Section 1.440  Additional Criteria for High Schools

The School Code establishes differing requirements for the coursework that high schools must offer, the courses students must take, and the courses students must pass in order to graduate.

a)         Course Offerings.  Each district shall provide a comprehensive curriculum that includes at least the following offerings.  The time allotment, unless specified by the School Code or applicable rules, is the option of the local school district.

1)         Language Arts

2)         Science

3)         Mathematics

4)         History of the United States

5)         Foreign Language

6)         Music

7)         Art

8)         Career and Technical Education − Orientation and Preparation

9)         Health Education

10)         Physical Education

11)         Consumer Education

12)         Conservation of Natural Resources

13)         Driver and Safety Education (see Section 27-23 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/27-23] and 23 Ill. Adm. Code 252)

b)         Required Participation

1)         Each student shall be required to take one semester or the equivalent, i.e., at least 18 weeks, of health education during the secondary school experience.

2)         Each student shall be required to take physical education daily, except as provided in Section 27-6 of the School Code and Section 1.445 of this Part.

3)         Each student shall be required to take consumer education for 50 minutes per day for a period of nine weeks in any of grades 9-12, unless he or she has demonstrated proficiency pursuant to the provisions of Section 27-12.1 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/27-12.1] and Section 1.462 of this Part.

4)         Each student shall be required to take a course covering American patriotism and the principles of representative government, as enunciated in the American Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the proper use and display of the American flag for not less than one hour per week, or the equivalent.  (Sections 27-3 and 27-4 of the School Code)

c)         Specific Requirements for Graduation.  A "unit" is the credit accrued for a year's study or its equivalent.  A student may be permitted to retake a course that he or she has already successfully completed (for example, to earn a better grade).  However, credit may not be awarded more than once for completion of the same course, and the same course may not be counted more than once toward fulfillment of the State requirements for graduation.

1)         Each student shall be required to have accrued at least 16 units in grades 9-12 if graduating from a four-year school or 12 units in grades 10-12 if graduating from a three-year high school.  In either case,  one unit shall be in American History or American History and Government.  (Section 27-22 of the School Code)  No student shall receive certification of graduation without passing an examination on the subjects discussed in subsection (b)(4) of this Section.

2)         Pursuant to Section 27-22 of the School Code, all students, except students with disabilities whose course of study is determined by an individualized education program, must successfully complete certain courses, depending upon the school year in which they enter the 9^th grade and subject to the exceptions provided in Section 1.445 of this Part, as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma.

3)         Credits earned by students prior to entry into Grade 9 as authorized by Section 27-22.10 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/27-22.10] may be used to fulfill any of the requirements of subsection (c)(2) of this Section.

d)         School districts shall have on file in the local district office a description of all course offerings that may comply with the requirements of the law.  A course will be accepted as meeting the relevant requirement for graduation if  its description shows that its principal instructional activity is the development and application of knowledge and skills related to the applicable requirement.

1)         The course description for a "writing-intensive" course will be accepted for purposes of Section 27-22 of the School Code if:

A)        a goal of the course is to use the writing that students do relative to the subject matter being presented as a vehicle for improving their writing skills;

B)        writing assignments will be an integral part of the course's content across the time span covered by the course;

C)        the written products students are required to prepare in order to receive credit for the course and the feedback students receive are such that:

i)          students' writing proficiency is evaluated against expectations that are appropriate to early or late high school and encompass all of the standards applicable to State Goals 3 and 5 (see the State Goals for Learning and the Illinois Learning Standards in Appendix D to this Part); and

ii)         students receive information from the evaluation of their written products that will permit them to improve their writing skills in terms of correct usage; well-organized composition; communication of ideas for a variety of purposes; and locating, organizing, evaluating, and using information.

2)         The writing-intensive study provided in at least one writing-intensive course must be designed to address and integrate the elements of the writing process and to refine or apply research skills.

e)         It is the responsibility of the school district's administration to provide parents and guardians timely and periodic information concerning graduation requirements for all students, particularly in cases where a student's eligibility for graduation may be in question.

f)          Additional requirements for graduation may be adopted by local boards of education.  Boards of education may accept courses completed in a community college toward graduation.

(Source:  Amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 10229, effective June 30, 2008)