1. Four Year Graduation Plans in Elkhart ISD
Updated February 21, 2017
“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.”
~Pablo Picasso

2. Graduation Plans Distinguished Level of Achievement Foundation Program
with an Endorsement
Distinguished Level
of Achievement
There are two options within the Foundation High School Graduation Program.
• The Foundation with Endorsement requires 26 state credits for graduation.
• And the Distinguished Level of Achievement replaces the current Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP) as the highest graduation plan in the state of Texas. The Distinguished Level of Achievement is the default plan for all Humble ISD students on the Foundation High School Program.
• More information of each of these plans is available later in this presentation

3. ? What is an endorsement? An endorsement is a broad area of study
It’s a bit like a college major
So what is an endorsement, anyway? An endorsement is a broad area of study, a little bit like a college major, but much more broad.
An endorsement sets a student apart. Did you know that while students who are in the top 10 percent of their graduating class are eligible for automatic admission to any public university in Texas, except for the University of Texas, that admission to a university does not guarantee acceptance into a particular college of study or department? Many of these departments have very competitive admissions requirements. When college admissions counselors look at the application of a student with an endorsement, they will see a student who is not only prepared to succeed at the postsecondary level, but who has a clear vision of what he or she wants to accomplish in school and in life!

4. Why are students being pushed to choose a career pathway?
Students with career goals are 16% more likely to graduate from high school.
Students who participate in CTE (Career Technology Education) courses are 30% more likely to complete high school.
Students with well-defined career goals are more likely to persist in college.
Students with well-defined career goals are more likely to attain jobs in their chosen career field after college.
There are a number of very good reasons why students need to plan for a career pathway. First, Students with career goals are 16% more likely to graduate from high school. In addition, students who participate in Career and Technical courses are 30% more likely to complete high school. Students with well-defined career goals are also more likely to persist in college. Finally, and maybe most important for parents, students with well-defined career goals are more likely to attain jobs in their chosen career field after college!

5. Why choose so early?
Having a plan early allows you the chance to take advantage of all the opportunities that exist in Elkhart ISD.
Choosing your path early does not “lock” you in to that path. You can change your mind!
Exploring options early gives you a chance to figure out what you like and what you don’t.
Did you know that Humble ISD offers courses in all 16 of the national career clusters? Students in Humble have the opportunity to study everything from floral design to rocket science! Having a plan early allows our students to take advantage of all the opportunities that exist in Humble ISD.
It’s important that students and their parents understand that choosing a path early does not lock a student into that path. Students can and will change their minds! That’s where the campus counselor can help. He or she will be there to help students navigate the career exploration process.
Besides, exploring options early gives students the chance to figure out what they like and what they don’t like. And parents, unlike college, these courses are either free or have a small materials fee!

6. 5 Different Endorsements
STEM
Business and Industry
Arts and Humanities
Public Service
Multidisciplinary
Each Endorsement Requires 4 Additional Credits

7. Endorsements
A student may earn an endorsement by successfully completing:
Foundation Curriculum Requirements
One Additional Science Credit
One Additional Math Credit
2 Additional Electives

8. STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)
Required Courses:
Algebra II, Chemistry, & Physics
And
Career Cluster:
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Includes Courses Directly Related to:
Computer Science
CTE
Advanced Math (above Algebra II)
Science
Combination of the four above

9. Business & Industry
Requires Courses: Additional Math Courses and Science Career Clusters: Agriculture Courses, Finance Courses, Technology Courses, Business Courses, Arts Includes Courses Directly Related to: Business and Industry Yearbook- Three levels

10. Arts and Humanities
Required Courses: Additional Math and *Science (May be substituted with approval for another course in ELA, social studies, LOTE or Fine Arts) Includes Courses Directly Related to: Social Studies Or Languages Other Than English Fine Arts-Art, Dance, Music, &Theatre

11. Public Services
Required Courses: Additional Math and Science Career Cluster: Education, Health Science, and Human Services Includes Courses Directly Related to: Public Services CTE Career Clusters

12. Multidisciplinary Studies
Required Courses: Additional Math and Science Includes Courses Directly Related to: Advanced Courses (Prepares for workforce or postsecondary education) Or 4X4 (Includes English 4, Chemistry and/or Physics) Advanced Placement or Dual Credit

13. FYI
ALL CTE endorsements may include Speech (Professional Communications), Business Information Management, and Career Prep Courses

14. How will colleges view the new graduation requirements?
Because the new graduation requirements are fairly new, no one knows exactly how the new requirements will affect college admissions.
Therefore, it is VERY important for parents and students to check the specific admission requirements for any college a student may be interested in attending.

15. Sample College Admissions Requirements
English
Math
Science
Social Studies
LOTE
U of Houston- Main 4 3 2
(2)
TX A&M
UT Austin
3 (4)
2 (3)
TX State
Baylor
UT San Antonio
Texas Tech
Sam Houston State
Stephen F Austin
(4)
Rice
2 (4)
UT Dallas
LSU
TCU
Lamar
2.5
This slide is a sample of some of the admissions requirements for some of the colleges that Humble ISD students are most interested in attending. Remember, checking the specific admission requirements for any college a student may be interested in attending is ALWAYS a good idea!
Numbers are credit requirements for admissions.
Numbers in parenthesis are recommended subject credit(s) for admissions.

