SDUSD High School Graduation RequirementsStudents in the San Diego Unified School District must meet both general requirements and specific subject and course requirements to graduate from high school. These requirements are set forth in Administrative Regulation 6146.1 and are outlined below. The graduation requirements for San Diego Unified School District exceed the minimums set forth by the state. Click here to view the state minimum graduation requirements. The district offers several methods of recognizing students' achievement in high school: diplomas (standard and with academic distinction) and certificates of course completion. More information on each of these may be found below under Methods of Recognition. Subject and Course Requirements
History–Social Studies Additional Requirements for Graduation
Physical Education Alternative Means of Graduating Valedictorian/Salutatorian Honors General RequirementsStudents must meet the following general requirements to graduate from high school: Attendance. Eight semesters, or equivalent, in grades 9–12. Students should be scheduled for a regular instructional day of not less than 365 minutes (see Administrative Procedure 4026 ). Fewer instructional minutes may be specified in a student's IEP or 504 Plan. California AB 1012 requires that all students be enrolled in a full day of academic work, regardless of whether students can meet graduation requirements during a shortened day. All courses in which students are enrolled must have academic content. Administrative Circular 217 , issued February 4, 2022, provides information on the Principal's Certification of Compliance in meeting the California AB 1012 standards. Conduct. A record of responsible behavior according to the site's published discipline policies and in accordance with district policies and procedures. Credits. Minimum of 44 semester credits earned in Grades 9–12. Specific subject requirements are identified below under Subject and Course Requirements. Students on approved early graduation plans must meet the same requirements. Credits earned in grades 7 and 8: Courses in mathematics ( Integrated Math I A-B (P), Integrated Math I A-B Advanced (P), Integrated Math II A-B (P), Integrated Math II A-B Advanced (P)) and languages other than English taken in grades 7 and 8 (except those taken at Independent World Language Schools) that meet high school graduation requirements are retained as permanent entries on students' high school transcripts and count toward the minimum 44 credits needed for graduation. Grades earned in such coursework are not included in the high school WGPA calculation. Students must complete at least two years of mathematics courses while in grades 9–12. High school credit for college coursework is described in Administrative Regulations 6172.1. Grade-Point Average. Each student must attain a weighted grade-point average (WGPA) of 2.00 or higher in grades 9–12 by the end of the spring semester of the senior year, or by the end of summer school (for summer school graduates). A, B, and C grades in Advanced Placement courses, qualifying International Baccalaureate courses, approved dual-credit college courses, and University of California–approved honors courses are weighted. For courses designated as weighted in this document, the WGPA is computed on a scale of A = 5, B = 4, C = 3, D = 1, and F = 0. For non-weighted courses, the WGPA is computed on a scale of A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, and F = 0. For purposes of satisfying the 2.00 WGPA graduation requirement, the WGPA computation shall include courses taken in grades 9–12. For purposes of establishing senior class standing and/or determining senior awards, the WGPA shall include courses taken in grades 10–12 only. The WGPA shall be computed using the grades awarded through the end of the fall semester or second quarter of the senior year. Honor Roll distinction will be granted to graduating students who attain a cumulative WGPA of 3.33 or better in grades 10–12, computed at the end of the fall semester or second quarter of the senior year. The Diploma with Academic Distinction is outlined in Site Operations Circular 2013 and in its own section in this publication. Honors courses. The district has designated a number of non-AP, non-IB courses as “honors” classes, according to criteria set forth by the University of California. All district-created honors-level courses must satisfy the following UC requirements:
The district's designated honors courses are:
Subject and Course RequirementsA total of 44 semester credits is required for graduation. All courses required for graduation must be approved by the University of California (UC) in the subject area specified, unless otherwise noted. History–Social Studies: the UC a Subject Area Six semester credits in the UC a subject area, as follows:
See this chart. [return to top] E nglish Language Arts: the UC b Subject Area Eight semester credits in the UC b subject area, as follows:
See this chart. [return to top] Mathematics: the UC c Subject Area Six semester credits in the UC c subject area. All students must complete a minimum of two year-long mathematics courses while enrolled in grades 9–12 per Education Code. The six credits are as follows:
Note: Students who complete Integrated Math courses with a grade of C or higher in middle school should continue the Integrated Math course sequence upon entering high school. Taking a course in statistics in place of Integrated Math III A-B (P) does not satisfy the district’s third-year requirement. See this chart. [return to top] Science: the UC d Subject Area Six semester credits (3 years) required:
Only groups of students taking science coursework as a part of an approved pathway for CCTE, advanced study, AP, or HL-IB science courses will qualify for an alternative science credit for graduation. School sites must have submitted the district science waiver and receive approval in order to offer an alternative science sequence for these groups for the graduating classes of 2022, 2023, 2024. Without an approved science sequencing waiver, all other science classes outside of the Biology, Chemistry, and Physics sequence will be considered a 4th year of science. Students transferring into the district from out of state or out of country who have completed Integrated Science courses with a grade of “D” or higher in Grades 9- 12 will be awarded science credit toward graduation as follows:
Languages other than English (LOTE): the UC e Subject Area Four semester credits of sequential courses in the UC e subject area in the same LOTE, as outlined in the district Course of Study, TK–12. Visual and Performing Arts: the UC f Subject Area One year (two semester credits) in the same course in the UC f subject area, as outlined in the district Course of Study, TK–12. College Preparatory Electives: the UC g Subject Area The district’s requirement of a third year of science meets the UC g requirement. Other district a–g electives may also meet the requirement. [return to top] Additional Requirements for GraduationPhysical Education Minimum of four semester credits (two years).
Ethnic Studies Students are required to take at least one course from the approved course list for Ethnic Studies. Electives Eight elective credits must be earned by completing additional district courses as outlined in the district Course of Study, TK–12, unless other coursework is specified in a student’s IEP or 504 plan. Courses do not need to be UC a–g approved. [return to top] Methods of RecognitionThe district has three methods of recognizing a student’s achievement in high school.
Valedictorian/Salutatorian HonorsAll district high schools use the same criteria for selection of valedictorians and salutatorians. Following the last grade report prior to June, each school will designate as graduating class valedictorian the student with the highest cumulative weighted grade point average (WGPA) for coursework in grades 10–12. The WGPA will be calculated to the nearest hundredth. Each school will designate as salutatorian the student with the second highest cumulative WGPA for coursework in grades 10–12. If two students are tied for valedictorian, both students will receive this honor, and the student with the next highest cumulative WGPA will be designated the salutatorian. In addition, each school will determine how to recognize, at its commencement ceremony, students whose cumulative WGPAs for grades 10–12 are 4.0 or better. [return to top] |
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