Graduation Requirements

Students must have a minimum of 48 credits, including four credits from physical education. The specific requirements are as follows:

English and Language Arts

Total required credits: 8

Language and Literature Grade 9 2 credits
Speech Communication Grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 1 credit
Fundamentals of Writing Grades 10, 11, or 12 1 credit
Language Arts elective Grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 3 credits
Literature course Grades 10, 11, or 12 1 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 the Language Arts elective.
  • 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

Total required credits: 1

Fine Arts elective  Grades 9, 10, 11, or 12

Areas: Art, Drama, Music

Mathematics

Total required credits: 6, including 2 credits in algebra

Mathematics electives Grades 9, 10, 11, or 12
  • Eighth-Grade Algebra can be counted toward Mathematics high school credits and toward graduation
    requirements. This is designated while enrolled in the course.

Physical Education

Total required credits: 4, earning half credit per semester

  • All students will be required to obtain credit in phys. ed. during each semester of attendance as a requirement for graduation.
  • Successful completion of the four required units is mandatory during the sophomore year. Requirements can be completed by choosing from electives during the junior and senior years.
  • All students are required to pass a CPR unit in 10th grade physical education or from the Red Cross or an
    affiliate program.

Science

Total required credits: 6

General Science Grade 9
Science electives Grades 10, 11, or 12
  • Biology in ninth grade fulfills the General Science requirement; students must meet entrance criteria.

Social Studies

Total required credits: 6

Social Studies electives Grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 2 credits
U.S. History or American Heritage Grade 11 2 credits
Economics Grade 11 or 12 1 credit
Government Grade 12 1 credit
  • American Heritage (4 credits) fulfills the U.S. History graduation requirement, the Literature elective requirement (American Literature), and the Language Arts elective (Intermediate Writing).

The information on this page has been updated for the 2017-18 school year. Please see the 2016-17 curriculum catalog for this school year.