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West Seattle High School/Resources/Counseling Center/Academics/Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements

Graduation Checklist and Resources

To determine your graduation progress, please use this graduation checklist above to track your current progress. Below is a list of specific classes and credits required to take in order to graduate and earn a high school diploma. Please work with your counselor to determine your current progress. 

Graduation Requirement Checklist

Graduation requirements in the State of Washington have updated for the Class of 2021 and beyond. To graduate and earn a Seattle Public Schools diploma, the following criteria must be met:

  1. 24 Credit Minimum
  2. Graduation Pathway- Pass SBAC or complete an approved Grad pathway. Options Here.
  3. High School And Beyond Plan – The State of Washington requires all students to create a High School and Beyond Plan. Seattle Public Schools expects students entering the 9th grade to develop a 5-year plan including the 4 years of high school and the following year. School counselors help students develop their individual plan through the Naviance tool. 
  4. Service Learning – Seattle Public Schools requires students to complete 60 hours of service learning before graduation. Through service learning students apply their academic skills and knowledge in real-life settings. Contact individual schools for specific information.

Graduation Pathway

Service Learning

The Service Learning form.

High School & Beyond Plan

High School and Beyond Plan: The State of Washington requires all students to create a High School and Beyond Plan. Seattle Public Schools expects students entering grade 8 to begin to develop a 5-year plan including 4 years of high school courses, resume, post high school career and college goals. The plan should be updated over time as the student develops high school plans. School counselors, staff and parents help students develop their individual plans. More information about High School and Beyond.

24 Credits

SubjectCredit #
Language Arts 4.0 credits
History3.0 credits
Math3.0 credits
Science3.0 credits
Art2.0 credits*
Career & Tech Ed               1.0 credit
Health0.5 credit
Physical Education1.5 credits
Electives**6.0 credits
  Total 24.0 credits

*up to 1.0 credit of Art can be waived based on personalized pathway
**World Language is not a graduation requirement but students are encouraged to take to be eligible to apply for colleges

Language Arts

4.0 Credits Total

1.0 credit LA 9

1.0 credit LA 10

1.0 credit LA 11*

1.0 credit LA 12*

*AP course available

History

3.0 Credits Total

0.5 credit World History 1

0.5 credit World History 2*

0.5 credit World History 3*

1.0 credit US History*

0.5 credit American Government*

*AP course available 

Math

3.0 Credits Total

Option 1: Option 2: Option 3:
 1.0 credit Algebra 1 1.0 credit Geometry  1.0 credit Algebra 2
 1.0 credit Geometry 1.0 credit Algebra 2 1.0 credit Pre-Calculus
 1.0 credit Algebra 2 1.0 credit Pre-Calculus 1.0 AP Math

Note: Students must complete three years of a math sequence. It may vary depending on your academic plan. Please work with your counselor if your math pathway differs. 

Available Math Options:

  • Algebra 1
  • Geometry
  • Algebra 2
  • Pre-Calculus
  • AP Statistics
  • AP Calculus AB
  • AP Calculus BC
Science

3.0 Credits Total

Class of 2021 and Class of 2022 need 3.0 credits total of science to earn a high school diploma. Your available science courses include:

  • AP Biology
  • AP Environmental Science
  • AP Physics
  • Astronomy
  • Forensics
  • Marine Science
  • Chemistry 3 and 4 (discontinued after 2020-21 school year)

Class of 2023 and beyond must follow District’s science sequence. Sequence is based on what you start out with in your 9th grade year

Option 1Option 2Option 3
Physics A/Chemistry ABiology A/BChemistry B/Physics B
Biology A/BChemistry B/Physics BAny available
upperclassmen science
Chemistry B/Physics BAny available
upperclassmen science		Any available
upperclassmen science

Note: Students must complete three years of a science sequence. It may vary depending on your academic plan. Please work with your counselor if your science pathway differs. 

Art

2.0 Credits Total

Students may waive up to 1.0 credit of art based on their personalized pathway. After completing your initial 1.0 credit of art, you may replace the remaining credit by taking courses that directly relate to your personalized pathway. Please talk with your counselor if this applies to you. The fine art classes available are:

  • Ceramics
  • Concert Band
  • Concert Orchestra
  • Drawing and Painting
  • Jazz Band
  • Guitar Lab 1-2
  • Symphonic Band
CTE

1.0 Credit Total

Career and Technical Education (formerly Occupation Education) offers courses that are trade-based and hands on learning. These courses include:

  • Auto Technology
  • Baking and Pastries
  • Career Connect
  • Computer Aided Drafting (CAD)
  • Culinary Arts
  • Graphic Arts
  • Journalism
  • Photography Beginning and Adv
  • Woodworking 
  • Yearbook 
  • Computer Science
PE & Health

0.5 Credit Total

Family Health

1.5 Credit Total

Physical Education (Personal Fitness, Weight Training, Lifetime Activities, Team Sports)

World Language

2.0 Credit Total

World Language Options:

Spanish 1-4

French 1-5 (AP available)

Chinese 1-5 (AP available)

Spanish 1-5 (AP available)

World Language is not a graduation requirement. It is a personalized pathway if students are interested in applying to a four-year college. If your personalized pathway is NOT a four-year college, we are able to adjust the credits to reflect your personalized pathway.

Electives

4.0 Credit Total

If you complete classes beyond the minimum requirement, those credits would count towards your general elective credits. For example, students need 3.0 credits of science and if they take a fourth year, that additional credit would count as a general elective. 

Helpful Resources/Links: