Miss. Code. tit. 7, pt. 24, ACCREDITATION POLICIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, app 7-24-A-6
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
STANDARD 14
TRADITIONAL DIPLOMA
(Entering ninth graders in 2018-2019 and thereafter)
Each student graduating from a secondary school in an accredited school district will have earned the required Carnegie units as specified in the following table. Contents of each required and elective course must include the core objectives identified in the Mississippi College-and Career-Readiness 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 enrolled in grades 7-12 may be awarded a Carnegie unit credit provided the course content is a Carnegie unit bearing course in the current edition of the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi. Enrollment in online courses listed in this document must have prior approval granted by the principal.
Any student who completes the minimum graduation requirements as specified below and has met the requirements for each of the required high school assessments is eligible to receive a high school diploma. The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7.
Beginning school year 2018-2019 and thereafter, all entering ninth graders will be required to have a minimum of 24 Carnegie units as specified below. Student may earn the following endorsements to be added to the traditional diploma: Career and Technical Endorsement, Academic Endorsement, and/or Distinguished Academic Endorsement. The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7.
CURRICULUM AREA | CARNEGIE UNITS | REQUIRED SUBJECTS |
ENGLISH | 41 | English I, English II |
MATHEMATICS | 42 | Algebra I |
SCIENCE | 33 | Biology |
SOCIAL STUDIES | 31/2 | 1 World History4 1 U.S. History4 1/2 U.S. Government4 1/2 Economics5 1/2 Mississippi Studies6 |
PHYSICAL EDUCATION | 1/27 | 1/2 Physical Education |
HEALTH | 1/28 | 1/2 Contemporary Health |
TECHNOLOGY or COMPUTER SCIENCE | 19 | |
THE ARTS | 110 | |
COLLEGE-and CAREER-READINESS | 111 | |
ELECTIVES | 51/2 | |
TOTAL UNITS REQUIRED | 2412, 13, 14 |
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. Accelerated English 9 can be accepted in lieu of English I. Accelerated English 10 can be accepted in lieu of English I. English I is a required prerequisite course for English II. English I may not be taken after a student completes English II.
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. CCR Mathematics Grade 8, Ready for High School Mathematics, and Foundations of Algebra cannot be taken after a student has received a Carnegie unit in the CCR Algebra I course. The Ready for High School Mathematics course shall only be available for 8th grade or 9th grade students. Foundations of Algebra shall only be available for 9th grade students. MYP Geometry, MYP Algebra II, IB-DP Mathematics I, IB-DP Mathematics II, IB-DP Mathematical Studies II, and IB-DP Mathematical Studies I are allowable mathematics courses higher than Algebra I for IB students. Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics I may be accepted in lieu of Algebra I. One (1) of the four (4) required Carnegie units for mathematics may be in AP Computer Science Principles. If used for a mathematics unit, AP Computer Science Principles cannot then also be used for a science or computer science unit. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12.
3One (1) of the three (3) required Carnegie units for science may be in AP Computer Science Principles. If used for a science unit, AP Computer Science Principles cannot then also be used for a mathematics or computer science unit. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. Coordinated Science I or Cambridge IGCSE Biology may be accepted in lieu of Biology. The following courses may be accepted for a science credit above Biology: any AP, Cambridge, or IB-DP science course, any approved dual credit natural or physical science course, any MDE-approved Special Topics in Science course, Botany, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Environmental Science, Genetics, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Marine and Aquatic Science I and II, Physical Science, Physics, Zoology I and II, PLTW Principles of Engineering, PLTW Engineering Design and Development, PLTW Human Body Systems, PLTW Medical Interventions.
