Foundation Graduation Program Every student in a Texas public school who entered grade 9 in the 2014–15 school year and thereafter will graduate under the “foundation graduation program”. Within the foundation graduation program are “endorsements,” which are paths of interest that include Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Business and Industry; Public Services; Arts and Humanities; and Multidisciplinary Studies. Endorsements earned by a student will be noted on the student’s transcript. The foundation graduation program also involves the term “distinguished level of achievement,” which reflects the completion of at least one endorsement and Algebra II as one of the required advanced mathematics credits. A personal graduation plan will be completed for each high school student, as described on page 48. law and rules prohibit a student from graduating solely under the foundation graduation program without an endorsement unless, after the student’s sophomore year, the student and student’s parent are advised of the specific benefits of graduating with an endorsement and submit written permission to the school counselor for the student to graduate without an endorsement. A student who anticipates graduating under the foundation graduation program without an endorsement and who wishes to attend a four-year university or college after graduation must carefully consider whether this will satisfy the admission requirements of the student’s desired college or university. Graduating under the foundation graduation program will also provide opportunities to earn “performance acknowledgments” that will be acknowledged on a student’s transcript. Performance acknowledgments are available for outstanding performance in bilingualism and in a dual credit course, on an AP or IB exam, on certain national college preparatory and readiness or college entrance exams, or for earning a state recognized or nationally or internationally recognized license or certificate. The criteria for earning these performance acknowledgments are prescribed by state rules, and the school counselor can provide more information about these acknowledgments. A student enrolled in high school prior to the 2014–15 school year has the option of graduating under the foundation graduation program rather than the programs identified above that would otherwise be applicable to that student. See the school counselor for additional information. The foundation graduation program requires completion of the following credits: Course Area Number of credits Foundation Graduation Program Number of credits Foundation Graduation Program with an Endorsement English/Language Arts 4 4 Mathematics 3 4* Science 3 4 Social Studies, including Economics 3 3 Physical Education** 1 1
Index absences attendance review committee, 85 doctor’s note, 20 excused, 17 extenuating circumstances, 19 for college visits, 17 for competition, 40 for playing "Taps", 17 makeup work, 66 military families, 12 parent’s note, 20 See also attendance. academic programs nontraditional, 69 parent involvement, 69 See also graduation, requirements. accelerated instruction defined, 85 accident insurance, 74 accountability of the school district, 20 ADA/Section 504 coordinator, 69 admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee, 55 admissions college and university, 26 University of Texas at Austin, 27 Advanced Placement (AP) courses, 27 advanced/distinguished program. See graduation programs anaphylaxis, 68 See also food allergies. asbestos, 62 assistance animals, 13 attendance, 16 college visits, 17 compulsory, 16 doctor’s note, 20 driver license, 20 extenuating circumstances, 19 for credit, 18 for final grade, 18 military families, 12 official attendance-taking time, 19 parent’s note, 20 principal’s plan, 18 attendance review committee, 19, 30 defined, 85 automatic admission, 26 awarding credit, 30 awards, 21 bacterial meningitis, 58 communicability, 59 defined, 58 prevention, 59 symptoms, 58 See also contagious diseases. bilingual programs, 14, 65 bullying, 21 counseling, 21 cyberbullying, 21 policy, 88 school safety transfer, 12 See also hazing. bus rules, 82 buses, 82 pick-up and drop-off locations, 82 required conduct, 82 routes and schedules, 82 career and technical education (CTE), 22 college credit courses, 27 counseling, 29 nondiscrimination statement, 22 Celebrate Freedom Week, 7 celebrations, 22 cell phones, 38 certificate of attendance, 55 certificate of coursework completion, 55 child abuse, 23 changes, 82 rank, 24 class schedules, 26 partial vs. full-time, 26 schedule changes, 75 classroom parties, 22 clubs. See extracurricular activities. college admissions, 26 credit, 27
