Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) For a
State-endorsed diploma, district boards of education shall develop, adopt, and
implement local graduation requirements that prepare students for success in
post-secondary degree programs, careers, and civic life in the 21st century,
and that include the following:
1.
Participation in a local program of study of not fewer than 120 credits in
courses designed to meet all of the NJSLS, including, but not limited to, the
following credits:
i. At least 20 credits in
English language arts, aligned to grade nine through 12 standards, effective
with the 2009-2010 grade nine class;
ii. At least 15 credits in mathematics,
including algebra I or the content equivalent effective with the 2008-2009
grade nine class; geometry or the content equivalent effective with the
2010-2011 grade nine class; and a third year of mathematics that builds on the
concepts and skills of algebra and geometry and that prepares students for
college and 21st century careers effective with the 2012-2013 grade nine
class;
iii. At least 15 credits in
science, including at least five credits in laboratory biology/life science or
the content equivalent effective with the 2008-2009 grade nine class; one
additional laboratory/inquiry-based science course, which shall include
chemistry, environmental science, or physics effective with 2010-2011 grade
nine class; and one additional laboratory/inquiry-based science course
effective with 2012-2013 grade nine class;
iv. At least 15 credits in social studies,
including satisfaction of 18A:35-1 and 2; five credits in world history; and
the integration of civics, economics, geography and global content in all
course offerings;
v. At least 2.5
credits in financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy,
effective with 2010-2011 grade nine class;
vi. At least 3 3/4 credits in health, safety,
and physical education during each year of enrollment, distributed as 150
minutes per week, as required by 18A:35-5, 7 and 8;
vii. At least five credits in visual and
performing arts;
viii. At least
five credits in world languages or student demonstration of proficiency as set
forth in (a)2ii(2) below;
ix.
Technological literacy, consistent with the NJSLS, integrated throughout the
curriculum; and
x. At least five
credits in 21st century life and careers, or career-technical
education;
2. The
120-credit requirement set forth in (a)1 above may be met in whole or in part
through program completion of a range of experiences that enable students to
pursue a variety of individualized learning opportunities, as follows:
i. District boards of education shall
establish a process to approve individualized student learning opportunities
that meet or exceed the NJSLS.
(1)
Individualized student learning opportunities in all NJSLS areas include, but
are not limited to, the following:
(A)
Independent study;
(B) Online
learning;
(C) Study abroad
programs;
(D) Student exchange
programs; and
(E) Structured
learning experiences, including, but not limited to, work-based programs,
internships, apprenticeships, and service learning
experiences.
(2)
Individualized student learning opportunities based upon specific instructional
objectives aimed at meeting or exceeding the NJSLS shall:
(A) Be based on student interest and career
goals as reflected in the Personalized Student Learning Plans;
(B) Include demonstration of student
competency;
(C) Be certified for
completion based on the district process adopted according to (a)2ii below;
and
(D) Be on file in the school
district and subject to review by the Commissioner or his or her
designee.
(3) Group
programs based upon specific instructional objectives aimed at meeting or
exceeding the NJSLS shall be permitted under this section and shall be approved
in the same manner as other approved courses.
ii. District boards of education shall
establish a process for granting of credits through successful completion of
assessments that verify student achievement in meeting or exceeding the NJSLS
at the high school level, including standards achieved by means of the
individualized student learning opportunities enumerated at (a)2 above. Such
programs or assessments may occur all or in part prior to a student's high
school enrollment; no such locally administered assessments shall preclude or
exempt student participation in applicable Statewide assessments at grades
three through 12.
(1) District boards of
education shall choose assessments that are aligned with or exceed the NJSLS
and may include locally designed assessments.
(2) District boards of education shall choose
from among the following assessment options to determine if students have
achieved the level of language proficiency designated as Novice-High as defined
by the ACTFL and recognized as fulfilling the world languages requirement of
the NJSLS:
(A) The STAMP online
assessment;
(B) The OPI or MOPI;
or
(C) Department-approved locally
designed competency-based assessments;
iii. District boards of education shall
establish a process to approve post-secondary learning opportunities that may
consist of Advanced Placement (AP) courses, CLEP, or concurrent/dual enrollment
at accredited higher education institutions.
(1) District boards of education shall award
credit for successful completion of an approved, accredited college course that
assures achievement of knowledge and skills that meets or exceeds the
NJSLS.
3. Local
student attendance requirements;
4.
