New High School Graduation Requirements

The Stockton Unified School Board unanimously approved Board Policy CSBA Policy BP 6146.1 High School Graduation Requirements. The policy increases expectations and aligns high school graduation and the UC A-G requirements to ensure that all students graduate college-, career-, and community-ready. The revised requirements ensure all students take college preparatory courses and have the option of applying to a wide range of colleges and universities or pursuing career interests prepared for the rigors of the 21st-century workplace. Students must meet credit and grading requirements in each subject in order to earn a high school diploma. Implementation begins with the Class of 2024, and adjustments will be made each year up through the Class of 2029.

Students shall receive a diploma of graduation from high school and may participate in a graduation ceremony only after meeting the District Graduation Requirements aligned in the Rigorous Graduation Requirements Implementation timeline. Students with disabilities intending to earn a regular high school diploma must complete the District’s credit and course requirements. IEP Teams shall consider accommodation and/or support in these required courses and/or credits, which shall be documented in the Individualized Education Program. 504 Teams shall consider accommodations in these required courses and/or credits, which shall be documented in the 504 Plan. An individual with exceptional needs who meets the criteria for a certificate document shall be eligible to participate in any graduation ceremony and any school activity related to graduation in which a pupil of similar age without disabilities would be eligible to participate. Per Education Code 56391, the right to participate in graduation ceremonies does not equate to a certificate of document (as described in Education Code 56390) with a regular high school diploma.

Board Policy 6146.4 – Students with Exceptional Needs and IEPs

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team shall determine the appropriate standards and assessments, as well as the recommended accommodations that may be required for students with disabilities. A student with disabilities may be awarded a high school diploma upon satisfactory completion of the course of study at the competency level, including Algebra I.

Attention Parents: It is important to monitor your students' status toward graduation and for A-G college eligibility throughout the high school years.  Students need to complete designated courses and pass the course with the grade of "C" or higher to remain eligible to attend a four-year college after graduation.  If a student receives a score of "D" or "F", teachers and school counselors will be available to develop a plan to get students back on track.  

A-G Requirement Checklist

What Is A-G?

The A-G / College Entrance Requirements are a sequence of high school courses that students must complete (with a grade of C or better) to be minimally eligible for admission to the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU).

Each high school has a list of approved courses. For an official list of the UC approved courses for your high school, please visit the UC Doorways website at www.doorways.ucop.edu/list/app/home/.

Students attending a high school on the Four by Four Block Schedule are expected to complete 80 credits a year for four years (totaling 320 credits). Click here for the high school course catalog.

Courses that receive a grade of “F” DO NOT earn any credits. Courses not completed with a passing grade must be retaken to earn credit toward graduation.

Graduation Required Courses in SUSD High Schools for the Testing Requirements

CAASPP:  The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, or CAASPP, which has replaced the Standardized Testing and Reporting, or STAR Program, is the new state academic testing program. CAASPP is a system intended to provide information that can be used to monitor student progress and ensure that all students leave high school ready for college and careers. The CAASPP includes computer-adaptive tests in English–language arts and mathematics as well as paper-based tests for science.

Students in grades 3-8 and 11 will take the test every Spring. To learn about the types of questions on the computer-based test, you and your child can view the practice test online at the California Department of Education (CDE) Smarter Balanced Practice Test Webpage www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/practicetest.asp.

CAST: The California Science Test or CAST is an online assessment based on the California Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Eligible students in grades 5-8, and once to each student while that student is in high school.