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.
| Discipline | Courses Needed |
|---|---|
|
English Language Arts |
4 Credits:
|
| Mathematics |
3 Credits:
|
| Science |
3 Credits:
|
| Social Studies |
3 Credits:
|
| World Languages |
2 Credits:
|
| Fine Arts | 1 Credit |
| Physical Education | 1 Credit |
| Health | 0.5 Credits |
| Electives | 4.5 Credits |
| Total Credits | 22 |
| Discipline | Courses Needed |
|---|---|
|
English Language Arts |
4 Credits:
|
| Mathematics |
4 Credits:
|
| Science |
4 Credits:
|
| Social Studies |
3 Credits:
|
| World Languages |
2 Credits:
|
| Fine Arts | 1 Credit |
| Physical Education | 1 Credit |
| Health | 0.5 Credits |
| Electives | 6.5 Credits |
| Total Credits | 26 |
| Discipline | Courses Needed |
|---|---|
|
English Language Arts |
4 Credits:
|
| Mathematics |
4 Credits:
|
| Science |
4 Credits:
|
| Social Studies |
3 Credits:
|
| World Languages |
2 Credits:
|
| Fine Arts | 1 Credit |
| Physical Education | 1 Credit |
| Health | 0.5 Credits |
| Electives | 6.5 Credits |
| Total Credits | 26 |
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, Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM), Business & Industry, Arts & Humanities, Public Service.
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.
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.
- Fine Arts: 4 levels within the same discipline, or 2 levels in each of two different disciplines
- World Languages: 4 levels in the same language, or 2 levels in each of two different languages
- English Electives: 4 credits in English electives, excluding those related to the Business & Industry Pathway
- Social Studies: 5 credits in Social Studies, including World Geography or World History, US History, Government, and Economics
The Business & Industry endorsement is a curriculum path that allows a student to focus deeply on courses directly related to the business field.
- CTE: 4 or more credits in a coherent sequence, including at least 3 courses from the same career cluster and at least 1 advanced CTE course in a Business & Industry Pathway: Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources; Architecture & Construction; Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications; Business Management & Administration; Finance; Hospitality & Tourism; Information Technology; Manufacturing; Marketing; or Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
- Communications: 4 credits in English electives, including 3 levels in one of the following areas: Public Speaking, Debate, Advanced Broadcast Journalism, Newspaper, or Yearbook
- Technology Applications: 4 credits in Technology Applications
- Combination: A combination of credits from the categories listed above
The Multidisciplinary Studies endorsement allows for students to further study a foundation area or a wide range of curriculum sets.
- 4x4 Core: 4 credits in each of the 4 foundation subject areas, including English IV and Chemistry and/or Physics
- AP, IB, DC: 4 credits from Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or Dual Credit (DC) courses in subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Economics, Languages Other Than English, or Fine Arts
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.
- CTE: 4 or more credits in a coherent sequence, including at least 3 courses from the same career cluster and at least 1 advanced CTE course in a Public Service Pathway: Education & Training; Government & Public Administration; Health Science; Human Services; or Law, Public Safety, Corrections, & Security
- JROTC: 4 credits in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC)
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.
- CTE: 4 or more credits in a coherent sequence, including at least 3 courses from the same career cluster and at least 1 advanced CTE course in a STEM Pathway: Biomedical Sciences; Civil Engineering; Cybersecurity; Electrical Engineering; Engineering Foundations; Geospatial Engineering & Land Surveying; Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering; Networking Systems; Nursing Science; Programming & Software Development; Renewable Energy; Robotics & Automation Technology; or Web Development
- Computer Science: 4 credits in Computer Science
- Mathematics: 5 credits in Mathematics, including Algebra II, and 2 additional courses that require Algebra II as a prerequisite
- Science: 5 credits in Science, including Chemistry, Physics, and 2 additional science courses, excluding IPC
- Combination: A combination of no more than 2 of the categories listed above
* All STEM pathways require the successful completion of Algebra II, Chemistry, and either Physics or Principles of Technology