The Beverly Institute, Inc.
Policies and Procedures
Graduation Requirements for Students Who Enter
Ninth Grade prior to 2007-2008 School Year:
Last Update 07/08/08
Graduation requires successful completion of either a minimum of 24 academic credits in grades 9 through 12 or an
International Baccalaureate curriculum. The 24 credits shall be distributed as follows:
English - 4 Credits
English courses must include major concentrations in composition and literature. Also see Basic Education
Course Substitutions and Career and Technical Education Course Substitutions.
Mathematics - 3 Credits
Students must demonstrate successful completion of Algebra I or a series of courses equivalent to Algebra I (or a
higher level mathematics course for those who have already completed an Algebra I course that is not reflected on
the high school transcript or have clearly mastered Algebra I content). Also see Basic Education Course Substitutions
and Career and Technical Education Course Substitutions.
To see courses or series of courses deemed "equivalents" for meeting the Algebra I graduation requirement, visit the
following website: http://nwrdc.fsu.edu/fnbpas04?curyr4=2008#al1
Higher level mathematics courses meeting this requirement when Algebra I content is mastered but not reflected in
the transcript include any Level III course, Algebra II, or Integrated Mathematics III.
Science - 3 Credits
Two of the science credits must include a laboratory component. Agriscience Foundations I, the core course in
secondary Agriscience and Natural Resources programs, counts as one of the science credits. A waiver of the
laboratory component by the State Board of Education may be requested by a school district in accordance with s.
1003.43, Florida Statutes. Also see Basic Education Course Substitutions and Career and Technical Education Course
Substitutions.
American History - 1 Credit
World History - 1 Credit
This course shall include a comparative study of the history, doctrines, and objectives of all major political systems
Economics - 0.5 Credit
This course shall include a comparative study of the history, doctrines, and objectives of all major economic systems.
American Government - 0.5 Credit
This course shall include the study of the U.S. Constitution and the Florida Government including the study of the
State Constitution, the three branches of government, and municipal and county government.
Credit from the following:
Practical Arts Career Education or Exploratory Career Education - Any career and technical secondary or
eligible postsecondary course, identified in Section 5 (Career and Technical) of the Course Code Directory, may be
used to satisfy the practical arts requirement. Selected exceptional student education career and technical courses
may be used to meet this requirement for students with exceptionalities (excluding Gifted).
-or-
Performing Fine Arts - Any course in music, dance, drama, painting, or sculpture may be used to satisfy the
performing arts requirement. A course in any art form, in addition to painting and sculpture, that requires manual
dexterity or a course in speech or debate may be used to satisfy this requirement.
-or-
A combination of 0.5 credit from each of the above (0.5 from Practical Arts and 0.5 from Performing Fine Arts).
Also see Basic Education Course Substitutions in the Course Code Directory.
Such credit for practical arts career education or exploratory career education or for performing fine arts shall be
made available in the 9th grade, and students shall be scheduled into a 9th grade course as a priority.
Life Management Skills - 0.5 Credit
Health I-Life Management Skills (0800300) and Life Management Skills (8502000) are courses that may be used to
satisfy the Life Management Skills graduation requirement. Both courses must contain all requirements specified in ss.
1003.43 (1) (I), and 1003.42(1) (m), F .S. Also see Basic Education Course Substitutions in the Course Code
Directory. (Note: For students entering 9th grade prior to 07-08 school-year)
Physical Education – 1.0 Credit
To include assessment, improvement, and maintenance of personal fitness. Personal Fitness (1501300) is required to
satisfy a half credit of this requirement. Any other physical education course will meet the other half credit. However,
the other physical education course should continue to build upon the Personal Fitness course through assessment,
improvement, and maintenance of personal fitness. The following exceptions apply:
(1) 0.5 Credit in Adaptive Physical Education IEP or 504 Plan (1500300) satisfies this requirement for those
exceptional education students seeking a standard diploma who cannot be assigned to Personal Fitness (1501300)
pursuant to physical education guidelines in The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and Section
504 of Rehabilitation Act.
(2) Participation in an interscholastic sport at the junior varsity or varsity level, for two full seasons, satisfies
the one-credit requirement in physical education if the student passes a competency test on personal fitness with a
score of "C" or better.
