Research Center Report
Graduation Policies
For the Class of 2009
DEFINING READINESS
State has
defined
college
readiness
How college readiness
is defined
HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION CREDENTIALS
State has
defined
work
readiness
K-12 workreadiness
definition is
different from
How work readiness
college
is defined
readiness
Total number of
credits required
to earn standard
diploma
Standard diploma
options
Advanced
recognition for
exceeding
standard
requirements
Focus for advanced
recognition
✔
academic, CTE
✔
academic
✔
academic
ALABAMA
✔
skills
24.0
standard, CTE
ALASKA
✔
standards
21.0
standard
✔
standards
20.0
standard
ARKANSAS
✔
courses, standards, tests
✔
courses, standards, tests
22.0
standard
CALIFORNIA
✔
courses
✔
standards
13.0
standard
ARIZONA
✔
COLORADO
standard
20.0
standard
DELAWARE
22.0
standard
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
23.5
standard
CONNECTICUT
✔
in progress
skills
24.0
standard
✔
academic, CTE
22.0
college prep, CTE
✔
academic, CTE
HAWAII
22.0
standard
✔
academic
IDAHO
21.0
standard
16.0
standard
20.0
standard
✔
academic
standard
✔
local option
FLORIDA
in progress
in progress
GEORGIA
in progress
✔
skills, standards
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
✔
courses, standards, tests
✔
courses, standards, tests
IOWA
✔
standards, tests
✔
standards
KENTUCKY
✔
courses, skills, standards, tests
LOUISIANA
in progress
MAINE
in progress
KANSAS
MARYLAND
21.0
standard
22.0
standard
✔
academic, CTE
in progress
23.0
standard
✔
academic, CTE
in progress
16.0
standard
21.0
in progress
✔
courses
MASSACHUSETTS
✔
✔
skills, standards
standard
✔
local option
✔
standards
standard
✔
academic
courses, skills, standards, tests
standard
standards
✔
academic
MICHIGAN
✔
courses, standards
✔
MINNESOTA
✔
standards
✔
MISSISSIPPI
✔
skills
21.5
standard
21.0
standard
MISSOURI
in progress
✔
standards
22.0
standard
MONTANA
in progress
✔
standards
20.0
standard
200 credit hours1
standard
22.5
standard, CTE
✔
academic
standards
19.75
standard
✔
local option
NEBRASKA
NEVADA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
✔
NEW JERSEY
✔
courses, standards
✔
courses, skills, standards
22.0
standard
NEW MEXICO
✔
courses, standards, tests
✔
courses, standards, tests
23.0
standard
NEW YORK
✔
courses, standards, tests
✔
courses, standards, tests
22.0
standard
✔
academic, CTE
20.0
standard
✔
academic
21.0
standard
20.0
NORTH CAROLINA
in progress
in progress
NORTH DAKOTA
✔
OHIO
✔
skills
OKLAHOMA
✔
courses, standards, tests
OREGON
in progress
PENNSYLVANIA
✔
RHODE ISLAND
in progress
SOUTH CAROLINA
✔
standards
standards
standard
✔
academic, CTE
✔
standards, tests
23.0
standard
✔
academic
✔
standards
22.0
standard
✔
standards
✔
academic
✔
academic
✔
academic
✔
academic, CTE
✔
academic
standard
in progress
courses, skills, standards
✔
courses, tests
✔
SOUTH DAKOTA
TENNESSEE
✔
courses, skills
TEXAS
✔
skills, standards
✔
skills, standards
✔
UTAH
VERMONT
VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON
WEST VIRGINIA
WISCONSIN
✔
standards
✔
courses, skills, tests
in progress
WYOMING
U.S.
standard
24.0
standard
22.0
standard
20.0
standard
24.0
standard
15.0
standard
20.0
standard
✔
skills, standards
22.0
standard
✔
skills, standards
19.0
standard
✔
courses, skills, tests
24.0
standard
13.0
standard
13.0
standard
✔
in progress
--
20
20.0
28
5
20.72
• CTE refers to career and technical education.
• Exit-exam subjects tested: E=English (includes writing), M=Mathematics, S=Science, H=History/Social Studies, and T=Technology
SOURCE: For information on indicator definitions and sources, see Page 38.
