Graduation Requirements
-
Updated with information for the 2023-24 school year.
Students must have a minimum of 48 credits, including four (4) credits from physical education (Board Policy 505.06). One credit of physical education will be taken each year of high school. The specific requirements are as follows:
Additional Resources
-
Honors Overview
Students who earn a 3.5 GPA or higher at Valley Southwoods are eligible for participation in the Honors Diploma Program at Valley High School. Students must also complete any prerequisite courses for the required 10th grade courses in the Honors Diploma Program. In order to meet these prerequisites, it is recommended that students take the following courses at Southwoods.
- Biology
- AP Human Geography
- Geometry C
- Literature and Composition
- World Language
Successful completion of the following classes at Valley, including senior exhibition, will result in the Valley High School Honors Designation on the Valley diploma at graduation. Up to 5 elective credits may be transferred in from other institutions if the courses are not offered at Valley High School. To meet the Honors Designation World Language requirement, students must have successfully completed a minimum of four years in the same language. Students must receive a letter grade in all required classes. Students must take the AP exam in all required AP courses. The application process is enrollment in the Honors Diploma Track. A minimum GPA of 3.9 is required to graduate with an Honors Diploma.
Sophomore, junior, and senior seminars will be an opportunity for students to explore their areas of interest, reflect on their talents/skills, shadow adults in different career pathways, and create a thoughtful plan for the next three to five years to enable them to implement an in-depth project including their “area of concentration.” (This area of concentration can change at any time. It does not lock students into anything, but it provides them with focus or vision and “an end in mind.”)
-
10th Grade Requirements
- AP European History (DMACC course = World Civilizations: Ancient to Early Modern and Western Civilization: Early Modern to Present; 8 credits) or AP World History
- AP Chemistry (DMACC course = General Inorganic Chemistry I & II; 8 credits) or
AP Biology (DMACC course = Biology I & II; 8 credits) or
AP Physics (may take science classes in any order) - Advanced Composition and Advanced Contemporary Literature or World Literature
- Algebra II and Trigonometry C
- World Language (will continue in same language all 4 years)
- Physical education
- Honors Seminar
- Elective/Study Hall
- Elective/Study Hall
-
11th Grade Requirements
- AP U.S. History (DMACC course = U.S. History to 1877 & U.S. History 1877 to Present; 8 credits)
- AP Literature and Composition (DMACC course = Introduction to Literature and Contemporary Literature; 6 credits) or
AP Language and Composition (DMACC course = Composition I & II; 6 credits) - AP Chemistry (DMACC course = General Inorganic Chemistry I & II; 8 credits) or
AP Biology (DMACC course = Biology I & II; 8 credits) or - AP Physics (may take science classes in any order)
- AP Calculus AB (DMACC course = Calculus I; 5 credits)
- World Language (will continue in same language all 4 years)
- Physical Education
- Honors Seminar
- Elective/Study Hall
- Elective/Study Hall
-
12th Grade Requirements
- AP U.S. Government and Politics (DMACC course = American National Government; 3 credits) and
AP Macroeconomics - AP Language and Composition (DMACC course = Composition I & II; 6 credits)
- AP Literature and Composition (DMACC course = Introduction to Literature and Contemporary Literature; 6 credits)
- AP Chemistry (DMACC course = General Inorganic Chemistry I & II; 8 credits) or AP Biology (DMACC course = Biology I & II; 8 credits) or
AP Physics (may take science classes in any order) - AP Calculus BC (DMACC course = Calculus II; 5 credits) or
AP Statistics (DMACC course = Statistics; 4 credits) - World Language (will continue in same language all 4 years)
- Physical Education
- Honors Seminar with Senior Exhibition
- Elective/Study Hall
- Elective/Study Hall
- AP U.S. Government and Politics (DMACC course = American National Government; 3 credits) and
Valley Honors Diploma Program
-
Honors Overview
Students who earn a 3.5 GPA or higher at Valley Southwoods are eligible for participation in the Honors Diploma Program at Valley High School. Students must also complete any prerequisite courses for the required 10th grade courses in the Honors Diploma Program. In order to meet these prerequisites, it is recommended that students take the following courses at Southwoods.