4Based on the 2022 Mississippi College-and Career-Readiness Standards for Social Studies, AP World History, DC World Civilization I, AP European History, or DC Western Civilization I may be accepted in lieu of the required World History from the Age of Enlightenment to Present course. AP United States History or DC United States History II may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History from Post-reconstruction to Present course. A student taking an AP or DC course in lieu of a course with a required end-of-course state test shall take the requisite MAAP test. AP Government and Politics: United States and DC American National may be accepted in lieu of the required United States Government course. IB-DP History of the Americas I may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History course for students enrolled in the IB program. IB-DP History of the Americas II may be accepted in lieu of the required Mississippi Studies, Economics, and/or U.S. Government courses for students enrolled in the IB program. MYP U.S. Government may be accepted in lieu of the required Government course for students enrolled in the IB program. Cambridge IGCSE American History or Cambridge International AS level history may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History from Post-reconstruction to Present course.
5A.P. Macroeconomics, A.P. Microeconomics, DC Macroeconomics, or DC Microeconomics can be taken in lieu of the required Economics course. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12.
6The Carnegie credit earned for a State/Local Government course in any other state by an out-of-state transfer student can stand in lieu of Mississippi Studies or Mississippi State and Local Government. If a transfer enters without a State/Local Government course, then any other one-half (1/2) unit social studies course (e.g., Civics, Law Related Education, Participation in American Democracy, Law and Policy, Contemporary Issues, etc.) may be accepted excluding U.S. Government and Economics. IB-DP History of the Americas II is accepted in lieu of the required Mississippi Studies, Economics, and/or U.S. Government courses for students enrolled in the IB program.
7The 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.
8Successful completion of JROTC I and JROTC II shall be accepted as requirement met for Contemporary Health to meet the 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.
9For approved course substitutions see Appendices A-12 and A-13.
10The 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 Arts requirement for students. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12.
11The purpose of the College and Career Readiness Course is to provide planning and instruction for postsecondary transition. The following courses are approved substitutions for the CCR course:
1. One (1) credit-bearing Carnegie unit of Career and Technical Work-Based Learning
2. Dual Credit SmartStart
3. JROTC III
4. Advanced Placement Seminar or equivalent International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Courses
5. Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior MS College and Career Readiness Seminar course for Early College High Schools.
*An out-of-state student who transfers after the completion of the first semester of their senior year may substitute any other one (1) unit social studies course or a combination of one-half (1/2) Personal Finance and one-half (1/2) social studies course.
The CCR course may be taught in one of the following sequences:
a. One (1) Carnegie unit Senior year only
b. One (1) Carnegie unit Junior year only
c. One-half (1/2) Carnegie unit in either freshman, sophomore, or junior year with the remaining one-half (1/2) Carnegie unit taught in either junior or senior year
d. One-fourth (1/4) Carnegie unit per year beginning with the freshman year
12Additional requirements above the 24 Carnegie units and the assessment requirements include:
* Students must identify an endorsement area prior to entering 9th grade. Endorsement requirements can only be changed with parental permission this includes dropping the endorsement to earn only the Traditional diploma.
* For early release, students must meet College-and Career-Readiness benchmarks of 17 in English and 19 in Math on the ACT sub-score OR earn a Silver level on the ACT WorkKeys suite of assessments. For seniors that have not met the benchmarks, to qualify for early release students, excluding those enrolled in credit-bearing work-based learning, must meet the following requirements:
* Have a GPA of 2.5 and have passed or meet the assessment option requirements for all four end-of-course assessments
AND
* Are on track to meet the diploma requirements
AND
* Are concurrently enrolled in the appropriate Essentials for College Math or another mathematics course above their Junior year mathematics course and/or Essentials for College Literacy or another English Language Arts course above their Junior level English Language Arts course.
OR
* Have a GPA of 2.5 and have passed or meet the assessment option requirements
AND
* Are on track to mee the diploma requirements
AND
* Students meet postsecondary requirements for placement and are enrolled in ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra or have previously earned credit for ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra
13Additional recommendations (not requirements) above the 24 Carnegie units and assessment requirements include:
* For early graduation, a student should successfully complete an area of endorsement
* Student should take a math or math equivalency senior year
14Courses designed using the Mississippi Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (MS AAAS) shall not be used as substitute courses or electives for students obtaining a traditional academic diploma with or without endorsements.
Miss. Code. tit. 7, pt. 24, ACCREDITATION POLICIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, app 7-24-A-6