Any other requirements established by the district board of
education;
5. Any statutorily
mandated requirements for earning a high school diploma;
6. The requirement that all students
demonstrate proficiency by achieving a passing score on the ELA and mathematics
components of the State graduation proficiency test or through the alternative
means at (h) below, if applicable, or for students who take the State
graduation proficiency test but do not achieve a passing score through the
alternative means set forth at (g) and (i) below;
i. Students in the graduating classes of
2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 shall be required to demonstrate proficiency by
achieving a passing score on the high school end-of-course PARCC assessments in
ELA 10 and Algebra I or through the alternative means set forth at (f), (h),
and (i) below;
7. For
students who have not demonstrated proficiency on the ELA and/or mathematics
components of the State graduation proficiency test, the opportunity for the
following:
i. Remediation, pursuant to
N.J.S.A. 18A:7C-3; and
ii. One or
more additional opportunities to demonstrate proficiency on the State
graduation proficiency test, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7C-6;
and
8. Students
graduating from an adult high school shall demonstrate proficiency in the ELA
and mathematics components of the State graduation proficiency test, or through
the alternative means set forth at (f), (g), (h), and (i)
below.
(b) In the
development of Personalized Student Learning Plans according to 6A:8-3.2(a),
district boards of education shall actively encourage all students who have
otherwise met the requirements for high school graduation according to (a)1
through 3 above, to include in their programs of study the following additional
credits:
1. Five credits in mathematics
during each year of enrollment, aimed at preparation for entrance into
post-secondary programs or 21st century careers;
2. Five credits in a laboratory science
during each year of enrollment, aimed at preparation for entrance into
post-secondary programs or 21st century careers;
3. Five credits in social studies during each
year of enrollment, aimed at preparation for entrance into post-secondary
programs or 21st century careers; and
4. Five credits in world languages during
each year of enrollment, aimed at preparation for entrance into post-secondary
programs or 21st century careers.
(c) Through the IEP process set forth at
N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.7 and pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:14-4.11, district boards of
education may specify alternate requirements for a State-endorsed diploma for
individual students with disabilities as defined at N.J.A.C. 6A:14-1.3
1. District boards of education shall
specifically address any alternate requirements for graduation in a student's
IEP, in accordance with 6A:14-4.1 1.
2. District boards of education shall develop
and implement procedures for assessing whether a student has met the specified
alternate requirements for graduation individually determined in an
IEP.
(d) District boards
of education shall provide to the executive county superintendent their
graduation requirements each year they are evaluated through QSAC and update
the filed copy each time their graduation policies are revised.
(e) District boards of education shall
provide each student entering high school and his or her parents or legal
guardians with a copy of the district board of education's requirements for a
State-endorsed diploma and the programs available to assist students in
attaining a State-endorsed diploma, in accordance with 18A:7C-5.
(f) To ensure adequate transition to the new
Statewide assessment system, district boards of education shall provide
students in the graduating classes of 2018 through 2022 who have not
demonstrated proficiency on the high school end-of-course PARCC assessments in
ELA 10 and Algebra I with the opportunity to demonstrate such competence
through one of the alternative means set forth below:
1. For the graduating classes of 2018 through
2022, students who did not take both the ELA 10 and the Algebra I end-of-course
PARCC assessment or who take but do not achieve a passing score on both
assessments, as required at (a)6 above, may satisfy the State requirement to
demonstrate proficiency in English language arts and/or mathematics in one of
the following ways:
i. Achieve a passing
score, as determined by the Commissioner, on a corresponding substitute
competency test in English language arts and/or mathematics, as applicable, or
substitute a passing score on another end-of-course PARCC assessment, including
ELA 9, ELA 11, Geometry, or Algebra II; or
ii. Meet the criteria of the portfolio
appeals process.
(g) For students in the classes of 2023,
2024, and 2025, the alternative means referenced at (a)6 above shall be as
follows:
1. Achieve a passing score, as
determined by the Commissioner and approved by the State Board of Education, on
a corresponding substitute competency test in English language arts and/or
mathematics, as applicable; and/or
2. Demonstrate proficiency through the
portfolio appeals process, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7C-3.
(h) All MLs shall satisfy the requirements
for high school graduation, except MLs may demonstrate they have attained State
minimum levels of proficiency through passage of the portfolio appeals process
in their native language, when available, and passage of a Department-approved,
English fluency assessment.
(i)
Students, including students with disabilities as defined at N.J.A.C. 6A:14-1.3
or eligible under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act who participate in the
alternative assessment for students with disabilities, are not required to
participate in repeated administrations of high school assessment components
required at N.J. A.C. 6A:8-4.1(c).
(j) For students in the classes of 2019,
2020, 2021, and 2022, the Department shall consider high school end-of-course
State assessments to be equivalent to the corresponding high school
end-of-course PARCC assessments.
