A minimum of 40 community hours must be served during the student's high school education. Record hours the year the student completed the minimum required.
Can a student earn high school credit for a course taken in eighth grade?
Per KBOR - 8th grade math classes can count towards high school credit - see Kansas Scholars Curriculum. It is up to each local district whether an eighth-grade course will count as a high school credit. If high school credit is given, the eighth-grade course must be equivalent to, or the same as, a high school course.
Can Culinary Arts count as a fine arts credit?
No, it is primarily a CTE pathway course, therefore, cannot be counted as Fine Arts.
Can students double-count classes towards graduation?
No, a student may not count a class twice for graduation credits. For example, a student may not take forensics in one year and have it count both as a fine art and a speech requirement; however, the student may take two years of forensics, and one year could count as fine arts and one year as a speech requirement.
Can the local board of education adopt different graduation requirements for certain students?
Districts are required to award diplomas to requesting students who have met the state minimum graduation requirements and were in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) or Kansas Department for Children and Families (KDCF) on or after their 14th birthday. Local boards of education may adopt a different number of graduation requirements (not lower than the state minimum) for adult learners whose four- and five-year cohorts have graduated or for students attending an alternative school or program. Most typically, diplomas are awarded to these students for successful completion of the state minimum graduation requirements. Local boards of education can also adopt a policy giving the superintendent and/or principal the discretion to waive local graduation requirements that are in excess of the state minimum for students on a case-by-case basis. Situations that would be appropriate to receive this discretion include, but are not limited to, students who experienced high mobility, teen pregnancy, and long-term illness. The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) does not support policies that automatically waive local graduation requirements for students with disabilities that are more than the state minimum.
What counts as advanced technology, math or science classes?
Local school systems will determine what constitutes an advanced course in the areas of science, technology, engineering, math, or other similar studies (non-entry-level courses).
You cannot require one single Career and Technical Education (CTE) course to be taken by each student in a district for graduation. You can have students meet graduation requirements by taking a CTE course that meets or aligns with graduation course standards; however, it should be tied to the student's interest so that they learn the information tied to the standards (competencies) and course required for graduation in the context of the pathway. So, you may have a list of courses for them to choose from based on their interests.
Systems wishing to have a semester of Communication within ELA can do so and will need a course code affiliated with the Communication class. If this is the route chosen, an appropriately licensed English teacher may teach this class. OR Districts that require a stand-alone communication class may assign either a Speech/Theatre endorsed teacher to provide instruction, or an English Language Arts endorsed teacher to provide instruction. Please note debate, forensics, and public speaking courses will require a Speech/Theatre endorsed teacher.
Does a business communication class meet the requirement for speech?
This would be a local control decision, but if the standards for a speech class are met in this class, it could count. However, it should be tied to the student's interest so that they learn the information tied to the standards (competencies) and course required for graduation in the context of the pathway. An appropriately licensed business teacher could teach this class.
Course Title: Financial Literacy (Employability and Life Skills)
Course Description: Financial literacy course provides students with an understanding of the concepts, principles and skills involved in making and applying sound financial decisions. This course emphasizes earning income, spending, saving, investing, managing credit and managing risk.
Qualified Teachers: Any standard license at the level with district verified Financial Literacy training. Examples of training are college credits related to financial literacy, targeted financial literacy professional development, or a certification in the field. The Consumer and Personal Finance Course for .5 credit will not continue to be a funded course in Pathways (Pathway Applications for 2024-2025) since every student in Kansas will be required to take the new course as a graduation requirement.
Per Licensure - the following guidance is offered for Financial Literacy training:
First and foremost, this license option provides the district the most flexibility when assigning an educator to teach the financial literacy course, and the verification of targeted professional development would be a district decision. However, with that said, professional development should address the following topics:
1. Earning Income
2. Spending
3. Saving
4. Investing
5. Managing Credit
6. Managing Risk
The National Council for Economic Education offers free professional development training, and is an example targeted financial literacy professional development
Council for Economic Education (external link) Weblink available upon request.
Could Forensics/Debate potentially count towards one full ELA credit for graduation?
This would be a local control decision, if the class is mapped to the appropriate ELA standards, including reading, writing, literature, grammar, and at least one-half unit of communication.
These classes will need to be transcribed separately and taught as such. Generally, a PE endorsement will be approved to teach both health and PE. Per Licensure: A Pk-12 Health endorsement can be added to a license by passing the appropriate content exam, and applying to add the endorsement by testing
Is a district allowed to waive the physical education (PE)/health requirement?
The PE/Health requirement shall be waived if the school district is provided with either of the following: A statement by a licensed physician that a pupil is mentally or physically incapable of participating in a regular or modified physical education program. A statement, signed by a lawful custodian of the pupil, indicating that the requirement is contrary to the religious teachings of the pupil.
Under science, do the three areas (physical, biological, and earth/space) need to all be transcribed classes?
Consult the KSDE Science Standards and ensure that standards are mapped to courses that every student is required to take for graduation; however, local districts transcribe those classes.
Does each subject area count as one asset or does a student need to score a 3+ in all subject areas to receive a postsecondary asset?
Students who achieve a score of 3+ in one subject area will have that count as one postsecondary asset. Additional scores of 3+ in different subjects on the state assessments will count as additional postsecondary assets.
Local school systems will determine what constitutes an advanced course in the areas of science, technology, engineering, math, or other similar studies (nonentry-level courses).
The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. For more information, visit our grievance procedure page.
To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made. To request accommodations or for more information please contact the Office of General Counsel at gc@ksde.gov or by (785) 296-3201.
