’s administration, faculty, and staff will apply the set of standards and performance indicators that are aligned with the content-area standards of the State of Connecticut.

All students must satisfy graduation requirements utilizing personalized pathways through active engagement in mastery-based educational experiences in all the above content areas.

2. Windsor Locks High School graduates will demonstrate that they have achieved mastery in the cross-curricular standards:

a.       A clear and effective communicator

b.      A self-directed learner and collaborative worker

c.       A creative and practical problem solver

d.      A responsible citizen

e.       An informed thinker

3.      All students will design, document and defend a culminating project that demonstrates
      their mastery of content and cross-curricular graduation standards – this will be the
mastery-based diploma assessment.

4.      Pursuant to sections 319 and 320 of Public Act 23-204, starting with the high school
    graduating class of 2025, a student will not be permitted to graduate from Windsor Locks
High School unless the student has completed the FAFSA, other institutional financial aid
application for those without legal immigration status, or a waiver developed by the CSDE.
This waiver can be completed by the parent/guardian or the student (if 18 or older or an
emancipated minor). On and after March 15, the principal, school counselor, teacher or
other certified educator may complete such waiver on behalf of any student if they affirm
that they have made a good faith effort to contact the parent/guardian or student on at
least three (3) occasions about completing the FAFSA or other institutional aid form.

5.      While most students will satisfy graduation requirements over the course of a four-year
academic program, students may also satisfy Windsor Locks High School’s graduation
requirements during a period of time that is either accelerated or lengthened, based on
their distinct learning needs.  This includes high school level coursework students may
take at Windsor Locks Middle School, provided the same criteria is used to designate
students’ mastery of the standards required to earn the credit.  Examples of these
courses include but are not limited to Algebra 1, Spanish 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, etc.  All
students are expected to develop a Student Success Plan with assistance from counselors,
teachers, and/or administrators that allows them to master expected standards at the
pace and with the support they need.

C. Multiple Pathways

Windsor Locks High School offers all students multiple learning options that allow students to demonstrate mastery of content and cross-curricular standards, earn academic credit and satisfy graduation requirements. Windsor Locks High School also encourages its students to explore a broad range of personalized learning experiences. 

To pursue personalized learning experiences, students must design a plan that documents and defends how the experience satisfies both graduation requirements and expected cross-curricular and content area standards.

Learning options may include, but are not limited to the following:

1.      Academic courses offered by the school

2.      Dual enrollment or early college courses

3.      Career and technical education programming

4.      Online or blended learning options

5.      Alternative or at-risk programming

6.      Extended Learning opportunities, internships, fieldwork, or exchange experiences

7.      Independent studies or long-term projects

D. Transfer and Home-School Students

For students who transfer to Windsor Locks High School from another state, country, school, program, or home-schooling situation, including educational programs that are not aligned with Windsor Locks High School’s cross-curricular and content area graduation standards, the Principal shall evaluate the value of the student’s prior education experiences and determine to what degree the student has met the school’s graduation requirements.  After enrolling in Windsor Locks High School, these students will need to satisfy all assessment, proficiency, and graduation requirements in the appropriate subject areas, as determined by the Principal.  The Superintendent will ultimately determine whether these students are eligible to receive a diploma.  Home-schooled students must have attended Windsor Locks High School for a minimum of two (2) years or four (4) semesters to be eligible for a diploma.

E. Students Receiving Special-Education Services

Students who successfully meet Windsor Locks High School’s cross-curricular and content-area graduation standards, as specified in the goals and objectives of their Individualized Education Plans (IEP), will be awarded diplomas.

F. Extended Study

Students are eligible for extended years of study to complete the school’s graduation requirements if they have not reached the age of 20.  Students eligible for extended years of study may be referred to adult education or other programs and resources.

G. Participation in Graduation Ceremony

A student must complete all Board requirements for a high-school diploma to participate in graduation exercises.

(cf. 5121 - Examination/Grading/Rating)

(cf. 6111 - School Calendar)

(cf. 6146.2 - Statewide Proficiency/Mastery Examinations)

(cf. 6172.6 - Virtual/On-line Courses)

Legal Reference:   Connecticut General Statutes

10-5c Board examination series pilot program. Issuance of certificate (as amended by P.A. 13-247)

10-14n State-wide mastery examination. Conditions for reexamination. Limitation on use of test results. (as amended by Section 115 of PA 14-217)

10-16(l) Graduation exercises. (as amended by P.A. 96-26 An Act Concerning Graduation Requirements and Readmission and Placement of Older Students)

10-221a High school graduation requirements. (as amended by P.A. 00-124, An Act Concerning High School Diplomas and Veterans of World War II, P.A. 00-156, An Act Requiring A Civics Course for High School Graduation and P.A. 08-138, An Act Concerning High School Credit for Private World Language Courses Other Subject Areas), P.A. 10-111, An Act Concerning Education Reform in Connecticut, P.A. 11-135, An Act Concerning Implementation Dates for Secondary School Reform, P.A.13-57, An Act Concerning Honorary Diplomas for Vietnam Veterans, P.A. 13-122, An Act Concerning Minor Revisions to the Education Statutes, P.A. 13-247, Budget Implementer Bill and P.A. 15-237 An Act Concerning High School Graduation.),

10-233(a) Promotion and graduation policies (as amended by P.A 01-166)

P.A. 13-108 An Act Unleashing Innovation in Connecticut Schools

P.A. 13-247 An Act Implementing Provisions of the State Budget

P.A. 15-237 An Act Concerning High School Graduation.

P.A. 17-29 An Act Concerning Connecticut’s Seal of Biliteracy

P.A. 17-42 An Act Concerning Revisions to the High School Graduation Requirements

P.A. 19-58 An Act Concerning Promoting Careers in Manufacturing to Public Schools

P.S. 21-199 Section 4, An Act Concerning Various Revisions to the Education Statutes

                                 P.A. 23-21 An Act Concerning Financial Literacy Instruction

Policy Adopted:     June 13, 2019

Policy Revised:       December 14, 2023 (Formerly 6146a, Revised, Renumbered and Replaces
old 6146)  March 27, 2025