Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements
Graduation requirements for the Joplin School District, effective with the graduating class of 2010, shall be a minimum of 25 units of credit completed during grade nine and above. The Board authorizes the superintendent or designee the responsibility of specific courses students must pass, the order courses are offered, and the necessary course prerequisites.
In addition to the required units of credit, students must also attend the Joplin School District, or in combination with anothe rapproved high school program, a total of eight semesters during grades nine through twelve. Any deviation from the eight-semester attendance requirement must be approved by the Board of Education or the Superintendent.
Graduation requirements specific to the various programs offered by the district shall be included in student handbooks and approved by the Board of Education.
Minimum high school graduation requirements contain the course requirements set by the State of Missouri and the Joplin Board of Education for high school graduation. It is the goal of the Joplin School District that students completing this program will become contributing and self-sufficient citizens in our democratic society.
Minimum High School Graduation Requirements
The units of credit required for graduation shall be as follows:
Communication Arts – 4 units required
Mathematics – 3 units required
Science – 3 units required
Social Studies –3 units required
Physical Education – 1 unit required
Health .5 unit required
Practical Arts – 1 unit required
Fine Arts – 1 unit required
Personal Finance – .5 unit required
Electives – 8 units required
TWENTY FIVE (25) TOTAL UNITS AND EIGHT SEMESTERS OF ATTENDANCE ARE REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION
Graduation Honors
Cum Laude Academic Honor System
The cum laude system will recognize academic excellence at graduation with the following GPA standards for levels of achievement and recognition after 8 successful semesters of high school attendance:
4.2 GPA and above = Summa Cum Laude
4.0 – 4.19 GPA = Magna Cum Laude
3.85 – 3.99 GPA = Cum Laude
All students that have taken a minimum of 27 (graded) credits, completed the courses listed in the college prep curriculum, and have been enrolled as a *full-time equivalent student for 8 semesters are eligible for consideration for graduation honors.
*Full-Time Equivalent Student = Any student who is enrolled and participating in a full schedule of classes offered during a regular school day.
In the event a student has taken all the courses offered in the core college prep curriculum of a particular discipline during high school, and he/she wishes to take advanced courses beyond the present high school offerings, the student can petition the principal to substitute a college course/s on an equivalent basis to high school courses in terms of hours of instruction, and the student can remain eligible for high school academic honors (cum laude honors).
As student’s names are read at commencement, the cum laude honors designation will be announced and awarded.
GPA & Class Rank
At the end of semester, the class rank and the weighted class rank will be computed for students in the 11th and 12th grades. Students should be aware of the following information related to class rank.
The GPA is figured at the beginning of the junior year and refigured each semester hereafter.
Rank is not computed for 9th and 10th grades.
Seniors and juniors must contact the guidance office for their GPA and class rank.
All classes are included in computing a students’ GPA and class rank. If a student repeats a class both grades are included.
Class rank will be reported on final individual students' transcripts. To be eligible for final class rank a student must attend at least one full school year (two consecutive semesters - at the end of his/her high school career) at Joplin HS.
Definitions for recording courses on a transcript for purposes of class rank:
Graded credits = course taken by a students in grades 9-12 whereby a letter grade of A, B, C, D, of F is awarded. Only classes taken in grades 9-12 will count towards both graduation honors and class rank.
Note: All Pass/Fail courses, courses taken outside the regular school day, correspondence courses, non-graded independent study courses, etc… will not count as graded credits.
Full -Time Equivalent Student = Any student who is enrolled and participating in a full schedule of classes offered during a regular school day.
Grade Point Average (GPA) = The Grade Point Average is an accumulative numerical average of all grades earned during high school.