Graduation Plans
Every public high school student in the state of Texas must follow one of the State Graduation Programs in order to receive a diploma. The graduation program your child chooses will determine the courses he or she must take and how many credits he or she will need to graduate. Austin ISD currently offers the following:
- Foundation High School Program (FHSP) — 22 credits
- Foundation High School Program (FHSP) + Endorsement — 26 credits
- Foundation High School Program (FHSP) + Endorsement + Distinguished Level of Achievement — 26 credits
The Foundation High School Program + Endorsement + Distinguished Level of Achievement is the prescribed graduation plan for all incoming 9th graders. As part of this plan, all incoming 9th graders must declare an endorsement.
| Course Category | Credits Needed | Courses Needed |
|---|---|---|
|
English Language Arts |
4 Credits |
|
| Mathematics | 3 Credits |
|
| Science | 3 Credits |
|
| Social Studies | 3 Credits |
|
| World Languages | 2 Credits |
|
| Physical Education | 1 Credit | |
| Fine Arts | 1 Credit | |
| Health | 0.5 Credits | |
| Electives | 4.5 Credits |
| Course Category | Credits Needed | Courses Needed |
|---|---|---|
|
English Language Arts |
4 Credits |
|
| Mathematics | 4 Credits |
|
| Science | 4 Credits |
|
| Social Studies | 3 Credits |
|
| World Languages | 2 Credits |
|
| Physical Education | 1 Credit | |
| Fine Arts | 1 Credit | |
| Health | 0.5 Credits | |
| Electives | 6.5 Credits |
| Course Category | Credits Needed | Courses Needed |
|---|---|---|
|
English Language Arts |
4 Credits |
|
| Mathematics | 4 Credits |
|
| Science | 4 Credits |
|
| Social Studies | 3 Credits |
|
| World Languages | 2 Credits |
|
| Physical Education | 1 Credit | |
| Fine Arts | 1 Credit | |
| Health | 0.5 Credits | |
| Electives | 6.5 Credits |
Endorsements
All Texas students are required to choose and Endorsement as part of their Graduation Plan. An Endorsement refers to a college and career pathway in either Multidisciplinary Studies, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics), Business & Industry, Arts & Humanities, Public Service.
- Multidisciplinary Studies: The Multidisciplinary Studies endorsement allows for students to further study a foundation area or a wide range of curriculum sets.
- Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM): The Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) endorsement is a curriculum path that allows a student to focus deeply on courses directly related to science, technology, engineering and advanced math.
- Business & Industry: The Business & Industry endorsement is a curriculum path that allows a student to focus deeply on courses directly related to the business field.
- Arts & Humanities: The Arts & Humanities endorsement is a curriculum path that allows for a student to focus deeply on courses directly related to fine arts, english literature, foreign languages and social studies.
- Public Service: The Public Services endorsement is a curriculum path that allows a student to focus deeply on courses directly related to the public services field, including the education field and government.
Please note that while all five endorsements may be offered at a campus, not all college and career pathways may be available. All students must take required English, mathematics, science and social studies courses in the year they enter high school, and they must continue those courses annually until all requirements are met.