OOLOGAH-TALALA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The Oologah-Talala Board of Education recognizes that a 12-year course of study in certain specific subject areas has proven to be beneficial in assisting students to become productive citizens and to prepare for advanced study. Therefore, it is the policy of the board of education that a minimum of 24 units of credit be earned in the subject areas listed below to be eligible for graduation. All students, in order to graduate from an Oklahoma public school, will be required to complete the “college preparatory/work ready curriculum units or sets of competencies” at the secondary level. A student will be allowed to enroll in the core curriculum in lieu of the requirements of the college preparatory/work ready curriculum upon the written approval of the parent or legal guardian of the student. Current state graduation requirements will be deemed to be the “core curriculum” option. The “college preparatory/work ready curriculum” will include the following:

4 units of English to include Grammar, Composition, Literature, or any English course approved for college admission requirements;

3 units of mathematics, limited to Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Math Analysis, Calculus, Advanced Placement Statistics or any mathematics course with content and/or rigor above Algebra I and approved for college admission requirements;

3 units of laboratory science, limited to Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or any laboratory science course with content and/or rigor equal to or above Biology and approved for college admission requirements;

3 units of history and citizenship skills, including one unit of American History, one-half unit of Oklahoma History, one-half unit of United States Government and one unit from the subjects of History, Government, Geography, Economics, Civics, or Non-Western culture and approved for college admission requirements;

2 units of the same world foreign or non-English language or two units of computer technology approved for college admission requirements, whether taught at a high school or technology center school, including computer programming, hardware, and business computer applications, such as word processing, databases, spreadsheets, and graphics, excluding keyboarding or typing courses;

1 additional unit selected from the above categories or career and technology education courses, concurrently enrolled course, Advanced Placement courses or International Baccalaureate courses approved for college admission requirements; and

1 unit or set of competencies of fine arts, such as music, art, or drama, or 1 unit or set of competencies of speech. In order to graduate from the district with a standard diploma, students shall complete the following core curriculum units at the secondary level:

Language Arts

4 units or sets of competencies

1 unit of Grammar and Composition and

3 units which may include American Literature

English Literature

World Literature

Advanced English Courses

Other English courses with content and/or rigor equal to or above grammar and composition

Social Studies

3 units or sets of competencies

1 unit of United States History

½ to 1 unit of United States Government

½ unit of Oklahoma History

½ unit to 1 unit which may include:

World History

Geography

Economics

Anthropology

Other social studies courses with content and/or rigor equal to or above United States History, United States Government, and Oklahoma history

Mathematics

3 units or sets of competencies

1 unit of Algebra I ¹

and 2 units which may include:

Algebra II

Geometry ¹

Trigonometry

Math Analysis or Precalculus

Statistics and/or Probability

Calculus

Computer Science I and II

Intermediate Algebra

Mathematics of Finance

Contextual mathematics courses that enhance technology preparation whether taught at a (1) comprehensive high school, or (2) technology center school when taken in the tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade, taught by a certified teacher, and approved by the State Board of Education and the district board of education

Mathematics courses taught at a technology center school by a teacher certified in the secondary subject area when taken in the tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade upon approval of the State Board of Education and the district board of education

Other mathematics courses with content and/or rigor equal to or above Algebra I

A science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) block course.

The Arts and Computer Education

1 unit or set of competencies which may include, but is not limited to, courses in Visual Arts and General Music and 1 unit or set of competencies of computer technology, whether taught at a high school or a technology center school, including computer programming, hardware and business computer applications, such as word processing, databases, spreadsheets, and graphics, excluding keyboarding or typing classes

Science

3 units or sets of competencies of laboratory science approved for college admission requirements:

1 unit or set of competencies of life science, meeting the standards for Biology I:

1 unit or set of competencies of physical science, meeting the standards for Physical Science, Chemistry or Physics; and 1 unit or set of competencies from the domains of physical science, life science or earth and space science such that content and rigor is above Biology I or Physical Science.

Electives

8 units or sets of competencies

In addition to the curriculum requirements, students shall complete the requirements for a personal financial literacy passport as set forth in the Passport to Financial Literacy Act.

All students are strongly encouraged to complete two units or sets of competencies of foreign world language classes and two units or sets of competencies of physical and health education as part of the core curriculum.

Credit may be given for the above-referenced classes when the courses are taken in the seventh or eighth grades if the teachers are certified or authorized by law to teach the subjects for high school credit and the required course rigor is maintained.

Courses offered by a supplemental education organization that is accredited by a national accrediting body and that are taught by a certified teacher and which provide for the teaching and learning of the appropriate skills and knowledge in the PASS OAS (Oklahoma Academic Standards) may, upon approval of the State Board of Education and the school district board of education, be counted for academic credit and toward meeting state graduation requirements.

No student will be allowed to receive credit more than once for completion of the same unit or sets of competencies. All of the above-referenced classes may not be offered by the district. However, sufficient courses shall be offered to allow students to meet the graduation requirements during the secondary grade years of the student.

The remaining units need to consist of coursework designed to meet the individual needs and interests of the student. However, all students in grades nine through twelve are required to enroll in a minimum of six periods, or the equivalent in block scheduling, of rigorous academic and/or rigorous vocational courses each day, which may include arts, vocal and instrumental music, speech classes, and physical education classes.

Students who transfer into this school district from out of state after their junior year of high school shall not be denied, because of differing graduation requirements, the opportunity to be awarded a standard diploma. This applies to students who would be unable to meet the specific graduation requirements listed above without extending the date of graduation. Exception from the graduation requirements will be based on rules established by the State Department of Education. All exceptions and the reasons therefor shall be reported to the State Department of Education on or before July 1 of each year.

All course credit earned through examination by students in required curriculum areas shall be appropriately noted on the student’s transcript and/or student record. Completion may be recorded with a letter grade or pass notation, credits earned by a student through examination in accordance with the provisions of 210:35-27-2 shall be transferrable to or from any other school district within the State of Oklahoma in which the student was enrolled, is currently enrolled, or may be enrolled. Credit for units of secondary coursework in curriculum areas required for graduation count toward meeting the requirements for the high school diploma.

Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, all students shall be required to receive instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the awareness of the purpose of an automated external defibrillator at least once between ninth grade and high school graduation. A school administrator may waive this requirement for an eligible student who has a disability. A student may also be excused from this requirement if a parent or guardian of the student objects in writing.

Students who start ninth grade prior to or during the 2016-2017 school year will be required to complete an assessment in order to graduate with a standard diploma. The assessment required will be one that is required or has been required by the Oklahoma School Testing Program or an alternate assessment as approved by the superintendent. The highest-achieved score on the assessment and any business and industry-recognized endorsements attained will be reflected on the student’s transcript.

Beginning with ninth graders in the 2021-2022 school year, in order to graduate from a public high school accredited by the State Board of Education, students shall pass the United States naturalization test. The United States naturalization test shall be provided at least once per school year, beginning as early as eighth grade. Students may retake the exam upon request and as often as desired until earning a passing score. A passing score shall be 60 out of 100 questions. The district shall exempt students with disabilities whose individualized education program (IEP), consistent with state law, indicates that the student is to be assessed with alternative achievement standards through the Oklahoma Alternative Assessment Program (OAAP).

REFERENCE: 70 O.S. § 11-103.2c

70 O.S. § 11-103.6

70 O.S. § 1210.199

70 O.S. § 1210.508

Adoption Date: June 13, 2022 Revision Date(s):