Graduation Requirements
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Page | 1 Welcome to Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) SUSD’s long history of success is based on strong academic and extracurricular programs offered by our schools, partnered with the dedication and experience of its teachers and staff. SUSD also fosters collaboration and communication between home and school to ensure the best possible education for all students. SUSD High schools provide an exceptional learning experience for all our students. In addition to the courses that fulfill graduation requirements, there are additional specialized programs and electives designed to create a well-rounded high school program of student study for every student. Among SUSD’s offerings is an International Baccalaureate Program, Advanced Placement courses, Honors classes, Career and Technical Education, Fine Arts, Athletics, Special Education, online learning and much more. Students engage in a curriculum designed to help them reach their academic potential and prepare them for a successful and rewarding future. Whether students are interested in art or aviation, computers or culinary arts, music or Mandarin, there are class offerings that provide a solid knowledge base for students who are college bound or plan to enter the workforce directly after high school. More information about SUSD’s 29 schools and programs serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade is available on our website: www.susd.org. Page | 2 Table of Contents SCOTTSDALE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS 4 EDUCATION AND CAREER ACTION PLAN (ECAP) 5 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS 7 RECORD KEEPING GUIDELINES AND COLLEGE ADMISSIONS 11 SUSD E-LEARNING 21 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) 24 CTE Program Sequence 25 Business Operations 26 Communication Media Technologies 26 Finance 30 Health Science 30 Hospitality and Tourism 31 Information Technology 32 Marketing 34 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) 34 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 36 ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 40 FINE ARTS 44 Performing Arts 44 Music 46 Theatre 52 Theatre Arts Course Sequence 52 Visual Arts 55 Visual Arts Course Sequence 55 INTER-DEPARTMENTAL 60 INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAM AND DIPLOMA PROGRAM (IB MYP 74 Desert Mountain High School IB Middle Years Program 76 IB Curriculum 78 MATHEMATICS 87 SUSD High School Math Trajectory of Courses 87 PHYSICAL EDUCATION 93 PRE-AP 97 SCIENCE 99 SOCIAL STUDIES 106 SPECIAL EDUCATION 110 WORLD LANGUAGE 111 FEE SCHEDULE 117 INDEX 119 EAST VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (EVIT) 127 NOTICE TO PARENTS 163 LEGAL NOTICE 164 Page | 3 Scottsdale Unified School District High Schools Arcadia High School 4703 East Indian School Road Phoenix, AZ 85018 480-484-6300 Chaparral High School 6935 East Gold Dust Avenue Scottsdale, AZ 85253 480-484-6500 Coronado High School 7501 East Virginia Avenue Scottsdale, AZ 85257 480-484-6800 Desert Mountain High School 12575 East Via Linda Scottsdale, AZ 85259 480-484-7000 Saguaro High School 6250 North 82nd Street Scottsdale, AZ 85250 480-484-7100 Page | 4 EDUCATION AND CAREER ACTION PLAN (ECAP) Planning a Four-Year Program An ECAP (Education and Career Action Plan) reflects a student’s current plan of coursework, career aspirations, and extended learning opportunities in order to develop the student’s individual academic and career goals. A student’s plan helps to personalize education and enables the student to maximize the opportunities available upon high school graduation. The EC AP will incorporate the traditional four-year high school plan and all counseling departments will initiate the ECAP process for incoming freshman students. Students currently enrolled will continue to work with their counselor to update and track the progress of the Four-Year Plan. Who is involved in the ECAP process? Students, parents, and school personnel (i.e. counselors, teachers, administration, or career center staff) can work together to help guide the student in his/her choices for career and educational experiences. When students, parents and the sch ool staff plan together, each student receives needed support to meet his/her Education and Career Action Planning (ECAP) goals. Arizona Education and Career Action Plan (ECAP – State Board Rule # R7-2-302.05) An Arizona Education and Career Action Plan shall at a minimum, allow students to enter, track and update the following information: ACADEMIC Plan coursework Meet high school requirements and plan for postsecondary requirements Document postsecondary education goals Review academic progress to include needed interventions or advisements Record academic achievement or awards CAREER Identify postsecondary career plans, options, interests or skills Explore career opportunities Explore needed educational requirements to meet the career option POSTSECONDARY Explore admissions requirements Complete necessary applications Create a financial assistance plan EXTRACURRICULAR Documentation for participation in: Clubs or organizations Athletics Recreational activities Fine Arts opportunities Community service or volunteer activities Work experiences, internships, job shadow, etc. Leadership opportunities Page | 5 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS ENGLISH SUSD AZ UNIV. SUSD requires four (4) years of English Language Arts LANGUAGE 4 YEAR 4 YEARS ARTS SUSD requires four (4) years of Mathematics. Math credits must include Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II (or MATHEMATICS course equivalent to Algebra II) and one other course that includes SUSD AZ UNIV. significant math content. See the Math section of this guide to 4 YEARS 4 YEARS identify Math credit bearing courses. SUSD AZ UNIV. SCIENCE SUSD requires three (3) years of Science. 