Williamsville Central School District

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Graduation Requirements

Adoption Date: 7/7/2009, Revised: 5/22/2012; 2/11/2014;10/18/16
7000 - Students

7220 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS/EARLY GRADUATION

In order to graduate from Williamsville Central School District, a student must complete or may exceed the requirements set forth in Part 100 of the Commissioner’s Regulations. The Board of Education reserves the right to establish requirements for graduation which exceed the minimum standards as defined by the New York State Board of Regents. All students must be in compliance with Commissioner’s Regulations for graduation in achieving a minimum of Regents diploma unless otherwise indicated. In accordance with applicable law and regulations, the District may award one or more of the following to students: 

a)      Regents Diploma
b)      Regents Diploma with Honors
c)      Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation
d)      Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation with an annotation that denotes Mastery in Math
e)      Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation with an annotation that denotes Mastery in Science
f)       Regents with Advanced Designation with Honors
g)      Local Diploma
h)      Local, Regents, Regents with Advanced Designation with or without Honors with a Career and Technical  Education Endorsement 

Pathways to Graduation
In addition to the four Regents examinations or approved alternative exams required of all students, the fifth examination requirement may be satisfied by passing an approved Pathways Assessment that measures an equivalent level of knowledge and skill. 

Appeal of Regents Examination Score Option
Students who fail certain Regents examinations may have access to the appeals process in accordance with the provisions of the Commissioner's regulations.

Early Graduation
Upon request from the student’s parent/guardian, a student shall be eligible for early graduation in fewer than eight (8) semesters upon completion of all requirements for graduation, excluding physical education, as mandated by Commissioner’s Regulations. A student shall not be required to continue enrollment for the sole purpose of completing physical education requirement. 

Accelerated Programs
Eighth Grade Acceleration for Diploma Credits
Individual eighth grade students only may be afforded the opportunity to take high school courses in mathematics and in at least one of the following areas: English, social studies, languages other than English, art, music, career and technical education subjects, or science courses. The Superintendent or designee is responsible for determining that an eighth grade student is eligible to take high school courses. The District will utilize a set of criteria to determine each student’s readiness for acceleration. Students who are accelerated for diploma credit must have been provided instruction designed to facilitate their attainment of, by the end of Grade 7, the State intermediate learning standards in each subject area in which they are accelerated. 

Advanced Placement
Advanced Placement (AP) examinations for a variety of courses are administered by the College Board with strict guidelines as to their implementation. Advanced Placement examinations afford students the opportunity to earn credit or advanced standing in most of the nation’s colleges and universities. 

Dual Credit for College Courses
Students who wish to enroll in college level coursework must meet all academic, grade level, and coursework requirements as set forth by administrative guidelines. Students who have demonstrated intellectual and social maturity may choose to matriculate at any one of the colleges that have a cooperative agreement with our District. These opportunities may include early admission to college, collegiate-level work offered in the high school, or other means of providing advanced work. Review and approval by the administration are necessary before any college courses may be taken during the school day. 

The Board will not be required to pay tuition and other related costs for those high school students enrolled in college courses.  

Online Coursework
The District may offer students the ability to complete general education and diploma requirements for a specific subject through online instruction or blended coursework that combines online and classroom-based instruction. Section 100.5d of NYCRR articulates the Commissioner’s Regulations to allow school districts or BOCES to offer students the ability to complete general education and diploma requirements for a specific subject through online instruction or blended coursework and classroom-based instruction.

The school district, registered nonpublic school or charter school shall ensure that: courses are aligned with the applicable New York State learning standards for the subject area; courses provide for documentation of student mastery of the learning outcomes for such subjects, including passing the Regents examination in the subject and/or other assessment in the subject if required for earning a diploma; instruction is provided by or under the direction and/or supervision of: 

  • a certified teacher from the school district in which the student is enrolled or a certified teacher from a board of cooperative educational services (BOCES) that contracts with the school district to provide instruction in the subject area where authorized pursuant to Education Law section 1950; or  
  • a certified teacher from a school district who provides instruction in the subject area under a shared service agreement; or 
  • in the case of a registered nonpublic school, a teacher of the subject area from a registered nonpublic school; or  
  • in the case of a charter school, a teacher of the subject area from a charter school; or    
  • in the case of an educational program administered by a State agency, a teacher of the subject area from such program. (Certified teacher means a teacher who holds a New York State teaching certificate in the subject area in which instruction is provided.)

Courses must include regular and substantive interaction between the student and the teacher providing direction and/or supervision pursuant to these regulations and instruction satisfies the unit of study and unit of credit requirements in section 100.1(a) and (b) of Commissioner’s regulations.

To receive credit for online coursework, students must successfully complete an online or blended course and demonstrate mastery of the learning outcomes for the student by passing the Regents exam and/or other assessment in the subject area. Such credit shall be awarded to a student enrolled in an educational program administered by a State agency pursuant to Commissioner’s Regulations.

Awarding Of Diplomas and Participation in Graduation Ceremony
In order to participate in the graduation ceremony, the Building Principal must certify that the student has met the requirements to earn a Regents or Local Diploma, Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential (SACC) or Career Development Occupational Studies (CDOS) Credential in accordance with the regulations of the Commissioner of Education for the State of New York in effect for that student’s cohort, which is typically designated as the year of entry into the ninth grade at a New York State High school. These regulations guide the precise number and type of units of credit that must be accrued as well as the Regents or Regents Competency Tests that must be passed with a minimum score of 65. Students with disabilities who seek one of the commencement credentials must demonstrate they have met all the requirements set forth by Commissioner’s Regulations. 

8 NYCRR §§ 100.1(i), 100.2(f), 100.4(d), 100.5, 100.6 and 200.5
Refer also to Policy #7222 -- Diploma and/or Credential Options for Students with Disabilities

Date Policy Adopted: 7/07/09
Revised Policy Adopted: 5/22/12
Revised Policy Adopted: 2/11/14
Revised Policy Adopted: 10/18/16

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