The importance of the High School Diploma
Receiving your diploma opens doors to:
- Post-high school education
- United States Military
- Employment
- Higher-paying jobs
- A better future
Where do I start?
-
Begin to develop the roadmap to graduation
as early as possible—ideally in the sixth grade.
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Talk to your child
about his/her short-term and long-term academic and career goals.
-
Plan carefully and thoughtfully
to get your child on the road to success!
Common questions about graduation requirements
-
Can a student be in band for 4 years and still graduate on the
Recommended or Distinguished Program?
Yes!
-
Can a student be a 4-year athlete and still graduate on the
Recommended or Distinguished Program?
Yes!
-
Can a student be in a coherent sequence of Career & Technology
courses (i.e., Agriculture, Automotive Tech., Culinary Arts) and
still graduate on the Recommended or Distinguished Program?
Yes!
Other requirements
-
In addition to fulfilling credit requirements, students must also
pass the TAKS exit exams in order to graduate.
-
Numerous services are available to help students pass TAKS.
Please contact your school counselor or academic dean for
information.
5 Actions a parent can take to promote student success
-
Monitor
your student's grades and attendance (through the
Parent Connection
or by talking with teachers).
-
Seek
tutoring and acadmic support immediately if your
student begins to struggle. Course failure can lead to delayed
graduation.
-
Review regularly
your student's progress on his/her Graduation Plan and have daily
conversations about experiences at school.
-
Encourage
your student to become actively involved in school life
(clubs, sports and arts).
-
Acknowledge and praise
your student's successes, and provide support to strengthen
areas of growth.
The State of Texas has 3 Graduation Programs
-
Minimum High School Program
- 24 credits
- Meets the criteria for high school graduation
- May affect college admission
-
Recommended High School Program
- 26 credits
- Requires 2 years of the same International Language
- Designed to prepare students for college readiness
-
Distinguished Achievement High School Program
- 26 credits
- Requires 3 years of the same International Language
- Designed to prepare students for college readiness
-
Requires 4 "Advanced Measures":
- AP Exam with a 3+
- Dual Credit with a B
- Independent Research that is peer-reviewed
- Commended or Higher
- National Merit Scholar
The Recommended High School Program is the default program for the
state of Texas and Northside ISD. State law requires all students
automatically be enrolled in the Recommended Program.
Changing to the Minimum Program requires a parent/counselor
consultation and parental agreement. If moving to the Distinguished
Program, please communicate with the counselor.
Course Catalog
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