It shall be the policy of the Board to acknowledge each student's successful completion of the instructional program appropriate to the achievement of District goals and objectives as well as personal proficiency by the awarding of a diploma at appropriate graduation ceremonies.
The Board shall award a high school diploma to every student enrolled in this District who meets the requirements of graduation established by this Board and the State Board of Education, including the passage of all state mandated proficiency or graduation tests.
Students who have completed all required course work, as set forth below, but who have not successfully completed all state mandated proficiency or graduation test requirements may return at subsequent regularly scheduled proficiency or graduation test administrations to retake failed areas. Upon the successful completion of proficiency or graduation test requirements such student shall be eligible to be awarded a high school diploma.
Each diploma shall be signed by the President and Treasurer of the Board, the Superintendent, and the Principal of the High School and shall bear the date of its issuance.
Students participating in graduation ceremonies must meet the following requirements:
A. Successful completion of all requirements contained in the Ohio Revised Code and set
by the State Board of Education, and this Board of Education.
B. Students graduating early must have filed the required application papers.
C. All financial obligations to the high school or Board of Education must be paid.
D. All disciplinary obligations must be satisfactorily completed.
E. Students participating in the ceremony must wear the prescribed cap and gown.
F. Students eligible to participate in the graduation ceremony will exhibit decorum that
will not be disruptive or bring undue attention to themselves.
Students whose decorum is disruptive or brings undue attention to themselves will not be awarded their diploma at the commencement exercises. They will be required to attend school for the duration of the regular school year. Should their attendance be acceptable, they shall receive their diploma at the close of the last day of the regular school year.
Beginning September 15, 2003, the requirements for participation in commencement and receiving a diploma shall include 22 units earned in grades 9-12 to be distributed as follows:
1. English language arts, four units;
2. Health, one-half unit
3. Mathematics, three units;
4. Physical education, one-half unit;
5. Science, three units, which at all times shall include both of the following:
a. Biological sciences, one unit;
b. Physical sciences, one unit.
6. Social studies, three units, which shall include both of the following:
a. American history, one-half unit;
b. American government, one-half unit.
7. Elective units, six units.
Each student’s electives shall include at least one unit, or two half units, chosen from among the areas of business/technology, fine arts, and/or foreign language.
Beginning with students who enter the ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2010, the requirements for participation in commencement and receiving a diploma shall include twenty-two units in grades 9-12 to be distributed as follows:
1. English language arts, four units;
2. Health, one-half unit, which shall include instruction in nutrition and the benefits of nutritious foods and physical activity for overall health;
3. Mathematics, four units, which shall include one unit of Algebra II or its equivalent;
4. Physical education, one-half unit;
5. Science, three units with inquiry-based laboratory experience that engages students in asking valid scientific questions and gathering and analyzing information, which shall include the following or their equivalent:
a. Physical sciences, one unit;
b. Biology, one unit;
c. Advanced study in one or more of the following sciences, one unit:
i. Chemistry, physics, or other physical science;
ii. Advanced biology or other life science.
iii. Astronomy, physical geology, or other earth or space science.
6. Social studies, three units, which shall include both of the following:
a. American history, one-half unit;
b. American government, one-half unit.
Units earned in social studies shall be integrated with the study of economics and financial literacy, and entrepreneurship.
7. Five units consisting of one of any combination of foreign language, fine arts
(two (2) semesters in any of grades 7-12), business, career-technical education,
family and consumer sciences, technology, agricultural education, or English
language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies not otherwise required.
A student who enters ninth grade on or after July 1, 2010, and before July 1, 2014, may qualify for graduation even though he/she has not completed the Ohio core curriculum in accordance with applicable law.
Units earned in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies that are delivered through integrated academic and career-technical instruction are eligible to meet graduation requirements.
Advanced student work completed prior to the ninth grade may be applied toward graduation requirements if the advanced work was taught by a teacher who possessed a license valid for teaching high school and designated by the Board of Education as meeting the high school curriculum requirements.
Any required deficiencies must be completed prior to graduation. Graduation requirements are minimum requirements. It is anticipated that most students will have earned more than twenty-two credits at the close of their senior year.
It is the responsibility of the student to see that requirements for graduation are met. The high school makes every effort to keep current records and to keep students and parents informed about the status of progress toward completing the work necessary to meet these requirements. However, it is up to the student to make sure that he or she is acquainted with the necessary requirements to meet this goal.
Seniors are automatically registered for graduation.
Notification of Core Curriculum
The parent, guardian, or custodian of each student enrolled in a high school operated by the Board or enrolled in the joint vocational school which the District belongs shall be notified by letter, via the annual report, or by other means determined by the Superintendent or designee of the requirements of the Ohio core curriculum and that one consequence of not completing that curriculum is ineligibility to enroll in most state universities in Ohio without further coursework.
Honors Diploma
Honors diplomas shall be granted in accordance with Ohio law.
Veterans’ Diploma
The Board may grant a diploma to a veteran of World War II, the Korean Conflict, or the Vietnam Conflict in accordance with Ohio law.
The Board may also grant a high school diploma to any woman who left high school in any state during World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam Conflict to support her family or the war effort in accordance with Ohio law
Alternative Conditions for Graduation
This section shall apply to diplomas awarded after September 15, 2006, to students who are required to take the five Ohio graduation tests.
As an alternative to the requirement that a person successfully complete all of the Ohio graduation tests in order to be eligible for a high school diploma, a person who has successfully completed all but one of the tests may be awarded a diploma if he or she has satisfied all of the following conditions:
· On the test that the person failed to attain the designated score, he or she missed that score by ten points or less;
· The person has a ninety-seven percent school attendance rate in each of the last four years of school, excluding any excused absences;
· The person has not been expelled from school in any of the last four school years;
· The person has a grade point average of at least 2.5 in the subject area of the test that he or she failed in accordance with rules established by the State Board of Education;
· The person has completed the high school curriculum requirements in the subject area of the test that he or she failed;
· The person has taken advantage of any intervention programs provided by the District or school in the subject area of the test that he or she failed, and has a ninety-seven percent attendance rate, excluding any excused absences, in any of those programs that are provided at times beyond the normal school day, school week, or school year or has received comparable intervention services from a source other than the District or school;
· The person holds a letter recommending graduation from each of his or her high school teachers in the subject area of the test that he or she failed and from the High School Principal.
Board Adopted 11-18-2010