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Table 168. | Credit requirements and exit exam requirements for a standard high school diploma and the use of other high school completion credentials, by state: 2008 and 2009 |
State | Course credits (in Carnegie units), 2008 | High school exit exams, 2009 | Other completion credentials, 2009 | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Required credits in selected subject areas | Exit exam required for standard diploma | Characteristics of required exams | Advanced recogni-tion for exceeding standard require-ments | Alternative credential for not meeting all standard require-ments | |||||||||||||||
Total required credits for standard diploma, all courses | English/ language arts | Social studies | Science | Mathematics | Other credits | Subjects tested1 | Exam based on standards for 10th grade or higher | Appeals or alternative route to standard diploma if exam failed | |||||||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |||||||
Alabama | 24.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | Yes | EMSH | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
Alaska | 21.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 10.0 | Yes | EM | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | |||||||
Arizona | 20.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | Yes | EM | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |||||||
Arkansas | 22.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | No | 2 | † | † | † | No | No | ||||||
California | 13.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | Yes | EM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
Colorado | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | No | † | † | † | No | No | |
Connecticut | 20.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | No | † | † | † | No | No | |||||||
Delaware | 22.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | No | † | † | † | No | Yes | |||||||
District of Columbia | 24.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | No | † | † | † | No | Yes | |||||||
Florida | 24.0 or 18.0 | 4 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 or 3.0 | 4 | 10.0 or 5.0 | 4 | Yes | EM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
Georgia | 23.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | Yes | EMSH | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
Hawaii | 22.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | No | † | † | † | Yes | Yes | |||||||
Idaho | 42.0 | 5 | 9.0 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 4.0 | 5 | 4.0 | 5 | 20.0 | 5 | Yes | EM | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
Illinois | 18.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | No | † | † | † | No | No | |||||||
Indiana | 40.0 | 5 | 8.0 | 5 | 6.0 | 5 | 6.0 | 5 | 6.0 | 5 | 14.0 | 5 | Yes | EM | No | Yes | Yes | No | |
Iowa | † | 3 | † | 3 | 1.5 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | No | † | † | † | Yes | No | ||
Kansas | 21.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | No | † | † | † | No | No | |||||||
Kentucky | 22.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | No | † | † | † | Yes | Yes | |||||||
Louisiana | 23.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 10.0 | Yes | EMSH | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
Maine | 16.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 6.0 | No | † | † | † | No | No | |||||||
Maryland | 21.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | Yes | EMSH | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
Massachusetts | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | Yes | EM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Michigan | † | 3 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | † | 3 | No | † | † | † | No | Yes | |||||
Minnesota | 21.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | Yes | EM | No | Yes | No | No | |||||||
Mississippi | 20.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 7.0 | Yes | EMSH | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | |||||||
Missouri | 22.0 | 6 | 4.0 | 6 | 2.0 | 6 | 2.0 | 6 | 2.0 | 6 | 12.0 | 6 | No | † | † | † | Yes | No | |
Montana | 20.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 10.0 | No | † | † | † | No | No | |||||||
Nebraska | 200.0 | 7 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | No | † | † | † | No | No | |
Nevada | 22.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 11.5 | Yes | EMS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
New Hampshire | 20.0 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 8.5 | No | † | † | † | Yes | Yes | |||||||
New Jersey | 22.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | Yes | EM | Yes | Yes | No | No | |||||||
New Mexico | 24.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 10.0 | Yes | EMSH | No | Yes | No | Yes | |||||||
New York | 22.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | Yes | EMSH | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
North Carolina | 20.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 6.0 | Yes | EMT | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
North Dakota | 21.0 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | † | 3 | No | † | † | † | No | No | ||
Ohio | 20.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 7.0 | Yes | EMSH | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |||||||
Oklahoma | 23.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 10.0 | No | 2 | † | † | † | Yes | No | ||||||
Oregon | 22.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 12.0 | No | † | † | † | No | Yes | |||||||
Pennsylvania | † | 3,6 | † | 3,6 | † | 3,6 | † | 3,6 | † | 3,6 | † | 3,6 | No | † | † | † | Yes | No | |
Rhode Island | 20.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 6.0 | No | † | † | † | No | Yes | |||||||
South Carolina | 24.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 10.0 | Yes | EM | Yes | No | No | No | |||||||
South Dakota | 22.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | No | † | † | † | Yes | No | |||||||
Tennessee | 20.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 7.0 | Yes | EMS | Yes | No | No | Yes | |||||||
Texas | 24.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | Yes | EMSH | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |||||||
Utah | 24.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 14.5 | No | † | † | † | No | Yes | |||||||
Vermont | 20.0 | 6 | 4.0 | 6 | 3.0 | 6 | 3.0 | 6 | 3.0 | 6 | 7.0 | 6 | No | † | † | † | No | No | |
Virginia | 22.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | Yes | EMSH | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
Washington | 19.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 9.5 | Yes | E | Yes | Yes | No | No | |||||||
West Virginia | 24.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 9.0 | No | † | † | † | No | Yes | |||||||
Wisconsin | 21.5 | 8 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 10.5 | No | † | † | † | No | No | ||||||
Wyoming | 13.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | No | † | † | † | Yes | Yes |
†Not applicable. | |||||||||||||||||||
1 Exit exam subjects tested: E = English (including writing), M = Mathematics, S = Science, H = History/social studies, and T = Technology. | |||||||||||||||||||
2 Requirement takes effect for class of 2010 in Arkansas and class of 2012 in Oklahoma. | |||||||||||||||||||
3 Graduation requirements are determined locally. | |||||||||||||||||||
4 Florida offers three graduation programs: one 4-year, 24-credit program, and two 3-year, 18-credit programs. The 4-year program requires 4 credits of mathematics, and both 3-year programs require 3 credits of mathematics. | |||||||||||||||||||
5 Expressed in semester credits instead of Carnegie units. | |||||||||||||||||||
6 State did not participate in the 2008 online survey; data are from 2006. | |||||||||||||||||||
7 Expressed in credit hours instead of Carnegie units. | |||||||||||||||||||
8 Determined locally, but state encourages school boards to adopt this requirement. | |||||||||||||||||||
NOTE: Local school districts frequently have other graduation requirements in addition to state requirements. The Carnegie unit is a standard of measurement that represents one credit for the completion of a 1-year course. | |||||||||||||||||||
SOURCE: Council of Chief State School Officers, Key State Education Policies on PK-12 Education, 2008 (prepublication copy), table 7; Education Week and Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, Diplomas Count 2009, "Graduation Policies" table, retrieved July 20, 2009, from http://www.edweek.org/media/ew/dc/2009/33sos_2009policies.pdf. (This table was prepared July 2009.) |