Section 08.02.03.105 - HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTSA student must meet all of the requirements identified in this section before the student will be eligible to graduate from an Idaho high school. The local school district or LEA may establish graduation requirements beyond the state minimum.
01.Credit Requirements. The State minimum graduation requirement for all Idaho public high schools is forty-six (46) credits and must include twenty-nine (29) credits in core subjects as identified in Paragraphs 105.01.c. through 105.01.h.a. Credits. One (1) credit shall equal sixty (60) hours of total instruction. School districts or LEA's may request a waiver from this provision by submitting a letter to the State Department of Education for approval, signed by the superintendent and chair of the board of trustees of the district or LEA. The waiver request shall provide information and documentation that substantiates the school district or LEA's reason for not requiring sixty (60) hours of total instruction per credit.b. Mastery. Notwithstanding the credit definition of Subsection 105.01.a., a student may also achieve credits by demonstrating mastery of a subject's content standards as defined and approved by the local education agency (LEA.)c. Secondary Language Arts and Communication. Nine (9) credits are required. Eight (8) credits of instruction in Language Arts. Each year of Language Arts shall consist of language study, composition, and literature and be aligned to the Idaho Content Standards for the appropriate grade level. One (1) credit of instruction in communications consisting of oral communication and technological applications that includes a course in speech, a course in debate, or a sequence of instructional activities that meet the Idaho Speech Content Standards requirements.d. Mathematics. Six (6) credits are required. Secondary mathematics includes Integrated Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Business Mathematics, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Fundamentals of Calculus, Probability and Statistics, Discrete Mathematics, and courses in mathematical problem solving and quantitative reasoning including mathematics taken through career technical education programs. Dual credit engineering courses and computer science courses aligned to the state standards for grades nine (9) through (12), including AP Computer Science and dual credit computer Science courses may also be counted as a mathematics credit. Students who choose to take computer science and dual credit engineering courses may not concurrently count such courses as both a mathematics and science credit for the same course.i. Students must complete secondary mathematics in the following areas: (1) Two (2) credits of Algebra I, Algebra I level equivalent Integrated Mathematics or courses that meet the High School Algebra Content Standards;(2) Two (2) credits of Geometry, Geometry level equivalent Integrated Mathematics, or courses that meet the Idaho High School Geometry Content Standards; and(3) Two (2) credits of mathematics of the student's choice.e. Science. Six (6) credits are required, two (2) of which will be laboratory based. Secondary sciences include instruction in applied sciences, earth and space sciences, physical sciences, life sciences, and computer science.i. Secondary sciences include instruction in the following areas: biology, computer science, physical science or chemistry, and earth, space, environment, or approved applied science.f. Social Studies. Five (5) credits are required, including government (two (2) credits), United States history (two (2) credits), and economics and financial literacy (one (1) credit). Courses such as geography, sociology, psychology, and world history may be offered as electives, but are not to be counted as a social studies requirement.g. Humanities. Two (2) credits are required. Humanities courses include instruction in visual arts, music, theatre, dance, or world language aligned to the Idaho content standards for those subjects. Other courses such as literature, history, philosophy, architecture, or comparative world religions may satisfy the humanities standards if the course is aligned to the Interdisciplinary Humanities Content Standards.h. Health/Wellness. One (1) credit is required. Course must be aligned to the Idaho Health Content Standards. Effective for all public school students who enter grade nine (9) in Fall 2015 or later, each student shall receive a minimum of one (1) class period on psychomotor cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training as outlined in the American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for CPR to include the proper utilization of an automatic external defibrillator (AED) as part of the Health/Wellness course.i. Students participating in one (1) season in any sport recognized by the Idaho High School Activities Association or club sport recognized by the local school district, or eighteen (18) weeks of a sport recognized by the local school district may choose to substitute participation up to one (1) credit of physical education. Students must show mastery of the Physical Education Content Standards in a format provided by the school district.02.Content Standards. Each student shall meet locally established subject area standards (using state content standards as minimum requirements) demonstrated through various measures of accountability including examinations or other measures.03.Senior Project. The senior project is a culminating project to show a student's ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information and communicate that knowledge and understanding. A student must complete a senior project by the end of grade twelve (12). Senior projects may be multi-year projects, group or individual projects, or approved pre-internship or school to work internship programs, at the discretion of the school district or charter school. The project must include elements of research, development of a thesis using experiential learning or integrated project based learning experiences and presentation of the project outcome. Additional requirements for a senior project are at the discretion of the local school district or LEA. Completion of a postsecondary certificate or degree at the time of high school graduation or an approved pre-internship or internship program may be used to meet this requirement.04.Civics and Government Proficiency. Pursuant to Section 33-1602, Idaho Code, each LEA may establish an alternate path for determining if a student has met the state civics and government content standards. Alternate paths are open to all students in grades seven (7) through twelve (12.) Any student who has been determined proficient in the state civics and government content standards either through the completion of the civics test or an alternate path shall have it noted on the student's high school transcript.05.Middle School. A student will have met the high school content and credit area requirement for any high school course if the requirements outlined in Subsections 105.06.a. through 105.06.c. of this rule are met.a. The student completes such course with a grade of C or higher before entering grade nine (9);b. The course meets the same content standards that are required in high school for the same course; andc. The course is taught by a teacher properly certified to teach high school content and who meets the federal definition of highly qualified for the course being taught.d. The student shall be given a grade for the successful completion of that course and such grade and the number of credit hours assigned to the course will be transferred to the student's high school transcript. Notwithstanding this requirement, the student's parent or guardian shall be notified in advance when credits are going to be transcribed and may elect to not have the credits and grade transferred to the student's high school transcript. Courses taken in middle school appearing in the student's high school transcript, pursuant to this subsection, shall count for the purpose of high school graduation. However, the student must complete the required number of credits in all high school core subjects as identified in Subsections 105.01.c. through 105.01.h. except as provided in 105.01.d.iii. The transcribing high school is required to verify the course meets the requirements specified in Subsections 105.05.a. through 105.05.c. of this rule.06.Special Education Students. A student who is eligible for special education services under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act may, with the assistance of the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, meet the graduation requirements through to the current Idaho Special Education Manual specifications.07.Foreign Exchange Students. A foreign exchange student may be eligible for graduation by completing a comparable program as approved by the LEA.Idaho Admin. Code r. 08.02.03.105