1 Table of Contents Welcome to Sharyland Independent School District ................................................................................................... 5 A Message from Our Superintendent ............................................................................................................................... 6 High School Course Description and Information Guide ........................................................................................... 7 High School Graduation Requirements ............................................................................................................................ 8 Scheduling, Semester Exam Exemptions, and Grading Procedures ....................................................................... 9 High School Block Scheduling ......................................................................................................................................... 9 Grading Guidelines and Policy Procedures ................................................................................................................. 9 Grading Procedures ............................................................................................................................................................. 9 High School Semester Exam Exemption Policy ......................................................................................................... 9 Grade Classifications, Class Ranking, and Graduation Requirements ............................................................... 9 Course Availability .............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Class Ranking ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Calculating Class Rank ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Schedule Changes .............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Course Level Changes ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Credit Recovery ................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Texas Virtual Network ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Graduation Program Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 11 Distinguished Level of Achievement ........................................................................................................................... 12 Advantages to the Distinguished Level of Achievement Graduation Plan .................................................... 12 Performance Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................ 13 Career Cruising .................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Sharyland Advanced Academic Academy & Sharyland ISD Health Science Guidance and Counseling: ........................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Four-Year Personal Graduation Plan (PGP) ............................................................................................................... 15 Go Center .............................................................................................................................................................................. 15 State Assessments and Requirements for Graduation .............................................................................................. 16 What is STAAR? ................................................................................................................................................................... 16 What are the general testing requirements for students enrolled in high school courses? ................... 16 State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness End-of-Course Performance Standards ..................... 17 2 Special Programs..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 English Language Learners ............................................................................................................................................. 18 Section 504 ........................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Section 504, Students with Dyslexia and Related Disorders ............................................................................... 20 Special Education Services .............................................................................................................................................. 20 Sharyland ISD Endorsements .............................................................................................................................................. 21 Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) ............................................................................... 21 Business and Industry ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 Public Services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Arts and Humanities .......................................................................................................................................................... 24 Multidisciplinary Studies .................................................................................................................................................. 25 College and Career Readiness Programs ....................................................................................................................... 26 Pre-Advanced Placement and Advanced Placement Courses ........................................................................... 26 Sharyland ISD Advanced Placement Scholar Academy ........................................................................................ 27 Dual Credit Opportunities for Sharyland ISD Students ........................................................................................ 29 Sharyland ISD Dual Credit Core Complete Academy ............................................................................................ 29 Sharyland Advanced Academic Academy- SA3 ...................................................................................................... 30 Career and Technical Education .................................................................................................................................... 31 Sharyland ISD Health Science Institute ...................................................................................................................... 32 Curriculum and Instruction ............................................................................................................................................. 33 English Language Arts ........................................................................................................................................................... 34 Mathematics Courses ............................................................................................................................................................ 43 Science Courses ....................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Social Studies Courses .......................................................................................................................................................... 57 Languages Other Than English .......................................................................................................................................... 65 Fine Art Courses ...................................................................................................................................................................... 70 Health & Physical Education Courses .............................................................................................................................. 78 Career and Technical Education ........................................................................................................................................ 81 Advanced Technical Credit Program...............................................................................................................................