GRADUATION POLICIES

Graduation Participation

The Allendale County School District requires students to meet all credits, course, state assessments, and/or special program requirements to participate in the graduation ceremony. A student can participate in graduation exercises only once. Students at Allendale-Fairfax High who do not meet all requirements for a state high school diploma or a state certificate, will not be allowed to participate.

Early Graduation

Allendale-Fairfax High counselors advise all students to spend at least four years in high school to maximize the benefits of taking more college prep and elective courses offered. However, students who wish to pursue graduating in less than four years may do so. Students may graduate from the eleventh grade providing they meet all state and county requirements.

Special Education

A special education certificate will be awarded to those students who complete all objectives specified in his/her Individualized Education Program (IEP’s). This certificate will also be awarded to students enrolled in an Intellectual Disability (instructional setting) program after twelve (12) years of education, provided such students have met the State Board of Education attendance regulations. These certificates are issued by the Allendale School District and signed by the Principal and Superintendent.

CLASS RANKINGS

High school students will be ranked numerically from top to bottom in their class. A student’s rank will be determined by the ratio of points earned to the number of units attempted by the student. Honor graduates will be determined and announced at the end of the 16th Quarter. Final class standings will be computed through the end of the senior year.

For the purpose of class rankings, Grade Point Ratio (GPR) will be calculated by assigning quality points. Assignment of quality points will be made based on the Numeric Grade Table of the SC UNIFORM GRADING SCALE as mandated by the amendment to section 59-5-68 of the code of laws of SC.

CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS

The assignment of students to grades will be based on unit requirements for each grade.

Grade 9 (Freshman)-- A student will be classified as a ninth-grader during his/her first year in high school after having met the requirements of grade eight for ninth grade placement.

Grade 10 (Sophomore)-- A student will be classified as a tenth-grader provided he/she has earned at least six units toward graduation, including one unit each in language arts and mathematics.

Grade 11 (Junior) --A student will be classified as an eleventh-grader provided he/she has earned at least twelve units of credit toward graduation. Included in the twelve units must be at least two in language arts, two in mathematics, and one in science.

Grade 12 (Senior)-- A student will be classified as a twelfth-grader provided he/she has earned at least eighteen units toward graduation, three of which must be in language arts, three units of math and two units of science.

Beginning with the ninth-grade class of the school year 1997-98 and thereafter, to qualify for a State high school diploma, a student must earn a total of 24 units of credit in state-approved courses indicated above.

Students must complete a study and pass an examination on the provisions and principles of the United States Constitution and American institutions and ideals. This instruction shall be given for a period of at least one year with the required U. S. History course.

The Comprehensive Health Education Act of 1988 requires that at least one time during the four years of grades 9-12, each student shall receive a program of instruction in comprehensive health education to include a specified set of subjects.

Students must attend the accredited high school issuing the diploma for at least the semester immediately preceding graduation except in cases of a bona fide change of residence where the sending school will not grant the diploma. Two units earned in a summer school program do not satisfy this requirement.

Students who earn two units in science and six units in a specified occupation service will meet the science requirement. Vocational programs operating on the 3-2-1 structure may count prevocational education as one of the six required units.

All accredited high schools shall include environmental studies as a part of the instructional program. Environmental Studies shall consist of at least one-semester elective or its equivalent as separate study units in social studies or natural sciences.