The District's graduation requirements shall be published in all (Student Services) student handbooks and Curriculum Guide.
Credit Requirements
Students who graduate from Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) high schools shall satisfactorily complete a minimum of 22 credits, which must include the following:
Minimum Requirements for Graduation:
- 4 English* Credits
- 4 Math* Credits (Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, and a fourth year of math)
- 3 Science* Credits (Biology, Chemistry, Physics/Anatomy & Physiology)
- 3 Social Studies *Credits (US History, World History, and Civil Government/Economics)
- 2 World Language Credits
- 1 Visual Performing Arts Credit
- 1 Physical Education/Health Credit
- 4 GRPS Elective Credit *Not Required at Alternative Education Sites
*Must include certain courses or approved alternatives as defined in the Michigan Merit Curriculum and outlined in the High School Curriculum Guide.
Certain courses will include an on-line learning experience as defined by the State of Michigan. Certain requirements may be modified or personalized for individuals only as outlined within the law of the State of Michigan (PA 123 and 124, April 2006).
- Students with Disabilities
- Students with disabilities who meet the graduation requirements, possibly with accommodations or modifications as determined by the Individualized Educational Plan consistent with the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and Michigan Special Education Rules and Regulations and as outlined within the law of the State of Michigan (PA 123 and 124, April 2006), will receive a regular GRPS diploma.
- A Certificate of Completion shall be issued to a student with disabilities who does not meet the graduation requirements but who satisfies the attendance requirements and the goals of his or her IEP.
- Assignment of Credits Earned Outside of GRPS
- Students enrolling in the GRPS must meet the requirements as stated in the Policy and Rules. Any documented or undocumented credits accepted shall be limited by specific guidelines set forth in the Procedures for Credit Evaluation.
- Credits from outside of the GRPS will be evaluated upon enrollment and translated into comparable GRPS course credit for core or elective courses.
- All accepted documented or undocumented credits shall be entered into the GRPS electronic student record system.
- The source of the documented or undocumented credit shall be recorded in the GRPS Student Electronic Record System.
- Determination of Grade Level
- 9th grade (freshman status)
A student's status will be 9th grade student (freshman) until earning 4.5 credits. - 10th grade (sophomore status)
A student who has earned a minimum of 4.5 credits shall be considered a 10th grade student (sophomore). A student is considered a 10th grade student until earning 10 credits and having 2 years of exposure to the MMC - 11th grade (junior status)
A student who has earned a minimum of 10 credits shall be considered an 11th grade student (junior). A student is considered an 11th grade student until earning 16 credits. - 12th grade (senior status)
A student who has earned a minimum of 16 credits shall be considered a 12th grade student (senior). - Graduate status
A student who has earned 22 credits and has met all graduation requirements shall be awarded a high school diploma and be considered a graduate of Grand Rapids Public Schools. *Credit threshold is different for Alternative Education where 18 credits are required.
- Michigan Merit Examination
As a condition of graduation, students are required to take the Michigan Merit Examination (MME). This requirement may be adjusted in approved instances such as where the student takes an appropriate alternative state test (such as MI-Access) or has requested and received a waiver from the Superintendent or designee. - Placement of Students
- Students shall be placed in a given course after meeting prerequisites required for the course, successful completion of prior course work, or evaluation based upon documentation from other sources. Sources to be considered shall be:
- Evaluation of standardized test scores
- Teacher recommendation
- Parent input
- Current class placement
- Previous grades from report cards
- Testing out of prerequisite or prior courses in same subject
- Evaluation of projects or portfolios from non-GRPS schools
- Students without documentation must demonstrate skills equivalent to prerequisite work prior to placement. Students' skills must be evaluated consistent with the guidelines set forth in the Procedures for Credit Evaluation
- Students may be placed in a given course upon successfully testing out of prior or prerequisite courses.
- Educational Development Plan
- Each student will follow a four-year plan of study developed in 7th grade with input from student, teacher, counselor, and parents/guardians.
- Each student's four-year plan will include a four-year preliminary selection of courses that meet graduation requirements and follow the student's selected career pathway.
- This four-year plan shall be referred to as the Educational Development Plan (EDP).
- Every EDP shall be reviewed annually by student, counselor, and parents/ guardians.
- Revision of the EDP shall be made upon request of the student or parents/ guardians.
- Waiver of Credit
- The Superintendent or a designee, upon receipt of a recommendation from the building principal,. A written request for waiver of a graduation requirement must be submitted by the parent/guardian detailing the extenuating circumstances to support the waiver. A transition to alternative education immediately reduces credit requirements to 18.
- An approved waiver does not result in earned credits and may reduce the total number of credits required for graduation.
- Credit cannot be waived if, in doing so, the action would be inconsistent with the State of Michigan approved graduation requirements as outlined in the Michigan Merit Curriculum.
- Credit/Non-Credit
- Students may elect to take other courses as credit or non-credit up to a maximum of 1.0 credit of the total credits needed for graduation.
- The decision to take the course(s) on a credit/non-credit basis must be made at the time of enrollment in the course.
- The credit/non-credit grade may meet a graduation requirement but will not be computed into the student's grade point average (GPA).
- A student may elect to receive a grade upon completion of the course. (Teachers must follow the process for recording grades as outlined in the Procedures for Credit Evaluation.)
- Repeat Course Work for Credit
- Students may elect to repeat any course to improve their grade only, not to earn additional credit. Credit will only be granted for the same course one time.*
(*Unless doing so would be contrary to the requirements of the Michigan Merit Curriculum.) - Upon completion of the repeated course, the student's record will show the course has been retaken and the highest grade earned will be reflected on the student record.
- If the student earns a higher grade when repeating a course, the new higher grade shall replace the original grade and be used in the computation of the grade point average (GPA) from the point where the original grade was assigned.