Dr. Jeff Cranmore, Ph.D.
jeffcranmore.consultant@gmail.com
940-390-0102
HB 5 has made several major
changes to graduation plans across
Texas. While the intent was to
allow more flexibility for students,
there has been considerable
confusion in some aspect of its
implementation.
AVID
Currently AVID classes meet elective requirements but
are not a part of any of the specific endorsement
pathways. However, AVID focuses on college and
career readiness in a way that embodies the spirit of
HB5. Thus continuing through the AVID Elective Class
throughout High School greatly improves college and
career readiness.
Speech Requirements
 The most recent language of the graduation
requirements have removed the requirement of a .5
speech credit; however they require that students have
the skills associated with the TEKS from
Communication Applications/Professional
Communications.
 Many districts are choosing to either keep the speech
credit as a local requirement or to embed these TEKS.
Embedded AVID Professional
Communications/Communication
Applications
 Meets requirements of the law.
 Offers credits in electives or locally required speech.
 Professional Communications can serve as part of a
career pathway associated with other Endorsements.
Embedded AVID Business
Information Management
 Some districts continue to require a CTE or Tech App credit.
The Embedded BIM class meets this requirement.
 Offers elective credit that can meet local policy.
 Can be used as part of a Endorsement Pathway.
 See the Administrator’s Guide for Embedding credits for
more information (MyAVID).
 Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, a school
district must ensure that each student, on entering
ninth grade, indicates in writing an endorsement
that the student intends to earn.
 CTE/Non-CTE Routes for Endorsements.
 A student may earn an endorsement by successfully
completing:
 curriculum requirements for the endorsement
 four credits in mathematics
 four credits in science
 two additional elective credits
 Each school district must make available to high school
students courses that allow a student to complete the
curriculum requirements for at least one endorsement.
 A school district that offers only one endorsement
curriculum must offer the multidisciplinary studies
endorsement curriculum.
 A school district defines advanced courses and
determines a coherent sequence of courses for an
endorsement area, provided that prerequisites are
followed.
 A course completed as part of the set of four courses
needed to satisfy an endorsement requirement may
also satisfy a requirement under the foundation high
school program, including an elective requirement
(ex. Double dipping in Fine Arts).
 Middle School Counselors are Key
 Plans are developed in 8th grade.
 Important to know the “tricks”



PE Credit for Marching Band, Drill Team and ROTC
Credit by Exams for World Languages (80 to earn credit )
Health Credit (if required) through Health Science Programs
 Model Plans That Show AVID as an option
 Parent/Counselor/Administration Support
 AVID fits the goal of both college and career
readiness
 Strong academic core is required for college
admissions
 May Still require Algebra II, Advanced
Sciences, may not Accept Computer
Programming as World Language. Much is
still unclear.
Texas Schools
 Private Texas Schools
 Out of State Schools
 The 4x4 Curriculum is a proven College Admission
Plan

 4x4 with AVID meets Several Possible
Endorsement Options
Endorsements
 Arts and Humanities
 Multidisciplinary
 STEM
 Public Service
 Business and Industry
Important
 A student may earn an endorsement by successfully
completing:
 curriculum requirements for the endorsement
 four credits in mathematics
 four credits in science
 two additional elective credits.
 Students must complete an Endorsement to be eligible
for the distinguished level of achievement. This is
required for top 10% automatic admission.
Arts and Humanities
 (A) A total of five social studies credits
 (B) four levels of the same language in a language




