P6146

Instruction

Graduation Requirements

Definition and Broad Guidelines

Graduation from our public school implies (1) that students have satisfactorily completed the prescribed courses of study for the several grade levels in accordance with their respective abilities to achieve, (2) that they have satisfactorily passed any examinations and satisfactorily demonstrated the district's performance standards, assessed in part by the statewide mastery examinations, established by the faculty and approved by the Board of Education, and (3) that they have fulfilled the legally mandated number and distribution of credits.

The Principal shall submit to the Board of Education through the Superintendent his/her detailed requirements and standards to agree with the goals of our district as adopted by the Board of Education. It is expected that the faculty will apply measures of achievement to provide evidence that each student has progressed far enough toward program goals and requirements to warrant graduation according to the terms of paragraph #1 above.

The Board of Education, in recognition of its responsibility for the education of all students in the district, including those who do not successfully complete the assessment criteria listed above, and those who drop out of school, shall make available to all the school district's students a course of study or alternative programming for meeting standards that will enable them to acquire a high school or vocational school diploma.

The Board of Education shall award a high school diploma to any World War II veteran or veteran of the Korean Hostilities or Vietnam Era veteran requesting such diploma who left high school for military service as defined in the statutes and did not receive a diploma as a consequence of such service.

The Board of Education may grant students high school credit for successful completion of coursework earned from an accredited institution of higher learning taken either during the school year or summer months.

Graduation Criteria

For the class graduating in 2025, the Board of Education adheres to the State requirement permitting any high school student to be granted a diploma upon satisfactorily completing a minimum of twenty-five credits, including no fewer than:

• Nine credits in the humanities, including civics and the arts;
• Nine credits in science, technology, engineering and mathematics;
• One credit in physical education and wellness;
• One credit in health and safety education;
• One credit in world languages;
• One credit in mastery-based diploma assessment (Capstone)

For the class graduating in 2026, the Board of Education adheres to the State requirement permitting any high school student to be granted a diploma upon satisfactorily completing a minimum of twenty-five credits, including no fewer than:

Commencing with classes graduating in 2027, and each graduating class thereafter, the Board of Education adheres to the State requirement permitting any high school student to be granted a diploma upon satisfactorily completing a minimum of twenty-five credits, including no fewer than:

• Nine credits in the humanities, including civics and the arts;
• Nine credits in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, including one-half credit in personal financial management and financial literacy;
• One credit in physical education and wellness;
• One credit in health and safety education;
• One credit in world languages;

A student shall be excused from the physical education requirement upon presentation of a certificate from a physician or advanced practice registered nurse indicating that participation in physical education is medically contradicted because of the student's physical condition. An elective may fulfill the credit for physical education.

Student Support and Remedial Services

The Board of Education will provide adequate student support and remedial services for students beginning in grade seven. Such student support and remedial services shall provide alternate means for a student to complete any of the high school graduation requirements, previously listed if such student is unable to satisfactorily complete any of the required courses or exams. Such student support and remedial services shall include, but not be limited to, (1) allowing students to retake courses in summer school or through an online course; (2) allowing students to enroll in a class offered at a constituent unit of the state system of higher education, allowing students who received a failing score, as determined by the Commissioner of Education, on an end of the school year exam to take an alternate form of the exam; and (4) allowing those students whose individualized education plans state that such students are eligible for an alternate assessment to demonstrate competency on any of the five core courses through success on such alternate assessment.

All credits earned toward meeting any of the graduation requirements through the successful completion of online courses must fulfill the requirements established in policy #6172.6, "Virtual/On-line Courses."

Student Success Plans

The Board shall create a student success plan for each enrolled student, beginning in grade six. Such plan shall include a student's career and academic choices in grades six through twelve. Beginning in grade six, such student success plan shall provide evidence of career exploration in each grade including, but not limited to, careers in manufacturing. The Board shall utilize the Department of Education's issued and revised guidance regarding changes to such student success plans. In creating student success plans, consideration shall be given to career and academic choices in computer science, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Student success plans shall be created, if possible, in collaboration with each student and the student's parent/guardian and shall, to the extent it does not conflict with the career choices of the student or his/her parent/guardian, include an academic plan that is in compliance with the Board's Challenging Curriculum Policy 6141.52.

Eligible Credits

Per statute (C.G.S. 221a(f)) the determination of eligible credits is at the discretion of the Board of Education, provided the primary focus of the curriculum of eligible credits corresponds directly to the subject matter of the specified course requirements. The Board may permit a student to graduate during a period of expulsion if the Board determines the student has satisfactorily completed the necessary credits. The graduation requirements shall apply to any student requiring special education except when the Planning and Placement Team (PPT) determines the requirement not to be appropriate.

A credit shall consist of not less than the equivalent of a forty-minute class period for each school day of a school year except for a credit or part of a credit toward high school graduation earned (1) at an institution accredited by the Board of Regents for Higher Education or State Board of Education or regionally accredited, (2) through on-line course work or (3) through a demonstration of mastery based on competency and performance standards, in accordance with guidelines adopted by the State Board of Education.

