Southern Local School District
Administrative Guidelines
 

5460A - CRITERIA FOR AWARDING THE DIPLOMA WITH HONORS
 

A.

The District shall award the Diploma with Honors to any student who has fulfilled the following requirements
     
 

1.

met the course, credit, and other requirements established by the Board;
     
 

2.

demonstrated at least a ninth grade level of literacy and basic competency on the State ninth-grade proficiency tests
     
 

3.

met at least seven (7) of the following eight (8) criteria, if participating in the college preparatory curriculum:
     
 

a.

four (4) units of English
     
 

b.

three (3) units of Mathematics which shall include at least the competencies obtained in Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry
     
 

c.

three (3) units of Science including at least one (1) unit in a foundational science with an emphasis in Chemistry and at least one (1) unit in an applied science with an emphasis in Biology
     
 

d.

three (3) units of Social Studies
     
 

e.

three (3) units of one (1) Foreign Language or two (2) units each of two (2) Foreign Languages
     
 

f.

one (1) unit of Fine Arts
     
 

g.

an overall high-school grade point average of at least 3.5 on a four (4) point scale up to the last grading period of the senior year
     
 

h.

the score(s) on the twelfth-grade proficiency tests designated by the State Board of Education or a composite score of twenty-seven (27) on the American College Testing Program's (ACT) Tests or an equivalent composite score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
 

3a.

met at least seven (7) of the following eight (8) criteria, if completing at least a two (2) year vocational or technical education program:
     
 

a.

four (4) units of English (may include one (1) unit of applied communication
     
 

b.

two (2) units of Mathematics which shall include Algebra, Geometry, or the equivalent in applied mathematics
     
 

c.

two (2) units of Science including at least one (1) unit of applied science with an emphasis in Biology
     
 

d.

three (3) units of Social Studies
     
 

e.

two (2) units of a Foreign Language or two (2) units of computer science
     
 

f.

an overall high school grade point average of at least 3.5 on a four (4) point scale up to the last grading period of the senior year

 

g.

a career passport including proficiency in ninety-five percent (95%) of the occupational core competencies as judged by two (2) content experts
     
 

h.

the score(s) on the twelfth-grade proficiency tests designated by the State Board of Education or a composite score of twenty-seven (27) on the American College Testing Program's (ACT) Tests or an equivalent composite score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
     
 

B.

Students shall not be required to meet more than the specified number of criteria described in #3 and #3a above, nor shall any student be required to meet any one of such specified criterion.
     
 

C.

Students shall not be required to make application or declare their intention to qualify for the Diploma with Honors.
     
 

D.

Before the beginning of each school year, the high-school principal shall notify all high-school students and their parents of the criteria required for earning the Diploma.
 

E.

The principal shall ensure that the Meigs Local Schools is aware of the requirements established by the Board for District students to be awarded a Diploma with Honors. The principal shall ensure the school district provides to each enrolled District student, at the beginning of each year, the District's requirements for both a regular diploma and the Diploma with Honors. In addition, s/he is to obtain from the District by no later than five (5) days prior to graduation the diploma status for each enrolled District student.

Any students who complete the District's curriculum requirements but do not pass all four (4) of the ninth grade proficiency tests shall have the right to take the ninth grade proficiency tests at any Fall or Spring Testing Date.

Approved 2/28/94