5460 - GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
It shall be the policy of the Board of Education to acknowledge each student's successful completion of the instructional program or a personal curriculum appropriate to the achievement of District goals and objectives as well as personal proficiency, by the awarding of a diploma at graduation ceremonies.
The Board shall annually notify each of its students and a parent or legal guardian of each of its students that all students are entitled to a personal curriculum. The annual notice shall include an explanation of what a personal curriculum is and state that if a personal curriculum is requested, the public school or public school academy will grant that request. The District shall provide this annual notice to parents and legal guardians by sending a written notice to each student’s home or by including the notice in a newsletter, student handbook, or similar communication that is sent to a student’s home, and also shall post the notice on the District website.
The Superintendent is authorized to provide each student in grade twelve (12) and the parent of each student in grade twelve (12) a notice regarding the existence of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid ("FAFSA") and a description of the process, benefits, and requirements of completing the FAFSA. This notice also shall include approximate annual tuition costs of each State educational institution of higher education in Michigan and State scholarships, grants, or other assistance available to students in Michigan. The Superintendent may use the model notice prepared by the Commission of Higher Education or develop a local notice containing the required information.
The Board shall award a regular high school diploma to every student enrolled in this District who meets the requirements of graduation established by this Board, the Michigan Department of Education ("MDE"), and as provided by State law.
As outlined in Policy 5114, foreign-exchange students are not eligible to receive a Whiteford High School diploma.
Credit may be earned by:
traditional coursework;
demonstrating mastery of subject area content expectations or guidelines for the credit;
related coursework in which content standards are embedded;
non-traditional coursework;
independent teacher-guided study;
testing out;
dual enrollment;
advanced placement courses;
International Baccalaureate or other "early college" programs; or
Michigan Department of Education ("MDE")-approved formal career and technical ("CTE") program or curriculum;
online class.
If a student successfully completes all of the following credit requirements while in grades seven (7) to twelve (12), the District will notate on the student's transcript or diploma that the student has earned a STEM endorsement:
- All applicable requirements of the Michigan merit standard for a high school diploma under sections M.C.L. 380.1278a and 1278b.
- At least six (6) credits in mathematics. At least five (5) of these credits must be in courses that are either listed in section M.C.L. 380.1278a(1)(a)(i) or that cover the same content standards as a course listed in section 1278a(1)(a)(i), including a credit for pre-calculus or calculus.
- At least six (6) credits in science. At least 4 of these credits must be in courses that are either listed in section M.C.L. 380.1278b(1)(b) or that cover the same content standards as a course listed in section 1278b(1)(b).
- At least one-half (1/2) credit featuring significant coursework involving technology activities and at least one-half (1/2) credit featuring significant coursework involving engineering activities. These credits may be gained through separate technology and engineering coursework or in conjunction with coursework associated with the credits required under subdivisions (b) and (c).
Students shall successfully complete an online course or learning experience, OR shall have the online learning experience incorporated into each of the required credits of the Michigan Merit Curriculum.
Special education students who properly complete the programs specified in their I.E.P., or in a personal curriculum, meet the requirements for a high school diploma, and have received the recommendation of the I.E.P.C. may participate in graduation activities as recommended by the student's I.E.P.C. Reasonable accommodation shall be made for students with disabilities, as defined under State or Federal law, to assist them in taking any required tests or assessments for graduation.
For State-mandated curriculum requirements, a student shall be granted credit toward graduation if the student successfully completes the subject area content expectations or guidelines developed by the department that apply to the credit. A student may also receive credit if the student earns a qualifying score, as determined by the State on the assessments developed or selected for the subject area by the State or the student earns a qualifying score, as determined by the District on one (1) or more assessments developed or selected by the School District that measure a student's understanding of the subject area content expectations or guidelines that apply to the credit. For subject areas and courses in which a final examination is used as the assessment for successful attainment of the subject area content, a grade of C+ or better is required.
The Board shall grant credit toward high school graduation for any student who successfully completes, prior to entering high school, a State-mandated curriculum requirement, provided the student completes the same content requirements as the high school subject area, and the student has demonstrated the same level of proficiency on the material as required of the high school students.
Such credit shall be counted toward the required number of credits needed for graduation. Mastery credits shall be counted toward any subject area requirement and any course sequence requirement. Once mastery credit is earned in a subject area, a student may not receive further credit for a lower sequence course in the same subject area.
A high school student shall be granted credit in any foreign language not offered by the District providing the student meets the competency criteria established by the Superintendent.
A high school student shall be granted credit for completion of an internship or work experience that meets all of the requirements of M.C.L. 380.1279h, subject to the Board's right to deny credit for the reasons and in the manner set out in MCL 380.1279h. The appeal rights set out in this statute apply in the event of a denial.
The career and technical education credits may include work-based learning by a student working at a business or other work setting with appropriate oversight by the District over the student’s experience and learning in the work setting in which the work-based learning occurs.
Commencement exercises will include only those students who have successfully completed requirements as certified by the high school principal. No student who has completed the requirements for graduation shall be denied a diploma as a disciplinary measure. A student may be denied participation in the ceremony of graduation, however, when personal conduct so warrants.
Revised 8/10/09
Revised 11/9/09
Revised 11/8/10
Revised 1/14/13
Revised 8/10/15
Revised 12/10/18
Revised 5/12/25
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