Adopted:
Revised: June 13, 1991, December 19, 1996, January 8, 1998, October 23, 2001, April 30, 2002, April 26, 2005, June 26, 2007, January 10, 2017, December 10, 2024
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
(Applicable Beginning with the Class of 2029)
In pursuit of its mission to ensure all students reach their learning potential and are prepared for postsecondary and career opportunities, the Board of Education has established the following graduation requirements for students entering the ninth grade in the 2025-26 school year and each subsequent year.
To receive a high school diploma from the School District, students must meet or exceed the School District's academic standards and measures required by this policy. Students with disabilities must be provided access to all graduation pathways, including the opportunity to earn a high school diploma through completion of the requirements listed in the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP).
COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS
The Colorado State Board of Education has adopted state graduation guidelines that identify college and career readiness measures in English and Math. The Board has selected its own measures from these state graduation guidelines.
Students must complete at least one of the measures and meet or exceed the measure's corresponding cut score or criteria to demonstrate college and career readiness in English and Math.
If a student has demonstrated college and career readiness by completing an assessment or other measure that is not included in this policy's accompanying exhibit but is included in the state graduation guidelines, the Principal and School District administrator may approve such assessment or measure to satisfy the relevant graduation requirement.
UNITS OF CREDIT REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION
Graduation from high school in the Boulder Valley School District is achieved through the earning of credits as specified in this policy. Credits for all high school courses (grades 9-12) and for graduation requirements will be awarded on a "unit of credit" basis.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION
Minimum requirements for graduation from high school in the Boulder Valley School District include the following:
- Two hundred forty (240) units of credit in grades 9-12, including completion of specific subject area requirements; and
- Eight semesters of attendance beyond the eighth grade and 100 credits earned in grades 11-12, unless the student qualifies for early graduation (see below.)
A minimum of 25 credits (five classes) per semester must be taken from grades 9 through 12. A maximum of 40 credits per semester will be allowed. Extenuating circumstances as determined by the Principal will permit exceptions to these course load limits.
Early graduation is allowed at the end of the seventh semester, provided all requirements for graduation have been met. Early graduation before the end of the seventh semester must be reviewed and approved by the Principal and appropriate School District Leadership. Students who complete their work at midyear and are eligible to graduate shall receive their diploma at the end of the school year and may return to take part in the graduation exercises at that time.
Students who fail to meet graduation requirements at the end of eight semesters of attendance will be encouraged to continue in school until they meet graduation requirements or through the semester that they turn 21, as permitted by state law. Such students will be subject to the graduation requirements which were in effect for their class when they entered or would have entered the 9th grade in Boulder Valley.
Transfer students will be held responsible for District requirements as Boulder Valley students. Course work completed outside the School District will be evaluated and approved for credit and for fulfillment of graduation requirements by the Principal or designee. In addition, Boulder Valley requires enrollment during the two semesters immediately prior to graduation and earning at least 50 credits in Boulder Valley School District to meet BVSD graduation requirements unless an exemption is granted by the Principal.
Exceptions to these credit requirements may be made by the Principal when such action is deemed in the best interest of the student and the school. When specific requirements are waived, the student must still complete the total of at least 240 credits for graduation.
SUBJECT AREA REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for a high school diploma, a student must have met the following minimum requirements in grades 9 through 12, and must also have received the recommendation of the high school principal for graduation. The graduation requirements for a student who graduates outside the typical four-year time frame will be the requirements identified at the time the student entered or would have entered 9th grade.
-
LANGUAGE ARTS: 40 CREDITS
10 credits 9th Language Arts 9
10 credits 10th Grade Language Arts
10 credits 11th Grade Language Arts
5 credits communication
5 credits additional Language Arts elective
-
SOCIAL STUDIES: 30 CREDITS
5 credits in U.S. Government
5 credits in Geography
10 credits in World History
10 credits in U.S. History
Must include a course that addresses genocide and holocaust studies.
-
MATHEMATICS: 30 CREDITS
30 credits which must include at least 10 credits in Algebra or higher level Mathematics
-
SCIENCE: 30 CREDITS
10 credits in courses designated as Life Sciences
10 credits in courses designated as Physical Sciences
10 additional science credits
-
PHYSICAL EDUCATION: 15 CREDITS
5 credits earned in grade 9 with the remaining 10 credits to be earned in grades 9-12
The Building Principal may waive a maximum of 10 of the 15 physical education credits based on participation in comparable school activities (i.e., two physical education credits may be waived for each CHSAA approved sport successfully completed or for each season of Marching Band successfully completed), comparable non-CHSAA school activities (i.e. mountain biking and ultimate frisbee) with number of credits depending on length of season and hours spent, or comparable activities outside the school program (i.e., supervised and/or structured physical activities of adequate rigor, with number of credits depending on intensity of activity and hours spent).
Waiver means only that the student need not complete the Policy requirement for physical education credits, but students are required to earn 240 units to fulfill the graduation requirements.
-
HEALTH EDUCATION: 5 CREDITS
-
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS: 5 CREDITS IN MUSIC, ART, OR THEATER
-
SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: 10 CREDITS
10 credits in World Language, level II or above, or, for English Language Learners, achievement of approved level of English language acquisition.
-
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES: 5 CREDITS
5 credits in computer science or applied technology, business, consumer and family studies, industrial technology, or career and technical education; and
Evidence of completion of a 12 hour course in Money Management and Personal Finance unless satisfied through another School District course.
-
ELECTIVE CREDITS: 70 CREDITS
Academic Courses: All additional courses taken that are not counted toward the subject area requirements, grades 9-12.
Community Service: A maximum of 5 credits of community service may be earned as an elective. Recommended: 15 or more hours of volunteer work equals 1 credit.
Independent Study: Independent study contracts, not to exceed a total of 30 units of credit, will be allowed for graduation credit. All contracts must be submitted in writing with prior approval by the teacher(s) and Principal. The sponsoring teacher will monitor the project and determine grade and credit upon completion of work.
CREDIT FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND HOME-BASED PROGRAMS
Students entering from outside the School District must meet the School District's course requirements. The Principal or Principal's designee shall determine whether credit toward course requirements shall be granted for courses taken outside the School District.
Only those online courses facilitated by BVSD are considered the equivalent of a BVSD course. Online courses completed outside the School District will be evaluated by the School District and approved for credit and for fulfillment of graduation requirements by the Principal or designee.
LEGAL REFS.:
C.R.S. 22-1-104 (teaching history, culture and civil government)
C.R.S. 22-2-136 (1)
C.R.S. 22-32-109 (1)(kk) (board to establish graduation requirements that "meet or exceed" state graduation guidelines)
C.R.S. 22-32-109 (1)(oo)(II)
C.R.S. 22-32-132 (discretion to award diploma to honorably discharged veterans)
C.R.S. 22-33-104.5 (home-based education law)
C.R.S. 22-35-101 et seq. (Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act)
1 CCR 301-81, Rule 2.01(1)
CROSS REFS.:
AE, Accountability/Commitment to Accomplishment
IGCD, Postsecondary Enrollment Options
IKA-IKAA-IKAB, Grading Systems/Final Examinations/Student Progress Reports to Parents
IKE, Promotion, Nonpromotion, and Acceleration of Students
JECD, Assignment of Transfer Students to Classes and Grade Levels
JEG, Exclusions and Exemptions from School Attendance (Home-Based Education)
End of File: IKF