Graduation Requirements

	Required Course Credit
Students are required to complete 25 credit hours of study shown below
Subject	D51 Credit Requirements	Higher Education Admission Recommendations (HEAR) Credits  See Pathway of Distinction	D51 Required Courses in each Content Area
English Language Arts	4	4	4.0 credits of English Language Arts, consisting of: 1.0 credit of Comp/Lit 9  1.0 credit of Comp/Lit 10  1.0 credit of Comp/Lit 11  0.5 credit of Comp/Lit 12 0.5 credit of English Elective  Alternative honors, AP, IB, or concurrent enrollment English courses can earn core credit in lieu of some courses named above (AP Seminar, AP Research, AP Language, AP Literature, IB Literature and Language, CMU 111, CMU 112) See D51 Core ELA Course Pathway
Math	3	4	3.0 credits of Mathematics from among the following: 1.0 Topics in Mathematics 1.0 Algebra 1 1.0 Geometry 1.0 Algebra 2 0.5 Personal Finance Business Mathematics Application of Statistics Alternative AP, IB, or concurrent enrollment Mathematics courses can earn core credit in lieu of some courses named above (AP Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, IB Applications and Analysis)  See D51 Core Math Course Pathway
Science	3	3	3.0 credits of Science, consisting of (beginning with the class of 2027): 1.0 credit of Biology 1.0 credit of Physics 1.0 credit of Chemistry  Alternative honors, AP, IB, concurrent enrollment, or CTE Science courses can earn core credit in lieu of some courses named above (AP/IB Biology, AP/IB Physics, AP/IB Chemistry)  See D51 Core Science Course Pathway
Social Studies	3	3	3.0 credits of Social Studies, consisting of (beginning with the class of 2028): 1.0 credit of World Studies  1.0 credit of U.S History  0.5 credit of American Government  0.5 credit of *Economics  Various AP, IB, or concurrent enrollment Social Studies courses can earn core credit in lieu of some courses named above (AP Human Geography, AP US History, AP Government, AP Economics, IB History of the Americas)  *All students must complete a Personal Financial Literacy (PFL) requirement, signified on a student’s transcript with a hashtag. Economics earns the hashtag. See D51 Core Social Studies Course Pathway
Physical Education	1		1.0 credits of PE, consisting of: 0.5 Credit Personal Fitness and Wellness 0.5 Credit of PE elective See D51 Course Catalog
Fine or Applied Arts	0.5		Courses include theater, video/media production, art, music, dance, photography, etc  See D51 Course Catalog for courses coding as “FA”
Computer Science	0.5		See D51 Course Catalog for for courses coding as “CL”
World Language		1	See D51 Course Catalog
Elective Credit	10	2	2.0 electives must align to the student’s Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) See D51 Course Catalog
Personal Financial Literacy	Required		All students must complete a Personal Financial Literacy (PFL) requirement, signified on a student’s transcript with a hashtag. The following are common ways to earn the PFL hashtag:  Economics, Personal Finance, Everfi, AP Macro or Micro Economics (see counselor for complete list).
Total	25

 

To see how courses align to the graduation requirements above, visit the D51 High School Course Catalog page. Additionally, each high school has unique course offerings, so visit your school's website or counseling office to learn more. Students' counselors can offer consultation that helps ensure students develop course schedules aligned with their post-secondary goals.   

D51 High School Course Catalog

Individual Career Academic Plan (ICAP) 

Individual Career and Academic Planning (ICAP) is a multi-year process that helps students identify their strengths, what they’re interested in, and what they hope to do after high school. With support from counselors, teachers, and families, students explore college and career options, and map a pathway for themselves beyond high school.

Through ICAP, students:

• identify their strengths, interests, and goals,
• explore different postsecondary and career possibilities,
• choose courses that support their future plans, and
• build the skills and confidence they’ll need for college, career, and life.

ICAP is an ongoing  process that gives students real ownership of their future. The Colorado Department of Education describes ICAP as a way for students to build the awareness, knowledge, and skills they need to create their own path toward being college- and career-ready (ICAP Toolkit). 

Students meet the graduation requirement for ICAP by progressing through the D51 ICAP Scope and Sequence, meeting yearly benchmarks and tasks set up in the Personalized Plan, a type of digital portfolio.

Postsecondary Workforce Readiness (PWR)

Students must demonstrate readiness on at least one measure in reading, writing, and communication; and one measure in mathematics. Check with your school to learn which of the options below are offered.

	Postsecondary Workforce Readiness Options
Students must demonstrate proficiency on one or more measures as defined below.
Subject	Reading, Writing & Communication	Mathematics
Accuplacer Next	241/Reading or 236/Writing	255/AR or 230/QAS
ACT	18	19
ACT WorkKeys	Bronze
Advanced Placement (AP)	2	2
ASVAB	31
Concurrent Enrollment	Passing Grade
*District Capstone	Passing
Industry Credential	Completed
International Baccalaureate (IB)	4
SAT	470	480
Performance-Based Assessment	State Rubric

 

Colorado Department of Education Postsecondary Workforce Menu 

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Individualized or Alternative Pathways to a Conventional Diploma (*District Capstone)

Individualized or alternative pathways to a conventional or distinguished D51 diploma are outlined below, as with course substitutions and D51 District Capstone options.

