Graduation Requirements

House Bill 5 Graduation Plan:

During the 83rd Texas Legislature, House Bill 5 was signed into law, which changed high school graduation requirements for students who entered high school in the 2014-15 school year and after. The bill provides more flexibility for high school students to pursue either higher education or a career pathway. It established one graduation plan, the Foundation High School Program (FHSP), with an opportunity to earn endorsements and performance acknowledgments. Below is a snapshot of the new graduation requirements and endorsements.

Class of 2018 and beyond Graduation Requirements

Required Courses	Foundation with Endorsement Program
English Language Arts	4 Credits (English I, English II, English III, English IV)
Mathematics	4 Credits (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and one additional math credit)
Social Studies	4 Credits (World Geography or World History, U.S. History, Government ½, Economics ½, and 1 social studies elective)
Science	4 Credits (Biology, one of the following: Chemistry or Physics, and 2 additional science credits)
Other Languages	2 Credits (in the same language)
Fine Arts	1 Credit
Physical Education	1 Credit¹
Electives	6 Credits (Must be aligned to endorsement selection)
TOTAL	26 Credits
Endorsement	STEM, Business & Industry, Public Service, Arts & Humanities and Multidisciplinary Studies
Advanced Measures	Distinguished Achievement² Performance Acknowledgement³
State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Mastery	STAAR EOC English I English II Algebra I Biology US History

¹Physical Education: Students may earn additional elective credits in physical education up to a maximum of 4 credits.

²Distinguished Achievement: Students must earn Distinguished Level of Achievement in order to be eligible for Top 10% Automatic Admission to institutions of higher education.

4 credits in math, including Algebra II
4 credits in science
Completion of an Endorsement

³Performance Acknowledgement: Outstanding performance

12 hours of college courses, including dual credit courses with a B or better or an associate degree
In bilingualism & biliteracy- proficiency in 2 or more languages
On an AP/IB test- a score of 4 or better
On the PSAT, ACT or SAT
Earning a nationally or internationally recognized business or industry certification or license

Endorsements

Under the new paradigm of House Bill 5, students may graduate with not only a diploma but may also earn a high school endorsement. An endorsement is a formal acknowledgment that a student has completed a rigorous program of study in a specific discipline. Students may choose from one of thirty Endorsement Focus Plans, each of which satisfy the requirements for one of five endorsement areas:

Arts & Humanities
Business & Industry
Public Service
Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)
Multidisciplinary

Forney ISD offers 30 Focus Pathways, each designed not only to satisfy the graduation requirements of the Foundation Plan with Endorsement but to also prepare them for the future.

Information and recommended 4-year plans for each of these 30 Endorsement Focus Plans may be found in the Future Ready Planning Guide.

General Information

How to Use the Course Selection Guide

Grade Level Classification

Procedures for Dropping a Course or Changing Classes

Graduation Requirements

Weighted Courses

Advanced Placement Program

College Dual Credit

Preparing to be "College & Career Ready"

Practicum Courses

Four-Year Plans