* All four required credits in Social Studies shall comply with the current Alabama Course of Study. 

** May be waived if competencies outlined in the computer applications course are demonstrated to qualified staff in the local school system. The designated one-half credit shall then be added to the electives credits, making a total of six electives credits. 

*** Students earning the diploma with the advanced academic endorsement shall successfully complete two credits in the same foreign language. 

2. ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS - Pass the required statewide assessment for graduation. 
 

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1.      COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Effective for students with disabilities as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 101-476) who begin the tenth grade in the 1997-98 school year, students must earn the course credits outlined in Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-1-.02(8)(g)1. and successfully complete an approved occupational portfolio in order to be awarded the Alabama Occupational Diploma.  

*May be a part of the two credits for Career/Technical Education.  The designated one credit for Cooperative Education will then be added to the electives, making a total of four electives.

2.     ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS

Complete successfully an approved Alabama Occupational Diploma Portfolio for graduation.

Alabama High School Diploma with Career/Technical Endorsement and

Alabama High School Diploma with Advanced Career/Technical Endorsement

1.  COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Effective for students who begin the ninth or tenth grade in the 1999-2000 school year, students may earn an Alabama High School Diploma with Career/Technical Endorsement or an Alabama High School Diploma with Advanced Career/Technical Endorsement by completing the required credits in the core curriculum consistent with guidelines established by the State Department of Education and local boards and a coherent sequence of three career/technical courses in a career major.  For the advanced career/technical endorsement, advanced level work must be completed; and core curriculum requirements may be satisfied by credit earned through applied academic courses or embedded or substitute credit situations.  

* All four required credits in Social Studies shall comply with the current Alabama Course of Study.

  **    May be waived if competencies outlined in the computer applications course are demonstrated to qualified staff in the local school system.  The designated one credit will then be added to the elective credits, making a total of three elective credits.

***    The Alabama courses of study shall be followed in determining minimum requirements for the coherent sequence of career/technical education courses.

****  Students may earn the advanced career/technical and the advanced academic endorsements concurrently if the elective credits as outlined above are used to earn the required credits in foreign language.

2. ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS 

Pass the required statewide assessment for graduation.



COURSE INFORMATION 

1. English Language Arts Required Courses. Students must earn four (4) credits to include the 

equivalent of one credit each of English 9, English 10, English 11, and English 12. The content for each of these courses is prescribed by the Alabama Course of Study: English Language Arts. 



2. Mathematics Required Courses. Students must earn four (4) credits from courses in the seven (7) categories listed below, including the equivalent of one credit each of Algebra I and Geometry and for a diploma with the advanced academic endorsement, one credit of Algebra II with Trigonometry. The content for each of the courses listed below is prescribed by the Alabama Course of Study: Mathematics. 

1. Introduction to Algebra. 

2. Algebra I. 

3. Geometry. 

4. Algebra II with Trigonometry. 

5. Mathematics in Society (Prerequisite: Algebra 1). The course shall be defined in the 1997 Alabama Course of Study: Mathematics. 

6. Embedded Mathematics Credit (Prerequisite: Algebra I and Geometry). 

1. Advanced Mathematics. 

3. Science Required Courses. Students must earn four (4) credits from courses in the six (6) categories listed below to include the equivalent of one credit each of Biology and a Physical Science, and for the advanced academic endorsement diploma, two credits of an Additional Life 

and/or Physical Science. The content for each of the courses listed below is prescribed by the Alabama Course of Study: Science. 

1. Biology. 

2. A Physical Science. 

3. Earth and Space Science. 

4. Additional Life Science (Prerequisite: Biology). 

5. Additional Physical Science. 

6. Embedded Science Credit (Prerequisites: Biology and a Physical Science). 

4. Social Studies Required Courses. Students must earn four (4) credits to include the equivalent of one credit in grade 9, one credit of World History in grade 10, one credit of United States History in grade 11, and one-half credit each of American Government and Economics in grade 12. The content for each of the courses listed-below is prescribed by the Alabama Course of Study: Social Studies. AP European History may be substituted for World History, IB History of the Americas I may be substituted for U.S. History, and History of the Americas II may be substituted for American Government and Economics. 

5. Other Required Courses. Students must successfully complete the following courses. The content for each of these courses is prescribed by the applicable Alabama Course of Study. 

1. Physical Education. - One credit. 

2. Health Education. One-half credit. 

3. Computer Applications. - One-half credit. 

4. Fine Arts - One-half credit. 

5. Foreign Language. Students earning the diploma with the advanced academic endorsement must successfully complete two credits in the same foreign language. 



6. Applied Academic Courses. Applied Academics is the presentation of subject matter in a way that integrates a particular academic discipline such as mathematics, science, or English with work-force applications and hands-on laboratory experiences dealing with practical equipment and devices. These courses must have a structured curriculum, undergo rigorous scrutiny including pilot testing and have the approval of the State Superintendent. 



7. Embedded Credit. Embedded Credit is credit awarded for satisfactory completion of a designated, sequential career/technical program containing embedded academic content from the core curriculum. 

Embedded credit can be awarded in the 11th or 12th grade when the student completes a career/technical program that qualifies for award of embedded credit as approved by the SDE. Program completion is defined as earning three (3) or more credits in a career/technical program. A maximum of one (1) math embedded credit and/or one (1) science embedded credit can be earned by an individual student. When embedded academic credit is awarded, the number of 

credits identified on the transcript as career/technical credits earned will be reduced by the number granted for embedded academic credit. 



ALABAMA OCCUPATIONAL DIPLOMA INFORMATION 
1. The School District offers students with disabilities the option to earn an Alabama Occupational Diploma in all high schools in the School District. The School District provides for each eligible student to participate in general, career/technical, and special education courses, as appropriate, for meeting graduation requirements. Eligible students completing the requirements shown above shall be awarded an Alabama Occupational Diploma. 



2. Each student completing the program must have an approved occupational portfolio containing a collection of evidence of the student's knowledge, skills, abilities, and employment competencies. 
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3. The IEP committee shall select a program of study leading toward the Alabama High School Diploma, the Alabama Occupational Diploma, or the Graduation Certificate, and document this 

decision on the IEP developed during the student's ninth grade year, or the IEP developed during the year prior to the student's 16th birthday, whichever occurs first. This decision must be reviewed annually. 



4. Students may select and move between courses of study leading to the Alabama High School Diploma, the Alabama Occupational Diploma, and the Graduation Certificate, as appropriate. When there is indecision regarding which diploma option would be most appropriate for a student, the IEP committee is strongly encouraged to select the higher of the options being considered. 



5. The Superintendent of Schools will distribute information explaining the Alabama Occupational Diploma throughout the School District. 

SOURCE: Winston Co. Board of Education, Double Springs AL 

ADOPTED: Jun. 24, 1986; REVISED: Aug. 22, 1989; May 21, 1996; Sep. 4, 1997; July 7, 1998, July 27, 1999; August 17, 1999; July 6, 2000; Sept. 14, 2000; August 7, 2001; July 31, 2003 

LEGAL REF.: Alabama Legislature - Foundation Program, Alabama Administrative Code Rule 

290-3-1-.02 (8) (a) – (g).