University of Texas at Austin, 27 visits, 17 communicable diseases See contagious diseases. community and student engagement parental evaluation, 70 complaints, 11, 28 conduct, 28 at social events, 29 before and school, 75 disrupting school operations, 28 on school buses, 82 on school transportation, 29 use of hallways, 75 when school rules apply, 28 contagious diseases, 58 bacterial meningitis, 58 excluding from school, 58 leaving campus in case of illness, 65 corporal punishment, 4 correspondence courses. See distance learning. counseling academic, 29 at elementary and middle/junior high school, 29 personal, 30 postsecondary education, 29 credit by exam, 30 for acceleration or advancement, 30 with prior instruction, 30 without prior instruction, 30 credit recovery, 30 for coursework, 30 partial credit, 30 dating violence, 32 Declaration of Independence excusing a student from reciting, 7 Department of Public Safety (DPS), 20 diabetes, 68 directory information, 2, 4 disabled students, 14 discrimination, 32 distance learning, 34 distribution, 35 nonschool materials by others, 35 by students, 35 school materials, 35 dress code, 36 driver license, 20 verification of enrollment form, 20 dual-credit programs, 27 early mental health intervention, 81 earning credit, 30 elections for student clubs and organizations, 48 electronic media contact between student and 4 end-of-course (EOC) assessments, 80 special education, 56 students with disabilities, 56 English as a second language, 14, 65 English language learner, 14, 65 exams. See tests. extracurricular activities, 40 conduct, 41 eligibility, 40 fees, 48 meetings, 77 offices and elections for student and organizations, 48 fees, 48 graduation, 57 waivers, 49 fire drills, 74 Fitnessgram. See physical fitness assessment. food allergies, 60 management plan, 60 See also anaphylaxis. See also celebrations. foundation graduation program personal graduation plans (PGP), 55 fundraising, 49 gang-free zones, 49 gender-based harassment, 32, 33 grades, 50 classification by credits, 49 grading guidelines, 50 graduation, 50
activities, 56 certificates of coursework completion, 55 expenses, 57 individualized education program (IEP), 55 personal graduation plan (PGP) for middle school or junior high, 72 the foundation graduation program, 55 programs, 51 advanced/distinguished level of achievement, 26, 52 requirements, 50 for automatic college admissions, 26 student speakers, 57 students with disabilities, 55 See also credit; grades; standardized tests. grants, 57 grievances. See complaints. grooming standards, 36 hall pass, 75 harassment, 32 gender-based, 32, 33 investigation, 34 reporting, 33 retaliation, 33 sexual, 32 hazing, 57 See also bullying. head lice, 60 health education School Health Advisory Council, 70 health instruction, 3 health-related matters, 58 asbestos, 62 food allergies, 60 pest management, 62 physical fitness, 60, 61 sunscreen, 68 vending machines, 61 homeless students, 62 homework, 62, 69 electronic and social media, 4 See also makeup work. honors, 21 sexuality instruction, 6 curriculum, 7 removing a child from class, 7 reviewing materials, 7 IEP. See individualized education program (IEP). illness leaving campus, 65 See also contagious diseases. immunization, 62 exemptions for reasons of conscience, 62 medical exemptions, 63 required immunizations, 63 individualized education program (IEP) and eligibility for extracurricular activities, 40 defined, 85 graduation, 55 instructional materials, 8, 9, 82 International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, 27 joint high-school and college programs, 27 laptops, 38 law enforcement, 63 notification of law violations, 64 questioning of students, 63 students taken into custody, 63 verification of officer’s identity and authority, 64 learning difficulties, 13 leaving campus, 64 during lunch, 65 in case of student illness, 65 signing a student out, 64 legal guardian defined, 1 liaison for homeless children and youths, 62 library, 77 lice. See head lice. limited English proficiency (LEP), 65 STAAR-L, 80 lost and found, 66 makeup work, 66 during in-school suspension, 67 for absences, 66 in DAEP, 67 penalties, 67 medical emergency, 74
medicine, 67 allergies, 68 asthma, 68 diabetes, 68 herbal or dietary supplements, 68 nonprescription, 68 prescription, 67 psychotropic drugs, 68 sunscreen, 68 meditation, 71 meetings of noncurriculum-related groups, 77 mental health, 81 intervention, 81 military families, 12 military recruiters, 5 minimum program. See graduation programs minute of silence, 7, 71 in observance of September 11, 2001, 71 mobile phones, 38 multiple birth siblings, 12 netbooks, 38 newspaper (school newspaper), 35 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, 85 no pass, no play, 34, 40 nondiscrimination, 69 organizations, student. See extracurricular activities. parent access to student records, 9 involved, 69 defined, 1 evaluating school and community engagement, 70 noncustodial, 8 organizations, 70 rights, 3 volunteering, 70 parent involvement coordinator, 70 parenting and paternity awareness, 3 pediculosis. See head lice. personal appearance, 36 personal graduation plan (PGP) for middle school or junior high, 72 the foundation graduation program, 55 pest management, 62 physical activity, 60 physical examinations, 6 athletic participation, 70 physical fitness assessment, 61 pledges of allegiance, 71 excusing a student from reciting, 7 police. See law enforcement. police dogs, 78 prayer, 71 privacy and personal telecommunications devices, 38 during an investigation of prohibited conduct, 34 85 on district-owned equipment and networks, 77 student records, 9, 11 programs before and school, 75 progress reports, 73 prohibited conduct, 31 investigation, 34 reporting, 33 See also bullying; dating violence; discrimination; harassment; hazing; retaliation; sexting; vandalism; video cameras. promotion and retention, 71 personal graduation plan (PGP) for middle school or junior high, 72 71 See also credit; grades; standardized tests. protected information, 5 psychological evaluation, 3 published material from outside sources, 35 from students, 35 school materials, 35 recommended program. See graduation programs recording permission, 3 without parental consent, 3
