Graduation
Requirements
Note: These requirements begin with the graduating class of 2011.
The high school diploma awarded by the Denver Public Schools represents a high standard of quality in curriculum content, instruction, and student learning, and should be maintained as a document that reflects substantial effort by the student and the school district in preparation for the world of work or higher education.
General or the Combined General and IEP Course of Study Requirements
Two hundred forty semester hours (24 units) shall be required for students to graduate from high school and receive a high school diploma. Transcripts shall reflect differences in program content. The content area requirements are as listed below:
| General Course of Study Diploma Requirements | Semester | Carnegie |
| Course | (Years) | 1. Language Arts—A minimum of forty semester hours (4 units) shall be earned including ten semester hours (1 unit) of Introduction to Literature and Composition 1 & 2 and ten semester hours (1 unit) of American Literature 1 & 2. Ten semester hours (1 unit) World Literature, or upper division writing course. Ten semester hours (1 unit) other Language Arts. | 40 | 4.0 |
| 2. Mathematics—Forty semester hours (4 units) shall be earned. Ten semester hours (1 unit) of algebra or its integrated equivalent and ten semester hours (1 unit ) of geometry or its integrated equivalent are required. Students are required to take an additional 2 units of math, a higher level than algebra | 40 | 4.0 |
| 3. Science—Thirty semester hours (3 units) shall be earned including ten semester hours (1 unit) Earth Science, ten se-mester hours (1unit) of Biology 1 & 2, and ten semester hours (1 unit) of Chemistry or Physics. | 30 | 3.0 |
| 4. Social Studies—Thirty semester hours (3 units) shall be earned. Ten semester hours (1 unit) in U.S History, five se-mester hours (.5 unit) in Civics and ten semester hours (1 unit) of Geography are required. The additional .5 units are a Social studies elective. | 30 | 3.0 |
| 5. Physical Education/Dance, Citywide Marching Band, ROTC, or DPS Athletics– Ten semester hours (1 unit) shall be earned or exempted for athletic participation. | 10 | 1.0 |
| 6. World Language—Twenty semester hours ( 2 units) shall be earned in the same World Language such as French, Spanish, or any other language offered in Denver Public Schools | 20 | 2.0 |
| Electives - Seventy semester hours (7.0 units) shall be earned
Academic Electives - Ten semester hours (1 unit) of Fine Arts which include art, dance, drama, and music. Ten semester hours (1 unit) academic elective, which include English/Social Studies Electives, Career and Technical Education courses, AVID, Gear-Up, and A.P/I.B courses. Other Electives—Within the 240 semester hours (24 units) required for graduation, 50 semester hours (5.0 units) are available for electives. An extensive elective program is offered in the core curriculum subjects. In addition, students may choose electives in art, business/marketing, consumer and family studies, foreign language, industrial/technology, music, physical education/dance, or special offerings. Community-based experience—Within the 240 semester hours (22 units) required for a diploma, a minimum of 220 semester hours (21 units) shall be earned in classroom-based instruction. Students may, therefore, earn and apply a maximum of twenty semester hours (2 units) of community-based experience toward graduation requirements. These experiences may include, but are not limited to, field or service experiences, work experiences, and internships. |
70 | 7.0 |
| Total | 240 | 24.0 |
General Information
In the high schools, individual programs are established for students. It shall be the joint responsibility of each school, student, and parent to give careful attention to the educational and career goals of the student. Declared Area of Focus: Every student, during the first semester of his/her Junior year, will declare an “area of focus.” The student will need to engage in at least 1.0 unit of study, beyond the graduation requirement, of a particular content area (but not necessarily beyond the required of 240 semester hours), and develop a portfolio of his/her learning that demon-strates both the depth and academic understanding and communicates his/her intended application of this understanding in life beyond high school.
High School credits may not be earned in middle school. Example: a student who completes Algebra 1 in MS, still must take 4 years of math in high school.
Exemptions
Athletic sports that are sanctioned by the Denver Public Schools’ Board of Education and meet the criteria below may exempt a student from the physical education graduation requirement. No grade or credit will be given for athletic participation and such exemptions will not reduce the total number of hours required to earn a diploma. Both semesters of the physical education requirement may be exempted by athletic par-ticipation.
Criteria governing physical education exemptions:
- The student must maintain academic eligibility for the entire season.
- One full sport season is required to exempt a student from five semester hours (5 units) of PE requirement.
- A student must be a high school freshman, sophomore, or junior to qualify for the exemption. Seniors who have not yet met the physical education requirement are not allowed to take this exemption and must enroll in a physical education course.
A high school diploma from Denver Public Schools certifies that a student has fulfilled all graduation requirements in one of five course areas:
- The General Course of Study
- Individualized Education Program (IEP)*
- Combined General and IEP*
Additional Information Regarding Requirements
Students who are unsatisfactory or partially proficient in math and Literacy CSAP will be double blocked during their 9th grade year, and in some cases their 10th grade year. This additional blocked class counts as an academic elective credit.
