Miss. Code. tit. 7, pt. 24, ACCREDITATION POLICIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, app 7-24-A-10
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
STANDARD 14 ALTERNATE DIPLOMA OPTION
NOTE: This option shall be offered by districts for incoming ninth graders with significant cognitive disabilities in 2018-2019 and thereafter.
Only students identified by their Individualized Education Program Committee as having a significant cognitive disability, as defined by the current edition of Testing Students with Disabilities Regulations and Miss. Admin Code 7-3:78.1, State Board Policy Chapter 78, Rule 78.1, may be eligible to earn the Alternate Diploma. Each student graduating from a secondary school in an accredited school district with the Alternate Diploma will have earned the required units as specified in the following table. Contents of each required and elective course must include the core objectives identified in the State Board approved Alternate Academic Achievement Standards. Course titles and identification numbers must appear in the current edition of the Approved Courses for Secondary Schools of Mississippi. (See Miss. Admin. Code 7-3:28.2 and 28.3, State Board Policy, Chapter 28, Rules 28.2 and 28.3.) Students with significant cognitive disabilities enrolled in grades 7-12 may be awarded a credit provided the course content is a credit bearing course in the current edition of the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi.
Any student with a significant cognitive disability who completes the minimum graduation requirements as specified below and has achieved a level of Passing or Proficient on the end-of-course alternate assessments, is eligible to receive an Alternate Diploma. Students must participate in the alternate assessments during the year the student is enrolled in the corresponding courses (Alternate Biology, Alternate English II, Alternate Algebra). The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7.
The Alternate Diploma meets the requirements for graduation rate in the same manner as a Traditional Diploma. Students with this diploma must contact the postsecondary institution to determine Ability to Benefit (ATB) and eligibility for enrollment.
CURRICULUM AREA | CARNEGIE UNITS | REQUIRED SUBJECTS | GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE SUBSTITUTION |
ENGLISH | 41 | Alternate English I | CCR English I |
Alternate English II | CCR English II | ||
Alternate English III Alternate English IV | CCR English III CCR English IV Broadcast Journalism Debate Foundations of Journalism Mississippi Writers Oral Communications Print Journalism Survey of African American Writing Technical and Workplace Writing World Literature | ||
MATHEMATICS | 42 | Alternate Math I | CCR Compacted Math 7 CCR Compacted Math Grade 8 with Algebra I (prior to entering HS) Foundations of Algebra (Grade 9 only) |
Alternate Math II | CCR Compacted Math Grade 8 with Algebra I (prior to entering HS) Foundations of Algebra (Grade 9 only) Advanced Technical Mathematics | ||
Alternate Math III | Advanced Technical Mathematics (must be taken prior to CCR Algebra I) CCR Geometry CCR Algebra II (contingent on passing CCR Algebra I) | ||
Alternate Algebra | CCR Algebra I | ||
SCIENCE | 2 | Alternate Biology | Biology |
Alternate Science II | Courses worth 1 Carnegie Unit Physical Science Earth and Space Science Human Anatomy and Physiology Foundations of Biology OR Courses worth 1/2 Carnegie Unit Environmental Science Genetics Geology Zoology I Zoology II Astronomy Botany Foundations of Science Literacy | ||
SOCIAL STUDIES | 2 | Alternate History | US History |
Alternate Social Studies | Courses worth 1 Carnegie Unit World History Courses worth 1/2 Carnegie Unit Economics US Government Mississippi Studies Psychology Sociology World Geography | ||
HEALTH | 1/23 | Alternate Health | Contemporary Health Healthcare & Clinical Services I Theory and Application of Health Sciences JROTC I and II |
PHYSICAL EDUCATION | 1/24 | Physical Education | Physical Education |
CAREER READINESS | 45 | Career Readiness I-IV | Career Readiness was designed specifically for the Alternate Diploma |
LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT | 45 | Life Skills Development I-IV | Life Skills Development was designed specifically for the Alternate Diploma |
THE ARTS | 16 | The Arts | |
ELECTIVES | 2 | Any Carnegie unit credit bearing courses or a combination of 1/2 Carnegie unit credit bearing courses | |
TOTAL UNITS REQUIRED | 24 |
1Carnegie units earned for Compensatory English courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) English Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Compensatory English may be taken only if a credit-bearing English course is taken in the same school year.
2Carnegie units earned for Compensatory Mathematics courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) Math Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Compensatory Mathematics may be taken only if a credit-bearing Math course is taken in the same school year.
3Successful completion in JROTC I and JROTC II shall be accepted as requirement met for Contemporary Health to meet graduation requirement for one-half (1/2) Carnegie unit in Health. Dual credit Personal and Community Health may be accepted in lieu of the graduation requirement for one-half (1/2) Carnegie unit in Health. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12.
4The graduation requirement for one-half (1/2) unit in physical education may include participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music-Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. Only one (1) elective unit in physical education including participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music-Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association may be applied each year to the minimum 24 required Carnegie units. If a local district has graduation requirements above the state requirements, the district may award additional units as outlined in the local school board policy.
5Evidence of proficiency in technology is embedded in the course strands for both Career Readiness and Life Skills Development so that students with significant cognitive disabilities may be taught these skills within the natural environment assuring greater application and generalization of the skills.
6The Arts refers to Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. The following dual credit classes: Music Appreciation, Theatre Appreciation, or Art Appreciation may be accepted in lieu of the art requirement for students. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12.
Miss. Code. tit. 7, pt. 24, ACCREDITATION POLICIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, app 7-24-A-10