Graduation Requirements & Pathways

To meet the 24 credit requirement, students take 17 foundational credits in math, English, science, social studies, arts, physical education, and career and technical education. They also take seven elective credits including three personalized pathway credits, which are aligned to the student’s career goals and their High School and Beyond Plan. 

The credit requirements are flexible to ensure students achieve the skills and knowledge necessary to enter work or continued education – such as apprenticeships, certificate, and degree programs – and have the opportunity to explore their personal interests and courses aligned with their career goals.

Kennewick students have the opportunity to get a jumpstart on earning credit in middle school by taking algebra, geometry, Spanish, computer applications, and Washington State history. These class credits are applied to their high school transcripts (*see note below).

Middle School Algebra 1-2

Credits: 1

Most students will be automatically scheduled for Algebra 1-2 in eighth grade. Contact your student’s counselor for additional information.

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Middle School Geometry 1-2

Credits: 1

Students who accelerate their math progress can take Algebra 1-2 in seventh grade and then take Geometry 1-2 in eighth grade. Contact your student’s counselor to see if your student has the aptitude and assessment scores to attempt Algebra 1-2 in seventh grade.

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Spanish 1-2

Credits: 1

Students may take this as an elective in eighth grade. Many colleges require two years of a world language for admission, so successful completion of this course helps meet that requirement as well.

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Computer Applications for 8th Graders

Credits: 1

This class also meets both the Career & Technical Education and Computer Competency requirements.

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Washington State History for 7th Graders

Credits: 0.5

Successful completion of this course meets a high school graduation requirement. All students are scheduled into this course.

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*Unless requested otherwise by the student and the student’s family using form F-5B 2410, a student who successfully completes a high school course taken prior to attending high school will receive credit if the academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes and the student has successfully passed by completing the same course requirements and examinations as the high school students enrolled in the class. The student and the student’s family have a time limit of the last day of school of their 10th grade year for requesting the credit be removed from the transcript. Following the 10th grade year, a course entered onto the student’s transcript cannot be changed or removed. Courses must be offered through a state public school or state approved private school and meet the standards as identified by the district for meeting graduation requirements. Students/parents may request graduation credit by completing form F-5 2410 for students in the Class of 2023 or before. Once the course grade has been entered onto the student’s transcript it cannot be changed or removed.   

English

Credits: 4

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Math

Credits: 3

• Algebra 1 or Integrated Math 1
• Geometry or Integrated Math 2
• A third credit of math*

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Science

Credits: 3

• At least two lab
• A third credit of science*

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Social Studies

Credits: 3

• U.S. History and Government
• Contemporary World History, Geography, and Problems
• 0.5 credits of Civics 
• 0.5 credits of Social Studies Elective

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Arts

Credits: 2

• Performing or visual arts
• 1 credit may be a Personalized Pathway Requirements**

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World Language

Credits: 2

• Both credits may be a Personalized Pathway Requirements**

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Health and Fitness

Credits: 2

• 0.5 credits of Health
• 1.5 credits of Fitness
• Students must earn credit for physical education unless excused per RCW 28A.230.050

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Career and Technical Education

Credits: 1

• May be an Occupational Education course that meets the definition of an exploratory course as described in the CTE program standards

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Electives

Credits: 4

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*The third credit of science and the third credit of math are chosen by the student based on the student's interest and High School and Beyond Plan, and approved by the parent or guardian, or if the parent or guardian is unavailable or does not indicate a preference, the school counselor or principal (WAC 180-51-068).

**Personalized Pathway Requirement are related courses that lead to a specific post high school career or educational outcome chosen by the student based on the student’s interests and High School and Beyond Plan, that may include Career and Technical Education, and are intended to provide a focus for the student’s learning.

See OSPI testing webpage. For more information on state-approved alternative assessments see OSPI graduation alternatives webpage.)

 

If a student needs to catch up on credits or wants to earn extra credits to make sure that they graduate on time, Kennewick offers additional options, including zero and seventh-hour classes, STAMP assessments in a second language, summer classes, and online credit opportunities.

For students struggling to pass classes, Kennewick high schools offer before-, lunchtime and after-school tutoring.

High school student success coordinators are also available at each school to work with students to get make-up work completed.

zero & sevenTH HOUR CLASSES

Offerings vary by school. Options, depending on the high school, may include PE, music, or other options. Contact the student’s high school for more information or view the course handbook on the school’s website.

STAMP TESTING (UP TO FOUR CREDITS)

Students may earn credits by passing STAMP tests, which assess their knowledge and proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing in a language other than English. 

HIGH SCHOOL & BEYOND PLAN (HSBP)

Students earn a 0.5 credit, which is completed through successful participation in Navigation/Quest/Tribe over four years of high school. Earning the 0.5 credit requires attending 48 meetings (12 times per year), participating in four student-led conferences and documenting 12 hours of community service over four years of high school.

COLLEGE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL

Students have the opportunity to take college-level academic courses in high school so that they may earn both high school and college credits.

SUMMER TRI-TECH SKILLS CENTER COURSES AND OTHER SUMMER SCHOOL CLASSES

Tri-Tech Skills Center offers a number of courses during summer school. Students are eligible upon completion of the eighth grade. Contact Tri-Tech for more information. Summer school is offered for high school students.

ONLINE COURSES

KSD offers a variety of pre-approved online course opportunities. Although primarily used for remediation, students may work with their high school counselor to take courses to meet specific individual academic needs. Contact your student’s high school for information about available opportunities.  

Smarter Balanced Assessments

Meet or exceed the graduation scores in the Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA) in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics.

Dual Credit

Earn at least 1 high school credit in ELA and at least 1 high school credit in math in dual credit courses (Running Start, College in the High School, and Career and Technical Education dual credit courses).

AP/IB

For both ELA and math, earn a 3 or higher on certain Advanced Placement (AP) exams or a 4 or higher on certain International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.

SAT/ACT

Meet or exceed the graduation scores set by SBE in the math and ELA portions of the SAT or ACT.

Transition Course

Pass a transition course in ELA and math (for example, a Bridge to College course, which is a senior course for students who earned a Level 2 on the SBA), which allows a student to place directly into a credit-bearing college level course. 

Combination

Meet any combination of at least one ELA and one math option of those listed above.

ASVAB

Meet standard on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) by scoring at least the minimum established by the military for eligibility to serve in a branch of the armed services.

CTE Sequence

Complete a sequence of Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses: 2 or more high school credits of CTE courses in a progression tailored to the student’s goals and relevant to the postsecondary pathway(s) outlined in the student’s High School and Beyond Plan. The sequence may be comprised of courses within the same CTE program area or courses within more than one CTE program area.

*Note: The armed services test and the CTE course sequence are new graduation pathways; the other pathways have been alternative assessments. Students who pursue these pathways (ASVAB or CTE) do not need to meet English and math requirements separately. English and math content are embedded in both pathways — and both pathways meet the purpose of a high school diploma: to declare that a student is ready for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and citizenship, and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner (RCW 28A.230.090). A student who meets either the ASVAB standard or the CTE pathway requirements has met the graduation pathway requirement.