release of students from school. See leaving campus. religion and immunization, 62 and surveys, 5 nondiscrimination, 69 religious or moral beliefs and removal from the classroom, 7 report cards, 73 parent’s signature, 73 parent-teacher conferences, 73 See also grades. retaliation, 22, 33 rights noncustodial parent, 8 parental, 3 student, 5 safety, 74 emergency medical treatment and information, 74 emergency preparedness, 74 emergency school closing, 74 fire, tornado, and severe weather drills, 74 football helmets, 40 insurance, 74 on campus, 74 on district vehicles, 74 preparedness drills, 74 student conduct, 74 UIL rules, 40 cameras, 83 schedules. See class schedules. scholarships, 57 school closings, 74 school dances, 29 school facilities, 75 before and after school, 75 meetings, 77 School Health Advisory Council, 6, 61 defined, 86 school nurse, 59, 63, 65, 68 emergency medical treatment and information, 74 sending a student home in case of illness, 65 student exemption from immunization, 63 searches, 77 and lockers, 77 district-owned equipment and networks, 77 personal electronic devices, 38, 77 trained dogs, 78 vehicles, 78 Section 504. See students with disabilities. service animals, 13 sex education. See human sexuality instruction. sexting, 39 sexual of a child, 23 counseling options, 23 reporting, 23 warning 23 sexual harassment, 32 SHAC. See School Health Advisory Council. signing a student out. See leaving campus. special education, 13, 14 graduation, 55 standardized tests, 56 special programs, 78 coordinator, 78 standardized tests, 78 end-of-course (EOC) assessments, 80 limited English proficiency (LEP), 66 special education, 56 STAAR, 79 students with disabilities, 56 TSI assessment, 79 tutoring, 7 See also credit; grades; graduation; promotion and retention. State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), 79 defined, 86 promotion and retention, 71 retaking, 72 80 STAAR-Alternate 2, 80 80 Student Code of Conduct, 1, 8, 28, 35, 38, 39, 41, 57, 75, 78, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85 student groups, 48, 49, 77
See also extracurricular activities. student illness leaving campus, 65 See also contagious diseases. student records, 8, 9 accrediting organizations, 10 colleges and postsecondary schools, 10 confidentiality, 9 copies, 10 corrections, 11 court orders, 10 custodian, 10 directory information, 4, 5 driver license attendance verification, 20 financial aid, 10 government agencies, 10 institutions of higher education, 5 military recruiters, 5 released with permission, 10 school officials, 9 students 18 or older, 9 student speakers, 81 See also graduation, student speakers. student work display of, 3 publishing, 3 students with disabilities, 14 graduation, 55 nondiscrimination, 69 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 14, 69 standardized tests, 56 students with learning difficulties, 13 substance prevention and intervention, 81 suicide awareness, 81 summer school, 81 surveys, 5 inspecting, 6 opting out, 6 tablets, 38 tardiness, 81 teacher and staff qualifications, 11 technology, 38 acceptable use of district resources, 39 confiscated devices, 38 instructional use of personal electronic devices, 39 personal electronic devices, 38 personal telecommunications devices, 38 prohibited uses of district resources, 39 recording still and video images prohibited, 38 searches of personal devices, 38 unauthorized use, 38 test preparation. See tutoring. tests, 7, 8 confidentiality, 9 credit by exam, 30 exams for accleration or grade advancement, 30 personal electronic devices, 38 scores, 8 See also standardized tests. Texas Success Initiative (TSI) assessment, 79 Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN), 27, 34 textbooks, 8, 82 Title IX Coordinator, 69 top 25 percent, 26 top ten percent, 26 tornado drills, 74 transfers, 82 multiple birth siblings, 12 safety reasons, 12 special education, 14 students who are victims of bullying, 22 students who engage in bullying, 12, 22 victims of bullying, 12 transportation, 82 school-sponsored trips, 82 tutoring, 7 removal from classroom, 7 school services, 8 UIL. See University Interscholastic League. university admissions. See college admissions. University Interscholastic League (UIL), 40 condition of football helmets, 40 safety rules, 40 use of school facilities, 75
vandalism, 83 vending machines. See health, vending machines. cameras, 83 visitors, 84 career day, 84 classroom observation, 84 parents, 84 vocational education. See career and technical education (CTE). volunteers, 70 voter registration, 84 withdrawing from school, 84 yearbook, 35