Only courses taken in grades nine through twelve, and that are in accordance with the state-wide subject matter content standards, adopted by the State Board of Education shall satisfy the graduation requirements, except that the Board may grant a student credit toward meeting the high school graduation requirements upon the successful demonstration of mastery of the subject matter content, achieved through educational experiences and opportunities that provided flexible and multiple pathways to learning, including cross-curricular graduation requirements, career and technical education, virtual learning, work-based learning, service learning, dual enrollment and early college, courses taken in middle school, internships and student designed independent studies, provided such demonstration of mastery is in accordance with such state-wide content standards; toward meeting a specified course requirement upon successful completion in grade seven or eight of a course that corresponds directly to the subject matter of a specified course requirement in grades nine through twelve.

Academic Advancement Program

The Board of Education permits students in grades eleven and twelve to substitute (1) achievement of a passing score on an existing nationally recognized examination as determined, by the State Department of Education, or a series of examinations approved by the State Board of Education, (2) a cumulative grade point average determined by the State Board of Education and (3) at least three letters of recommendation from school professionals (defined in 10-66dd), for the required high school graduation requirement.

The State Board of Education will issue an Academic Advancement Program Certificate to any student successfully completing such program. The Academic Advancement Program Certificate shall be considered in the same manner as a high school diploma to determine the eligibility of a student for enrollment at a Connecticut public institution of higher education.

The Board of Education shall permit a student to graduate from high school upon successfully completing the above-described academic advancement program.

Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy

The Board of Education, utilizing criteria established by the State Board of Education, may/shall affix the "Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy" to a diploma awarded to a student who has achieved a high level of proficiency in English and one or more foreign languages. "Foreign language" means a world language other than English and includes American Sign Language and any other language spoken by a federally recognized Native American tribe. The Board of Education shall include on such student's transcript a designation that the student received the "Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy."

Pipeline for Connecticut's Future Program (optional)

The Board of Education may establish a Pipeline for Connecticut's Future Program. Under the program, the Board shall partner with one or more local businesses to offer on-site training and course credit to District students.

Award of High School Diplomas

Students who complete all graduation requirements shall receive a diploma at the June commencement. Individuals also may satisfy graduation requirements by the satisfactory completion of the following:

1. Successful completion of a summer course or summer courses comparable (as determined by the Principal) to the subject(s) in which the student was deficient.

Transfer and Home School Students

For students who transfer to Portland High School from another state, country, school, program, or home-schooling situation, including educational programs that are not aligned with the District's High School's cross-curricular and content area graduation standards, the Principal shall evaluate the value of the student's prior educational experiences and determine to what degree the student has met the school's graduation requirements.
After enrolling in the District, these students must satisfy all assessment, proficiency, and graduation requirements in the appropriate subject areas, as determined by the Principal or his/her designee. The Superintendent will ultimately determine whether these students can receive a diploma.

Students Receiving Special Education Services

Students who successfully meet the District's cross-curricular and content-area graduation standards, as specified in the goals and objectives of their Individualized Education Plans (IEP), will be awarded diplomas.

Extended Study

Students are eligible for extended years of study to complete the school's graduation requirements if they have not reached the age of 20. Students eligible for extended years of study may be referred to adult education or other programs and resources.

Participation in Graduation Ceremony

A student must complete all Board of Education requirements for a high school diploma to participate in graduation exercises.

(cf. 5121 - Examination/Grading/Rating
(cf. 6111 - School Calendar)
(cf. 6146.2 - Statewide Proficiency/Mastery Examinations)
(cf. 6172.6 - Virtual/On-line Courses)
(cf. 5123 - Promotion/Acceleration/Retention)
(cf. 5126 - Academic Recognition)
(cf. 6146.1 - Grading and Reporting System)
(cf. 6146.12 - Dual Enrollment and Early College)
(cf. 6146.13 - Multiple Pathways)

Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes

10-5 State high school diploma; "honors diploma." Payment of fees; exceptions. (as amended by PA 17-29)

10-5c Board examination series pilot program. Issuance of certificate (as amended by P.A. 13-247 and P.A. 15-215)

10-14n State-wide mastery examination. Conditions for reexamination. Limitation on use of test results. (as amended by Section 115 of PA 14-217)

10-16(l) Graduation exercises. (As amended by P.A. 96-108, An Act Concerning Student Use of Telecommunication Devices and the Establishment of Graduation Dates)

10-221a High school graduation requirements. (As amended by P.A. 00-

124, An Act Concerning High School Diplomas and Veterans of World War II, P.A. 00-156, An Act Requiring A Civics Course for High School Graduation, P.A. 08-138, An Act Concerning High School Credit for Private World Language Courses and Other Subject Areas, P.A. 10-111, An Act Concerning Education Reform in Connecticut, P.A. 11-135, An Act Concerning Implementation Dates for Secondary School Reform, P.A. 13-57, An Act Concerning Honorary Diplomas for Vietnam Veterans, P.A. 13-122, An Act Concerning Minor Revisions to the Education Statutes P.A. 13-247, Budget Implementer Bill and P.A. 15-237, An Act Concerning High School Graduation, PA 17-42, An Act Concerning Revisions to the High School Graduation Requirements and PA 17-29, An Act Concerning Connecticut's Seal of Biliteracy.)

10-233(a) Promotion and graduation policies. (as amended by PA 01-166)

P.A. 13-108 An Act Unleashing Innovation in Connecticut Schools.

Mastery-Based Learning-Guidelines for Implementation, Connecticut State Department of Education, June 3, 2015.

Policy adopted: May 17, 2016
Policy revised and approved: June 19, 2018
Policy revised and approved: October 6, 2020
Policy revised and approved: September 21, 2021
Revised and approved: May 21, 2024

PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Portland, Connecticut