3 YEARS 3 YEARS (LAB) PHYSICAL SUSD requires three (3) years of Social Studies to include the following courses: SOCIAL World History/World Geography (2 semesters) SUSD AZ UNIV. American/Arizona History (2 semesters, Junior year) 3 YEARS 2 YEARS American/Arizona Government (1 semester, Senior year) Economics/Free Enterprise (1 semester, Senior year) AZ UNIV. WORLD SUSD does not require World Language courses for graduation. SUSD 0 YEARS 2 YEARS (OF SAME) SUSD requires six (6) credits of Elective courses, which can come SUSD AZ UNIV. ELECTIVES from any content area. 6 CREDITS 0 YEARS FINE ARTS SUSD requires one (1) credit of either a Fine Arts OR Career and SUSD AZ UNIV. Or CTE Technical Education (CTE) course. 1 YEAR 1 YEAR PHYSICAL SUSD requires one (1) year of Physical Education. SUSD AZ UNIV. See International Baccalaureate (IB) counselor for IB requirement 1 YEAR 0 YEARS A student may be awarded a diploma from any SUSD high school if he/she has continuously enrolled in a minimum of five (5) credit bearing courses the final semester before graduation on a Scottsdale High School campus his/her senior year and has fulfilled the 22 credit requirement. Any student planning to pursue post-secondary education should determine the entrance requirements of the school he/she plans to attend, optimally by the end of the sophomore year. Page | 6 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS (continued) Per J-0600 OJEB, students between the ages of sixteen (16) and twenty-one (21) years shall be admitted to high school except that a student who, prior to seeking enrollment in the Scottsdale Unified School District, has met the graduation requirements established by the State Board of Education, or other recognized authority, shall be refused admission. While completion of the requirements for high school graduation will allow admittance to a community college, it does not ensure entrance into all colleges and/or trade schools, etc. Students planning to pursue higher education should determine the entrance requirements of the school he/she plans to enter. This should be done by the end of the sophomore year for scheduling and planning purposes. Admission requirements are subject to change. The American Civics Act (HB 2064), passed in January 2015, requires students to pass a civics test in order to graduate from high school, beginning with the graduating class of 2017. Students may take the test as often as necessary but must pass with a s core of 60% or greater. As of February 20, 2015, per AZ SB 1191, passing AIMS Reading, Writing and Mathematics is no longer required for graduation from high school. As of spring, 2015, students will take AzMERIT state end of course exams in ELA and Math. Passing these exams is not a state requirement for graduation. For more information on state graduation requirements, please refer to the Arizona Department of Education’s Web page at www.ade.az.gov. Early Graduation Students who meet graduation requirements at the end of the sixth (6 th) or seventh (7th) semester are eligible to graduate and will receive their diploma at the end of the school year. These students may participate in the graduation ceremony at that time. Students planning to graduate at the end of the sixth (6 th) semester must inform site guidance counselors and administration before the start of the sixth (6th) semester to assure inclusion in graduation programs. Ranking is posted at the beginning of Semester 1 of Grade 12. Class rank will not be calculated for students graduating in Grade 11. Graduation Residency Requirement A student may be awarded a diploma from any SUSD high school if he/she is continuously enrolled in five (5) credit bearing cl asses the final semester on a Scottsdale high school campus his/her senior year, or an equivalent program of study that provides seven hundred twenty (720) or more instructional hours. Students are not eligible for an SUSD diploma if they have received a dipl oma from another high school. Diplomas are student records, therefore not released to anyone except the student (if over 18) or the parent/guardian, with photo identification. On June 19, 2013, the SUSD Governing Board voted to approve a new minimum standard regarding a current minimum GPA of 2.0 for all middle and high school students, effective August 2012. This requirement includes interventions and support systems available to ensure student success. The SUSD Code of Conduct explains how this minimum standard impacts high school and middle school students’ participation in extracurricular activities.