(3) For school districts who have chosen the Personal Fitness/Physical Education Activity option,
Completion of one semester with a grade of "C" or better in a marching band class or in a physical activity class that
requires participation in marching band activities as an extracurricular activity (such as eurhythmics, dance corps, or
flag corps), with regular practice with and performance in marching band activities waives a one-half credit
requirement in physical education. This one-half credit may not be used to waive the personal fitness requirement or
the requirement for adaptive physical education under an individual educational plan (IEP) or 504 plan.
(4) Completion of 2 years with a grade of "C" or better in a Reserve Office Training Corps (ROTC) class
that has a substantial component of drills as a part of the course description waives the full 1-credit physical education
requirement and the full 1-credit performing arts requirement for a school district that has chosen the HOPE option.
For school districts that have chosen the Personal Fitness/Physical Education Activity option, completion of 2 years
with a grade of "C" or better in an ROTC class that has a substantial component of drills as a part of the course
description waives 1-credit of physical education activity electives. However, the student must still take the personal
fitness class (.5 credit) to satisfy the physical education graduation requirement in those districts choosing this option.
Students in those districts using the ROTC waiver and personal fitness class will have (.5) credits in physical education.
Note: Refer to Graduation Tables later in this section for students entering prior to 07-08
A district school board may not require that the one credit in physical education be taken during the 9th grade year.
Electives - 8.5 credits (or 9 if the student entered 9th grade prior to the 1999-2000 school year) Any course
listed in this directory that is appropriate for 9th grade or above may fulfill an elective credit for graduation except
Study Hall and other courses identified as noncredit (NC), Adult Basic Education, and GED Preparation.
A district school board may require specific courses and programs of study within the minimum credit requirements
for high school graduation and shall modify basic courses, as necessary, to assure exceptional students the
opportunity to meet the graduation requirements for a standard diploma, using one of the following strategies:
1) Assignment of the exceptional student to an exceptional education class for instruction in a basic course with the
same student performance standards as those required of non exceptional students in the district school board
student progression plan; or
2) Assignment of the exceptional student to a basic education class for instruction that is modified to accommodate
the student's exceptionality.
The district school board shall determine which of these strategies to employ based upon an assessment of the
student's needs and shall reflect this decision in the student's individual education plan.
Grade Point Average s.1003.43 (5) (c) (d), Florida Statutes, requires students to maintain a cumulative GPA of
2.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent for all courses taken in high school that have not been forgiven.
Section 1003.436, Florida Statutes, requires that school boards, in awarding credit for high school graduation,
shall maintain a one-half credit earned system that shall include courses provided on a full-year basis. A student
enrolled in a full-year course shall receive one-half credit if the student successfully completes either the first half or the
second half of a full-year course but fails to successfully complete the other half of the course and the averaging of
the grades obtained in each half would not result in a passing grade. A student enrolled in a full-year course shall
receive a full credit if the student successfully completes either the first half or the second half of a full-year course but
fails to successfully complete the other half of the course and the averaging of the grades obtained in each half would
result in a passing grade, provided that such additional requirements specified in district school board policies, such as
class attendance, homework, participation, and other indicators of performance, shall be successfully completed by
the student.
Qualifications, Restrictions, and Eligibility
A. No student shall be granted credit toward high school graduation for enrollment in the following courses:
(1) More than a total of nine elective credits in remedial programs.
(2) More than one credit in exploratory career and technical courses as defined in section 1003.014 (4), Florida
Statutes.
(3) More than three credits in practical arts family and consumer sciences classes as defined in section 1003.01
(4) (a), Florida Statutes.
(4) Any Level 1 course unless the student's assessment indicates that a more rigorous course of study would be
inappropriate. (In this case, a written assessment of the need must be included in the student's individual
educational plan or in a student performance plan, signed by the principal, the guidance counselor, and the
parent or guardian of the student, or the student if the student is 18 years of age or older.) section 1003.43 (7)
(d), Florida Statutes.
B. The 0.5, 1.0, and multiple credit listed in the Credit column in Section 3 and Section 4 of the Course Code
Directory indicate the maximum credit allowed for each course. If district policy permits, a subset of the student
outcomes for any course listed as 1.0 may be selected and the course offered for 0.5 credit.
C. Any course listed in this directory, using currently adopted Course Descriptions, may contain a component of
volunteer community services as appropriate and as allowed in the district's approved student progression plan.
General Requirements for Traditional High School Graduation Program (Section 1003.43, F.S.)
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1. Pass the High School Competency Test (HSCT) or, for students enrolling in the fall of 1999 and thereafter, earn a
passing score on the grade 10 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) instead of the HSCT.