16. What’s a credit?
High school students earn a half-credit for successful completion of each course each semester.
Semester average must be 70% or better.
Students may earn credit if the year-end average is 70% or better.
Attendance matters! Students who fail to be in class 90% of the time may lose credit for the course.
26 credits are required for graduation.
Before building your course plan, it’s important to understand the requirements for a high school diploma. When you earn a semester average of 70 or higher, you will complete a ½ credit toward your graduation plan.

17. College Level Courses Available in most subject areas
Elkhart ISD offers a variety of pre-college and college level courses. All students whose career pathway requires a post-secondary education should consider preparing for the challenges of college by taking advantage of the these courses.
Available in most subject areas
Teacher input is valuable in making this decision
Prepare for college
May earn college credits in 10th, 11th & 12th grade through Dual Credit courses, AP exams
Before we go into greater detail on the next few slides about the graduation requirements, be aware that most academic courses may be taken on the regular level or as a PreAP or AP class. Talk to your teachers and counselor about whether you should take PreAP and AP classes in high school. PreAP and AP courses count for a higher grade point, help you prepare for college, and allow you to earn college credits while still in high school.

18. Who should take PreAP and AP classes?
Students who are:
Self-motivated
Hard-working
Challenge-seeking
Capable of handling faster pace
Willing to invest extra time, but still keep BALANCE
Planning to pursue a highly competitive field
You should take PreAP and AP courses if you can handle the rigor and are up to the challenge. Students planning to enter highly competitive fields such as health sciences, engineering, law, and others should take as many advanced courses as possible.

19. English Graduation Requirements
Recommendations:
Choose a challenging level of rigor that prepares you for your career goals.
The 4th English should be a bridge between high school and post-secondary goals. Elkhart ISD recommends taking a college-level course at least by senior year for those students planning on going to college.
English I (EOC)
English II (EOC)
And now for the general high school requirements. The 4 credits in English include English 1, 2, and 3. You may choose from on-level or PreAP for English 1 and 2. 11th graders have the option of on-level English 3 or AP English 3. If a student takes AP English 3, he or she may take the AP exam at the end of the year and depending on the score, may earn college credit. A senior can take on-level English 4 OR AP English 4 OR Dual Credit English 4, which counts for high school honors grade points and earns 6 college credit hours in ENGL 1301 and ENGL 1302.
English III
English IV

20. Math Graduation Requirements
Recommendations:
Choose challenging math courses that will prepare you for your career goals.
The 4th math course should be a bridge between high school and post-secondary goals. Elkhart ISD recommends taking a college-level course at least by senior year for those students planning on going to college.
Algebra I (EOC)
Geometry
The high school math sequence starts with Algebra 1. After Algebra 1, students choose from on-level Geometry or Geometry PreAP, THEN they take Algebra 2, either on-level or PreAP. After Algebra 2, it’s important to consider your career pathway and choose the math that will be most useful for your future. Humble ISD recommends a college level math course after Algebra 2 for those students planning on attending college.
Recommend Algebra 2
and 1 additional credit

21. Science Graduation Requirements
Recommendations:
Choose a challenging level of rigor that prepares you for your career goals.
Students may take either IPC or Biology their freshman year.
Biology (EOC)
Laboratory-based Courses:
IPC
Chemistry
PAP Chemistry
Physics
Anatomy& Physiology
AP Physics
1 credit lab-based course
2 additional credits
Note: Students may not take IPC after taking Chemistry or Physics.

22. U.S. Government and Economics
Social Studies Graduation Requirements
Recommendations:
Choose a challenging level of rigor that prepares you for your career goals.
World History or World Geography
U.S. History (EOC)
U.S. Government and Economics
Note: All students are required to take US History in the junior year.

23. Plan for your extracurricular activities!
Agriculture competitions
Athletics
Cheerleading
Fine Arts
Once you’ve met the standard credit requirement, additional courses count as electives

24. Plan for your Endorsement
All students must choose an Endorsement.
Each Endorsement requires a series of courses.
Most of these courses have a required sequence.
Students may earn more than one Endorsement.

25. OTHER Graduation Requirements
2 Credits LOTE
1 Credit Physical Ed.
1 Credit Fine Art
Total of 26 Credits

26. How Do I Graduate Distinguished?
To graduate with distinguished achievement, a student must complete:
Foundation Curriculum Requirements
An Endorsement
Algebra II
To be considered in the Top 10% of the class for automatic admission to a public university, a student must graduate with DISTINGUSHED ACHIEVEMENT…

27. Performance Acknowledgements
Outstanding performance in:
Dual Credit: Taking at least 12 hours and earning a 90 or 3.0
AP Exams: Score of 3 or higher
PSAT: Commended Scholar or Higher, ACT: Earning a 28 or higher excluding writing, or SAT: Earning a combined score of 1250
Business or Industry Certificate or License

29. How can parents help? Partner with counselors & teachers.
Ask questions!!!
Learn more –visit the Elkhart ISD websites frequently.
View your child’s PGP, talk about goals, interest & values
Check your child’s four year plans before you allow your child to submit the plan to his or her counselor.

30. Questions? For more information:
Visit with your child’s professional school counselor at his or her campus