A student may register for 70 credit hours, (35 credits per semes-ter) during the regular school year. The limit may be increased to 80 credits, (5 additional credits per semester) with special permis-sion from the principal.
The maximum number of credits a student may earn in summer school is 10 semester hours.
Graduation Exercises
To participate in commencement exercises with their class, stu-dents must complete the equivalent of 240 hours and also complete all required classes by the end of their senior year.
Transfer Students
A transfer student from outside the Denver Public Schools must meet the requirements to receive a diploma from the Denver Public Schools. All graduation requirements must be met prior to gradua-tion, including attendance in the Denver Public Schools for at least two semesters, with a minimum of 50 semester hours (5 units) of credit earned.
Valedictorian/Salutatorian
The average of all eight semesters are used to determine each school’s valedictorian salutatorian. Students must be enrolled in their school of attendance for a minimum of three (3) years and achieve the highest grade point average in their graduating class in order to qualify and be the class valedictorian/salutatorian.
Grade Level Classification of Students
| 60 semester hours | Sophomore |
| 120 semester hours | Junior |
| 180 semester hours | Senior |
| 240 semester hours | Award Diploma |
Work Experience and Study Requirements
Two hundred forty semester hours (24 units) will be required in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12, and/or through the first semester after the student’s twenty-first (21st) birthday, from courses approved by the school principal and determined by the staffing team. Transcripts will reflect differences in program content. The content areas and work study requirements are as listed below:
| Combined General and IEP Course of Study Diploma Requirements | Semester Hours Required | Carnegie Units Required |
| Course | (years) | |
| WORK EXPERIENCE AND STUDY REQUIREMENTS (WES) | ||
| Language Arts—A minimum of forty semester hours (4 units) shall be earned. | 30 | 3.0 |
| Social Studies—Twenty semester hours (2 units) shall be earned. Ten semester hours (1 unit) in vocations and/or transition classes are required. | 20 | 2.0 |
| Science—Ten semester hours (1 unit) shall be earned | 10 | 1.0 |
| Mathematics—Twenty semester hours (2 units) shall be earned | 20 | 2.0 |
| Physical Education/Dance, Citywide Marching Band, or ROTC—Ten semester hours (1 unit) shall be earned; unless otherwise specified by the IEP. | 10 | 1.0 |
| Electives—Seventy semester hours (7 units) shall be earned and may include additional hours of work experience. Ten hours (1 unit) of Fine Arts which include art, dance, drama, and music. | 90 | 9.0 |
| Work Experience and Study—Sixty semester hours (6 units) of work experience(s) earned in special education. | 60 | 6.0 |
| INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP) REQUIREMENTS | ||
| The Individualized Education Program (IEP) will constitute the course of study or substitute for the curriculum/content standard approved by the Board of Education. In making determinations for earning a diploma, assessment instruments will be selected and administered so as to best ensure that when an assessment is administered to a stu-dent with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills, the test results accurately reflect the student’s aptitude or achievement level rather than reflecting the student’s impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills.
1) Students with severe and profound disabling conditions that interfere with their ability to meet the requirements for either of the above courses of study and have satisfied the requirements of an Individualized Education Pro-gram shall graduate with a high school diploma. 2) Students must attend school regularly in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12, and/or through the first semester after the stu- | ||
| Total | 220 | 22.0 |
Students with Disabilities
The following Course of Study areas may be used to earn a Denver Public Schools diploma:
- Students with disabilities who meet the requirements of a General Course of Study shall receive a Denver Public Schools Diploma.
- Students with disabilities who meet the requirements of the Combined General and Individualized Education Program (IEP) Course of Study shall receive a Denver Public Schools Diploma.
- Students with disabilities who meet the requirements of a Work Experience and Study Program shall receive a Denver Public Schools Diploma.
- Students with severe and profound disabling conditions that interfere with their ability to meet the requirements for either of the above courses of study and have satisfied the requirement of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) shall receive a Denver Pub-lic Schools Diploma.
Contact your child’s counselor or special education teacher for definitive Course of Study requirements.
The course of study completed by the student will be reflected on the student’s official transcript.
Certificate of Attendance
Students who attend school regularly but do not meet the course of study requirements in any of the three course of study areas may be awarded a Certificate of Attendance.
- Work Experience and Study*
- Apex Diploma (Fast College Fast Jobs)
*The Combined General and Individualized Education Program (IEP), Work Experience and Study and the IEP options are available only to students with identified special education needs or to students whose transcripts reflect one or more core academic or elective course credits as special education. A student’s course of study is not reflected in a differentiated diploma, but rather in the student’s transcript. Every student diploma will state, “This diploma is reflective of the student’s course of study as recorded on an official transcript.”
At least four years (eight semesters) of attendance is required for students to complete grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, except that:
- students with a 3.0 GPA who have completed all core curriculum/elective requirements and 240 semester hours (24 units) may graduate in seven semesters.
- students with a 3.5 GPA who have completed all core curriculum/elective requirements and 240 semester hours (24 units) may graduate in six semesters.
