Table 158.

State requirements for a standard high school diploma: 2006

State	Total required credits for standard diploma, all courses		Required credits in subject areas										High school exit exam required for standard diploma		Characteristics of required exit exams				High school completion credentials
			English/ language arts		Social studies		Science		Mathe-matics		Other credits				Subjects tested1	Exam type2	Exam based on stand-ards for 10th grade or higher	Appeals or alternative route to standard diploma if exam failed	Advanced recognition for exceeding standard requirements	Alternative credential for not meeting all standard require-ments
1	2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9	10	11	12	13	14
Alabama	24		4		4		4		4		8		Yes		EMSH	SB	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Alaska	21		4		3		2		2		10		Yes		EM	MC	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Arizona	20		4		2.5		2		2		9.5		Yes		EM	SB	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Arkansas	21	3	4		3		3		3	3	8		No		†	†	†	†	No	No
California	13		3		3		2		2		3		Yes		EM	SB	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Colorado	†	4	†	4	†	3,4	†	3	†	4	†	4	No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Connecticut	20		4		3		2		3		8		No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Delaware	22	3	4		3		3	3	3	3	9		No		†	†	†	†	Yes	Yes
District of Columbia	23.5		4		3.5	3	3		3	3	10		No		†	†	†	†	No	Yes
Florida	24		4		3		3		3	3	11		Yes		EM	SB	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Georgia	22		4		3		3		4		8		Yes		EMSH	SB	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hawaii	22	3	4		4		3		3		8		No		†	†	†	†	Yes	Yes
Idaho	21	3	4.5		2.5		2	3	2	3	10		Yes		EM	SB	Yes	Yes	No	No
Illinois	16		3	3	2		1	3	2	3	8		No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Indiana	20		4		2	3	2	3	2	3	10	3	Yes		EM	SB	No	Yes	Yes	No
Iowa	†	3	†	3	1.5		†	3	†	3	1		No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Kansas	21		4		3		2	3	2	3	10		No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Kentucky	22		4		3		3		3		9		No		†	†	†	†	Yes	Yes
Louisiana	23		4		3		3		3		10		Yes		EMSH	SB	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Maine	16		4		2		2		2		6		No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Maryland	21		4		3		3		3		8		Yes	5	—	—	—	No	Yes	Yes
Massachusetts	†	4	†	4	†	4	†	4	†	4	†	4	Yes		EM	SB	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Michigan	†	3,4	†	3,4	0.5	3	†	3,4	†	3,4	†	4	No		†	†	†	†	No	Yes
Minnesota	†	3,4	†	3,4	†	3,4	†	3,4	†	3,4	†	4	Yes		EM	MC	No	No	No	No
Mississippi	20	3	4		3		3	3	3	3	7		Yes		EMSH	EOC	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Missouri	22	3	3	3	2	3	2	3	2	3	13	3	No		†	†	†	†	Yes	No
Montana	20		4		2		2		2		10		No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Nebraska	200 hrs	6	†	4	†	4	†	4	†	4	†	4	No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Nevada	22.5		4		2		2		3		11.5		Yes		EM	SB	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
New Hampshire	19.75	3	4		2.5	3	2	3	2	3	9.25		No		†	†	†	†	Yes	Yes
New Jersey	22		4		3		3		3		9		Yes		EM	SB	Yes	Yes	No	No
New Mexico	23		4		3	3	2	3	3		11	3	Yes		EMSH	MC	No	Yes	No	Yes
New York	22		4		4		3		3		8		Yes		EMSH	EOC	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
North Carolina	20		4		3		3		4		6		Yes		EMT	SB	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
North Dakota	21	3	†	4	†	4	†	4	†	4	†	4	No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Ohio	20		4		3		3		3	3	7		Yes		EMSH	SB	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Oklahoma	23		4		3		3		3		10		Yes	5	—	—	—	No	Yes	No
Oregon	22	3	3	3	3		2	3	2	3	12		No		†	†	†	†	Yes	Yes
Pennsylvania	†	4	†	4	†	4	†	4	†	4	†	4	No		†	†	†	†	Yes	No
Rhode Island	18	3	4		2		2	3	3	3	7		No		†	†	†	†	No	Yes
South Carolina	24		4		3		3		4		10		Yes		EM	SB	Yes	No	No	Yes
South Dakota	22		4		3		2.5		2.5		10		No		†	†	†	†	Yes	No
Tennessee	20		4		3		3		3		7		Yes		EMS	EOC	Yes	No	No	Yes
Texas	22	3	4		3		2		3		10		Yes		EMSH	SB	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Utah	15	3	3	3	2.5		2	3	2	3	5.5		No		†	†	†	†	No	Yes
Vermont	20		4		3		3		3		7		No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Virginia	22		4		3		3		3		9		Yes		EMSH	EOC	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Washington	19		3		2.5		2		2		9.5		Yes	5	—	—	—	No	No	No
West Virginia	24		4		3	3	3		3	3	11		No		†	†	†	†	No	Yes
Wisconsin	13		4		3		2		2		2		No		†	†	†	†	No	No
Wyoming	13		4		3		3		3		0		No		†	†	†	†	Yes	Yes

— Not available. † Not applicable. 1 Exit exam subjects tested: E = English (including writing), M = Mathematics, S = Science, H = History/social studies, and T = Technology. 2 Exit exam types: EOC = End-Of-Course, MC = Minimum Competency, and SB = Standards Based. 3 Number of required credits scheduled to change for classes graduating in 2007 or later. 4 Graduation requirements are determined locally. 5 Takes effect for classes graduating in 2007 or later. 6 Credit hours for graduating classes for Nebraska are not expressed in Carnegie units. 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: Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, Education Week, "What It Takes to Graduate for the Class of 2007," retrieved June 19, 2007, from www.edweek.org/media/ew/dc/2007/40policy-1.pdf; Education Commission of the States, StateNotes, retrieved September 24, 2007, from http://mb2.ecs.org/reports/Report.aspx?id=735; and supplemental information from several state education agencies. (This table was prepared September 2007.)