other than English
(C) two levels of the same language in a language
other than English and two levels of a different
language in a language other than English
(D) four levels of American sign language
(E) a coherent sequence of four credits by selecting courses
from one or two categories or disciplines in fine arts or
innovative courses approved by the commissioner
(F) four English elective credits
Arts and Humanities and AVID
 5 credits in Social Studies (not Courses)
 World Geography
 World History
 US History
 Government (.5)
 Economics (.5)
 Students on the 4x4 plan would need to only complete
one additional social studies credit( AP Human
Geography, AP European History, Psychology, etc) to
earn this endorsement
Arts and Humanities and AVID
 This endorsement also supports students with
multiple language credits, especially native speakers,
as well as AVID students participating in Fine Arts or
Journalism
 Four years of a Fine Art; or
 Four Credits of a single World Language or Two years in
two different Languages; or
 English Electives such as creative writing or journalism
Highlights Indicate Possible
Endorsement Pathway for Arts &
Humanities
9th
10th
11th
12th
1
English I
English II
English III
English IV
2
Alg I
Geom
Alg II
Math
3
Biology
Chem
Phy
Science
4
W. Geo
W. Hist
US Hist
Gov/Eco
5
AVID
AVID
AVID
6
LOTE
LOTE
PE
AVID
Soc Studies
Elective
7
Choir
Choir
Choir
Choir
Multidisciplinary
 (A) four advanced courses that prepare a student to
enter the workforce successfully or postsecondary
education without remediation from within one
endorsement area or among endorsement areas that
are not in a coherent sequence
 (B) four credits in each of the four foundation
subject areas to include English IV and chemistry
and/or physics
 B is the 4x4 standard, which is the most useful tract for
college aspiring students
Multidisciplinary and AVID
 (C)four credits in advanced placement,
International Baccalaureate, or dual credit
selected from English, mathematics, science,
social studies, economics, languages other than
English, or fine arts
 C supports involvement in AP, IB or Dual Credit
programs, all of which align to the purpose of AVID, in
getting students involved in rigorous coursework that
prepares them for college.
Highlights Indicate Possible
Endorsement Pathway for
Multidisciplinary
9th
10th
11th
12th
1
English I
English II
AP English
III
English IV
2
Alg I
Geom
Alg II
Math
3
Biology
Chem
Phy
AP Science
4
W. Geo
W. Hist
AP US Hist Gov/Eco
5
AVID
AVID
AVID
AVID
6
LOTE
LOTE
PE
AP Art
7
Elective
Elective
Elective
AP Psychology
STEM
 (A) a coherent sequence courses for four or more credits in CTE
 (B) a coherent sequence of four credits in computer science
A student may earn a STEM endorsement by completing foundation
and general endorsement requirements including Algebra II,
chemistry, and physics and:
 (C) A total of five credits in mathematics by successfully
completing Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II and two additional
mathematics courses for which Algebra II is a prerequisite
 (D) A total of five credits in science by successfully completing
biology, chemistry, physics, and two additional science courses
 (E) In addition to Algebra II, chemistry, and physics, a coherent
sequence of three additional credits from no more than two of the
areas listed in (A), (B), (C), and (D)
STEM and AVID
 C Five Math credits total, or two classes beyond Algebra II.
Students taking Algebra I in Middle School, and one math
each year of high school will qualify for this endorsement.
Further any student taking multiple math classes in one
school year can reach the 5 total classes.
 D Five Science credits total, or two classes beyond Biology,
Chemistry and Physics. Any student taking multiple
science classes in one school year can reach the 5 total
classes
 Students participating the AVID and the CTE Clusters can
gain this endorsement.
Highlights Indicate Possible
Endorsement Pathway for STEM
9th
10th
11th
12th
1
English I
English II
English III
English IV
2
Alg I
Geom
Alg II
Pre-Cal
3
Biology
Chem
Phy
AP Bio
4
W. Geo
W. Hist
US Hist
Gov/Eco
5
AVID
AVID
AVID
AVID
6
LOTE
LOTE
PE
AP Stats
7
Elective
Elective
Fine Arts
AP Chem
Public Service
 (A)a coherent sequence courses for four or more
credits in CTE
 (B) four courses in Junior Reserve Officer Training
Corps (JROTC)
Public Service and AVID
 Students participating the AVID and the CTE Clusters
can gain this endorsement.
 Students participating the AVID and the JROTC can
gain this endorsement. Note JROTC earns PE credit.
Further, based on the certification of the instructors,
other credits such as Health may be earned (if
required by the district)
Public Service and AVID
 The Public Service CTE Courses may come from the
following strands:
 Health Science
 Education and Training
 Human Services
 Law
 Government
Highlights Indicate Possible
Endorsement Pathway for Public
Service
9th
10th
11th
12th
1
English I
English II
English III
English IV
2
Alg I
Geom
Alg II
Math
3
Biology
Chem
Phy
Science
4
W. Geo
W. Hist
US Hist
Gov/Eco
5
AVID
AVID
AVID
AVID
6
LOTE
LOTE
Elective
Fine Art
7
JROTC*
JROTC
JROTC
JROTC
*CTE courses may be taken instead of the JROTC
Business and Industry
 (A)a coherent sequence courses for four or more
credits in CTE
 (B) four English elective credits
 Including Advanced Journalism
Business and Industry and AVID
 Students participating the AVID and the CTE Clusters
can gain this endorsement. Note, Embedded AVID
classes such as Professional Communications and BIM
can be part of these CTE clusters. Refer to the
Embedded Guide to correctly build CTE weighted
classes.
 Several advanced English courses are available to meet
this Endorsement, for AVID students with an interest
in ELA.
Highlights Indicate Possible
Endorsement Pathway for Business
& Industry
9th
10th
11th
12th
1
English I
English II
English III
English IV
2
Alg I
Geom
Alg II
Math
3
Biology
Chem
Phy
Science
4
W. Geo
W. Hist
US Hist
Gov/Eco
5
AVID/Prof
Comm
AVID/BIM
AVID
AVID
6
LOTE
LOTE
PE
Fine Art
7
Elective
Elective
CTE*
CTE*
*Students may also choose to complete Four years of Journalism
Just as in previous scheduling of
the 4x4 planning is essential
 Summer School
 Courses for Acceleration
 Courses earning multiple credits (Marching band and
PE)
 Credit by Exam (Native Speakers)
 Note: Texas now allows students to earn original credit for
any CBE passed with an 80 or above (versus the original
90)
4 year plans




Must include an initial endorsement choice
Build in AVID
Work around current 4x4 core courses
Remaining courses
 1 PE
 1 Fine Art
 2 World Language
 District Requirements (Health, Speech, Tech Apps)
 Student Interest/Passions
 Even on a 7 period day, most students can be involved in
AVID and one other “program” such as athletics, fine arts or
CTE
Sample
9th
10th
11th
12th
1
English I
English II
English III
English IV
2
Alg I
Geom
Alg II
Math
3
Biology
Chem
Physics
Science
4
W. Geo
W. Hist
US Hist
Gov/Eco
5
AVID
AVID
AVID
AVID
6
LOTE
LOTE
PE
Fine Art
7
Elective
Elective
Elective
Elective
HB 5 Continues to Change
 Final wording is still not decided
 Credits vs. Courses
 New Courses yet undefined
 Combined World Geography/World History Course
 Computer Programming Language
 New CTE Math and Science Courses
 The State continues to take public comment
 Course Requirements
 State Testing
Sources of Information
 Texasisd.com
 TEA
 Texas Association of School Boards
 Texas Association of School Administrators
 Many of these websites offer weekly updates.
Contact Information
 Dr. Jeff Cranmore, School Counselor
jeffcranmore.consultant@gmail.com
 940-390-0102
 Patrick Briggs, Texas State AVID Director
pbriggs@avid.org
972-591-2517