San Francisco Unified School District
High School Graduation Requirements
The purpose of this document is to define the term “on-track” for San Francisco Unified School District
(SFUSD) High School Students in regards to High School graduation. The SFUSD Board of Education’s
graduation policy (Plan A) is aligned with the University of California (UC) and California State University
(CSU) admission requirements. The UC and CSU admission requirements are also referred to as the A-G
requirements. By fulfilling the Plan A graduation requirements each student, starting with the Class of 2014,
will have taken the minimum courses required by UC/CSU for admission. A course grade of “C” or higher is
required for UC/CSU eligibility. In order to graduate and receive a high school diploma, students must pass the
SFUSD graduation requirements with a grade of “D” or better and pass the California High School Exit Exam
(CAHSEE). The district has also adopted two additional graduation plans that will not meet UC/CSU eligibility,
as an option for foreign born students ages 15 and older with no accessible academic records (Plan E), and for
foster youth students transferring in grades 11 or 12 (Plan F).
Table 1 identifies the number of credits per subject area that are required for High School Graduation (Plan A).
The A-G courses in the shaded area will meet the UC/CSU course requirements and the non-A-G courses are
not shaded.
Table 1
Course Subject
Social Studies
English
Mathematics
Science (one biological & one physical
science)
World Language (LOTE) *
Visual or Performing Art (VAPA)
G Electives
Electives
Physical Education
Health
College & Career
Requirement
Total
Total Credits Required for
Graduation
30 (3 years)
40 (4 years)
30 (3 years)
20 (2 years)
20 (2 years)
10 (1 year)
10 (1 year)
40 (4 years)
20 (2 years)
5 (1 semester)
5 (1 semester)
Passing the English and Math California
High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE)
230
*See school counselor or administrator to inquire about alternative ways to satisfy the World Language
Requirement.
On Track for High School Graduation (Plan A):


Pass all required courses with a D or better with a total of 230 credits
Students should earn the following credits per year to advance to the next grade level to be on track to
graduate in 4 years
o Advance to 10th grade - 50 credits
o Advance to 11th grade - 110 credits
o Advance to 12th grade - 170 credits
Students should minimally complete the course subjects below by the end of each school year to be on
track.

Grade
End 9th
End 10th
End 11th
End 12th
Credits
50
110
170
230
Social
Studies
English
Math
Science
10
20
30
40
10
20
20
30
10
10
20
10
20
30
WL
10
20
VAP
A
PE
10
College/
Career
Health
Elective
s
5
5
50
10
20
20
20
Off-Track for High School Graduation (Plan A)
A student is determined off track for graduation by not meeting the above criteria for high school graduation.
This table identifies how to determine off-track status, based on credit counts only. Specific academic courses
must be passed to graduate; this chart only indicates number, not type of credits. The list indicates credit counts
at the end of the school year. This chart is intended to be used to help identify credit recovery options or
alternative means of study for the students.
PLAN A
Off-track
Moderately off
track
Extremely off track
END OF
YEAR 1
40-49
21-39
END OF
YEAR 2
80-109
50 -79
END OF YEAR
3
140-169
110-139
END OF
YEAR 4
190-229
169-189
0-20 credits
0-49 credits
0-109 credits
0-169
Minimum eligibility for UC/CSU admission:
Students must pass all SFUSD graduation requirements AND must pass all courses within the A-G course
sequence with a grade of “C” or better, for a total of 230 credits. Students must complete 15 A-G courses by
end of 12th grade. To be on track for eligibility to UC/CSU, students should complete a minimum of 11 A-G
courses by the end of the 11th grade school year. In addition to the minimal requirements to be eligible for
UC/CSU, it is highly encouraged that ALL recommended coursework be complete with a grade of “C” or
better. See Table #2.
CSU minimal requirements to be considered for admission:
 Minimum A-G grade point average is 2.0
 Must take SAT or ACT exam
UC minimal requirements to be considered for admission:
 Minimum A-G grade point average is 3.0
 Must take SAT or ACT exam
 In order to be a competitive applicant, students should review the additional recommended
coursework.
* Please note that each educational institution may also have specific requirements for eligibility for admission.
Completion of the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance to UC/CSU.
Below is a chart to compare the SFUSD Graduation requirements, UC, and CSU course requirements and
course recommendations
Table #2
Subject Area
CSU/UC
A-G subject
Area
SFUSD Course
Requirements
CSU/UC
course
requirements
CSU/UC course
recommendations
Social Studies
A
30 credits (3 yrs)
20 credits
20 credits
English
B
40 credits (4 yrs)
40 credits
40 credits
Math
C
30 credits (3 yrs)
30 credits
40 credits
Laboratory Science
World Language
(LOTE)
Visual and
Performing Arts
(VAPA)
Physical Education
(PE)
College and Career
(CC)
D
20 credits (2 yrs)
20 credits
30 credits
E
20 credits (2 yrs)
20 credits
30 credits
F
10 credits (1 yr)
10 credits
10 credits
20 credits (2 yrs)
0
0
5 credits (1 sem)
0
0
5 credits (1 sem)
0
0
50 credits (5 yrs)
10 credits
150
(15 courses)
10 credits
180
(18 courses)
Health
Electives
Total Credits
G
230
Below is one example of a HS course sequence for a student to meet HS
graduation requirements
9th Grade Courses
10th Grade
Courses
11th Grade Courses
9th English (B)
10th English (B)
American Lit (B)
12th Grade Courses
English/European Lit
(B)
Algebra (C)
Geometry (C)
Advanced Algebra (C)
Other A-G (C-Math)
PE
PE
VAPA (F)
Other G Elective
College
Career/Health
Modern World (A)
U.S. History (A)
American Dem.
(A)/Econ.
Other A-G
(D Science)
Biology (D)
Physics/Chemistry (D)
Other A-G (D
Science)
Other A-G (ELOTE)
Other A-G ( ELOTE)
Other A-G (E-LOTE)
Other A-G (E-LOTE)