- Biology
- AP Human Geography
- Geometry C
- Literature and Composition
- World Language
Successful completion of the following classes at Valley, including senior exhibition, will result in the Valley High School Honors Designation on the Valley diploma at graduation. Up to 5 elective credits may be transferred in from other institutions if the courses are not offered at Valley High School. To meet the Honors Designation World Language requirement, students must have successfully completed a minimum of four years in the same language. Students must receive a letter grade in all required classes. Students must take the AP exam in all required AP courses. The application process is enrollment in the Honors Diploma Track. A minimum GPA of 3.9 is required to graduate with an Honors Diploma.
Sophomore, junior, and senior seminars will be an opportunity for students to explore their areas of interest, reflect on their talents/skills, shadow adults in different career pathways, and create a thoughtful plan for the next three to five years to enable them to implement an in-depth project including their “area of concentration.” (This area of concentration can change at any time. It does not lock students into anything, but it provides them with focus or vision and “an end in mind.”)
-
10th Grade Requirements
- AP European History (DMACC course = World Civilizations: Ancient to Early Modern and Western Civilization: Early Modern to Present; 8 credits) or AP World History
- AP Chemistry (DMACC course = General Inorganic Chemistry I & II; 8 credits) or
AP Biology (DMACC course = Biology I & II; 8 credits) or
AP Physics (may take science classes in any order) - Advanced Composition and Advanced Contemporary Literature or World Literature
- Algebra II and Trigonometry C
- World Language (will continue in same language all 4 years)
- Physical education
- Honors Seminar
- Elective/Study Hall
- Elective/Study Hall
-
11th Grade Requirements
- AP U.S. History (DMACC course = U.S. History to 1877 & U.S. History 1877 to Present; 8 credits)
- AP Literature and Composition (DMACC course = Introduction to Literature and Contemporary Literature; 6 credits) or
AP Language and Composition (DMACC course = Composition I & II; 6 credits) - AP Chemistry (DMACC course = General Inorganic Chemistry I & II; 8 credits) or
AP Biology (DMACC course = Biology I & II; 8 credits) or - AP Physics (may take science classes in any order)
- AP Calculus AB (DMACC course = Calculus I; 5 credits)
- World Language (will continue in same language all 4 years)
- Physical Education
- Honors Seminar
- Elective/Study Hall
- Elective/Study Hall
-
12th Grade Requirements
- AP U.S. Government and Politics (DMACC course = American National Government; 3 credits) and
AP Macroeconomics - AP Language and Composition (DMACC course = Composition I & II; 6 credits)
- AP Literature and Composition (DMACC course = Introduction to Literature and Contemporary Literature; 6 credits)
- AP Chemistry (DMACC course = General Inorganic Chemistry I & II; 8 credits) or AP Biology (DMACC course = Biology I & II; 8 credits) or
AP Physics (may take science classes in any order) - AP Calculus BC (DMACC course = Calculus II; 5 credits) or
AP Statistics (DMACC course = Statistics; 4 credits) - World Language (will continue in same language all 4 years)
- Physical Education
- Honors Seminar with Senior Exhibition
- Elective/Study Hall
- Elective/Study Hall
- AP U.S. Government and Politics (DMACC course = American National Government; 3 credits) and
English and Language Arts (8 credits)
-
- Accelerated Literature & Composition/Fundamentals of Writing (2 credits) fulfills the ninth grade Language & Literature requirement and the 10th grade Fundamentals of Writing; students must meet entrance criteria.
- Debate I/Public Speaking (2 credit courses) fulfills the Speech Communication graduation requirement and one Language Arts elective credit.
- Speech Composition (2 credits) fulfills the Speech requirement and the Fundamentals of Writing requirement.
- Students need to verify Valley course selection to ensure that they meet Language Arts requirements for their post-secondary school of choice.
Fine Arts (1 credit)
Mathematics (6 credits) including Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra II
Physical Education and Health (4 P.E. credits, 1 Health credit)
-
- All students will be required to obtain credit in P.E. during each school year of attendance as a requirement for graduation. Exemptions will be granted in accordance with law and policy.
- Students earn 1 credit per semester (1 credit per year for Early Bird PE).
- In addition, students must take a CPR course that consists of components that could lead to CPR certification.
Science (6 credits)
-
- Advanced Physical Science fulfills the Physical Science requirement