A. Individualized pathway through Course Substitutions 

When a student’s unique academic needs warrant a request to supplant a required graduation course with a course not already approved (see required courses named above and/or outlined in the D51 Course Catalog), the student, the student’s counselor, and, as applicable, the student’s case manager must successfully appeal to the Secondary Director of Curriculum and, as applicable, the Director of Special Education or Gifted and Talented to complete a course substitution request. The request must be completed and approved before the student is enrolled in the course. To earn a diploma, students requiring course substitution must still earn 25 credits, complete an ICAP, and demonstrate minimum proficiencies by meeting one or more assessment thresholds listed in the Colorado Graduation Guidelines (see link above, Colorado Department of Education Postsecondary Workforce Menu). 

B. Individualized Pathway through approved District Capstones

A capstone is a culminating exhibition that allows students to demonstrate their learning and academic proficiencies. Capstone includes:

• Self-Exploration
• Career Exploration
• Career Planning
• Job Readiness (i.e. professionalism, resume, interview)
• Community or Career Experience
• Postsecondary Workforce Readiness Plan
• Financial Plan (budget, other adulting skills)
• Demonstration of grade-level competency in ELA and Math

Foundationally, capstones showcase student agency and require demonstrations of proficiency in mathematics and in reading, writing, and communication.

In District 51, there are three District Capstone programs available to students: one through R5 High School, another through the Key Performance Program (KPP), offered at each D51 high school, and a third through a common D51 capstone. These are the only Distinct Capstone options in District 51.

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Students Studying Abroad

District 51 values opportunities for students to engage with different cultures and to build proficiency in a world language. Studying abroad can be a meaningful way for students to deepen these skills and broaden their global perspective.

When students participate in out-of-country exchange programs, the following guidelines apply:

• Students earn two semesters of world language credit for each semester spent attending a school where English is not the primary language of instruction.
• Students earn one semester of elective credit for their out-of-country living experience.
• Credit in other content areas may be awarded when students provide evidence of proficiency or appropriate coursework in those subjects.

Please note that families are responsible for selecting and overseeing student exchange programs. The safety, quality, and appropriateness of any program are determined by the student and their parent(s) or guardian(s). District 51 does not evaluate or assume responsibility for these programs.

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Social Graduations

Social Graduation (beginning with the class of 2029)

Special Education students who are eligible to participate in social graduations are those who:  

1. have a current Individualized Education Plan (IEP); 
2. have a commensurate number of credits (currently 25) required by the Board of Education for graduation (these need NOT be the same required courses needed for a diploma); 
3. after obtaining 25 credits, will continue to receive special education services in the district’s 18-21 program (Insteps or Project Search) and who have IEP transition-related goals necessary to make progress toward/obtain the postsecondary goals outlined in the IEP; and 
4. are ready for and need community-based part-time transition-focused special education services. 

Those students who are NOT eligible for social graduation are those who: 

1. are not students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) (see IKF)
2. have less than 25 total credits; 
3. are younger than 17 years of age as of September 1st of the active school year; or 
4. have 25 credits but whose needs require continuation at the high school instead of a part-time community-based setting in order to receive FAPE (Free and Appropriate Public Education). 

Special education students participating in a social graduation shall receive a certificate of transition at the commencement ceremony in lieu of a diploma or certificate of completion. Once a student is no longer eligible to receive special education services (e.g., the student has reached the age of twenty one), the student shall be issued either a diploma if the district diploma requirements as outlined above have been met, or a certificate of completion (if the district diploma requirements have not been met).  A student may only participate in a graduation commencement ceremony one time. Once a student has participated in a social graduation, they must either matriculate to an 18-21 program or exit enrollment in public education. Students may not return to any high school after participation in a social graduation.  

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Certificates of Attendance or Completion

Certificate of Attendance or Completion (beginning with the class of 2029)

The Certificate of Attendance or Completion may be issued to students under special circumstances in lieu of a District 51 diploma, whether in general education or Special Education. 

For application in Special Education:  

Students with disabilities whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) is aligned to the Colorado Department of Education’s Alternate Standards (also known as Extended Evidence Outcomes) are eligible to earn a Certificate of Completion rather than a District 51 diploma. These students may earn a District 51 diploma only if they meet the same graduation expectations required for a standard diploma, as described above.

Receiving a Certificate of Completion before the end of the semester in which a student turns 21 does not end the student’s right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Students who earn fewer than 25 credits by the end of the semester in which they turn 21 are eligible to receive a Certificate of Attendance.

For application in general education:

A Certificate of Attendance is awarded only in limited circumstances, such as when a student reaches the end of the semester in which they turn 21 years old without having earned the required 25 credits for graduation. 

Certificates of Completion are awarded only to students with disabilities whose IEPs align to the Colorado Department of Education’s Alternate Standards. General education students do not earn Certificates of Completion.
 

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