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ONLINE: www.edweek.org/go/dc09
24
HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAMS
Basis for
advanced
recognition
courses
Alternative
credential for not
meeting all
standard
Basis for
requirements
alternative credential
State finances
remediation for
students failing
exit exams
Appeals or
alternative route
to diploma
✔
✔
ALABAMA
✔
ALASKA
ARIZONA
Subjects tested
Exam based on
standards for 10th
grade or higher
✔
disabilities
✔
✔
EMSH
✔
✔
fail exit exam
✔
✔
EM
✔
✔
✔
EM
✔
✔
✔
✔
Class of 2010
✔
✔
EM
✔
✔
✔
tests
tests
K-12 system offers
pathway leading to
industry-recognized
certificate or license
✔
pass proficiency test
State has
exit exam
ARKANSAS
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
✔
CONNECTICUT
✔
disabilities
✔
disabilities
courses, GPA, tests
✔
disabilities, fail exit exam
✔
✔
EM
✔
✔
✔
FLORIDA
courses, GPA
✔
disabilities, fail exit exam
✔
✔
EMSH
✔
✔
✔
GEORGIA
courses, GPA
✔
disabilities
✔
✔
EM
✔
✔
✔
✔
EM
✔
✔
DELAWARE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
HAWAII
IDAHO
ILLINOIS
courses, GPA
✔
local option
✔
INDIANA
IOWA
KANSAS
courses, tests
✔
disabilities
✔
courses, GPA, tests
✔
disabilities, fail exit exam
✔
KENTUCKY
✔
EMSH
3
✔
✔
✔
✔
LOUISIANA
MAINE
local option
✔
disabilities
✔
✔
EMSH
✔
✔
✔
MARYLAND
courses, GPA, tests
✔
local option
✔
✔
EM
✔
✔
✔
MASSACHUSETTS
✔
local option
✔
✔
EM
✔
✔
MINNESOTA
✔
EMSH
✔
MISSISSIPPI
✔
disabilities
✔
MICHIGAN
✔
✔
courses, GPA, tests
MISSOURI
MONTANA
NEBRASKA
✔
EMS
✔
✔
✔
✔
EM
✔
✔
NEW JERSEY
✔
NEW MEXICO
✔
NEW YORK
✔
✔
NORTH CAROLINA
✔
✔
courses, GPA
✔
disabilities, fail exit exam
✔
local option
✔
local option
✔
NEW HAMPSHIRE
✔
fail exit exam
✔
✔
EMSH
tests
✔
disabilities
✔
✔
EMSH
courses, GPA
✔
disabilities, fail exit exam
✔
EMT
EMSH
✔
✔
✔
NORTH DAKOTA
courses, GPA, tests
✔
✔
courses, GPA, tests
✔
Class of 2012
✔
✔
OREGON
✔
✔
disabilities
PENNSYLVANIA
✔
RHODE ISLAND
✔
✔
EM
✔
SOUTH CAROLINA
SOUTH DAKOTA
courses, GPA
courses, tests
✔
disabilities, fail exit exam
✔
✔
EMS
✔
✔
local option
✔
✔
EMSH
✔
✔
district criteria
✔
TENNESSEE
✔
TEXAS
UTAH
✔
courses, GPA, tests
✔
✔
tests
OHIO
OKLAHOMA
local option
tests
NEVADA
✔
27
disabilities
disabilities
VERMONT
4
✔
✔
EMSH
✔
✔
E
5
✔
✔
✔
VIRGINIA
✔
✔
✔
WASHINGTON
✔
WEST VIRGINIA
✔
WISCONSIN
WYOMING
local option
38
24
20
17
21
U.S.
1. Credit hours for Nebraska are not expressed in Carnegie units.
2. Subject-specific credits for states that do not have total course-credit requirements are not listed in the total-credits column and are not reflected in the national average for total credit requirements.
3. Students must pass either the science or social studies components of the Graduation Exit Examination (GEE) to receive a standard diploma.
4. To receive a standard diploma, students must earn at least six verified credits by passing end-of-course assessments. One of these credits may be earned by passing a student-selected test
in computer science, technology, career and technical education, or other areas.
5. For the graduating class of 2009, students must pass an exit exam in reading and writing, but may meet the state’s math requirement by passing its standardized math assessment or continuing
to earn math credits until they graduate.
EDUCATION WEEK ’S DIPLOMAS COUNT 2009
37