High School Course Guide

A student’s guide to forecasting and planning graduation pathways.

Welcome to the District High School Course Guide!

This guide was developed to provide students and families with a resource for Washington State graduation requirements and the Longview Public Schools courses and programs available to students. This guide will allow our students and their families to:

 Learn about programs and course options in each high school
 Identify courses that meet post-secondary career and college goals
 Plan high school courses that will successfully lead to graduation and allow each student to achieve their High School and Beyond Plan

Each high school provides students access to rigor and challenge within an environment and culture where students feel safe, secure, and supported in their learning. The primary goal for our students is that they are positively engaged in their academic learning to reach graduation and achieve career and college readiness.

Please carefully review this course guide to make informed decisions about high school courses and future goals. If you have additional questions or need more information, please contact your high school counseling office.

Longview Schools Graduation Information

All Longview Public Schools students must meet the following requirements to graduate:

Develop a High School and Beyond Plan— a tool to guide students through high school and think about their future. Plans are personalized to help students set, visualize, and work to achieve goals.
Earn 24 credits—minimum credit requirements for high school are:

17 Foundational	7 Electives
English - 4 Credits	Electives - 4 Credits
Science - 3 Credits	Personalized Pathway (PPR)* - 3 Credits
Math - 3 Credits
Social Studies - 3 Credits
Health & Fitness - 2 Credits
Arts - 1 Credit
Career & Technical Education - 1 Credit

*Personalize Pathway Requirements (PPR) are electives in any subject that align with the student’s interests and their High School and Beyond Plan. The arts and world language credits can be replaced with other electives, based on the student’s plan.
** Washington State History is a required course. If it was not completed in middle school, it must be taken in high school.

Complete District Graduation Requirements:

1. Complete the required credits in the assigned content areas
2. Decide upon your Graduation Pathway. Some require testing
a. Smarter Balance HS Assessment or WA-AIM. It is required that all Sophomores test in ELA and math
b. AP exams, SAT or ACT
c. ASVAB
d. CTE 2-Credit Course Sequence
3. Complete your Senior Oral Presentation
4. Complete your High School and Beyond Plan
5. 24 Hours of Community Service
6. 12 Service to School Points

Pathways to Graduation

Statewide Assessment Scores in ELA & Math: Achieve the graduation cut score on the on-grade level Smarter Balance Assessment for ELA (2548) and/or Math (2595). The first and most common pathway to graduation is to meet the graduation cut score on Smarter Balanced ELA and Math. All students will take this test in 10th grade and have the option to retake it in the spring of 11th and 12th grade. (Designated IEP students may use WA-AIM scores.)
College Admission Exam scores for ELA and/or Math (SAT/ACT): Exam scores from the SAT, SAT with Essay, ACT, or ACT with Writing may be used as applicable. Minimum scores are:

SAT with or Without Essay ACT with Writing

Math 430 16

ELA 410 14
Advanced Placement Exams: Score a 3 or higher on one of the following AP exams: AP World History, AP US History, or AP Computer Science Principals
Dual Credit Courses: For AP classes, students must earn a C+ or higher and do not need to take or pass the AP exam. College in the High School, CTE Dual Credit, and Running Start classes that qualify are courses that earn high school graduation credit in English and math, and that allow students to earn college credit at the 100-level or higher. For CTE dual credit courses to meet this pathway requirement, the course must have a state or local course equivalency to meet high school subject area graduation requirements in English or math.
Transition Courses: Pass a Bridge-to-College course in ELA and/or Math, earning at least 1.0 credits per subject throughout an entire school year.
Combination: Students can meet their graduation pathway requirement with any combination of at least one ELA and at least one math pathway from options 1-5.
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB): Students whose high school and beyond plan include enlisting in the military can meet pathway requirements by earning at least the minimum score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) portion of the ASVAB. The current score students must meet is 31. Taking the ASVAB does not require to you to enroll in the military. For more information see your counselor or a military recruiter.
Career Technical Education Course Sequence: Students can meet a pathway requirement by completing a designated CTE course sequence connected to the High School and Beyond Plan. A sequence is two or more high school credits of CTE courses that are technically intensive and rigorous. To be considered a CTE course sequence, the courses need to be in the same program area or an approved multi–program areas combination. See your counselor for more information.

College in High School Options

Did you know you can earn college credit while in high school?
There are a variety of ways to earn college credit while in high school attending Longview Public Schools. Passing these classes can also allow students to meet graduation Exit Criteria requirements. Review the options for college credit listed below and see your high school counselor for more information or if you have additional questions.

Advanced Placement Courses (AP)
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are taught with college-level curriculum and examinations. College credit may be earned by passing the end-of-year AP test for each class. Passing with a C+ or better also counts as graduation exit criteria.

Advanced Placement Courses in Longview include:

AP Biology
AP Chemistry
AP World History
AP US History
AP Computer Science Principles
AP Psychology
AP Spanish

CTE Dual Credit
CTE Dual Credit is like Running Start in reverse. It allows students to earn free college credit and remain in high school. Students will earn 5 college credits for each .5 semester class where they earn a B or better. Courses that qualify will have the Dual Credit logo in their description.

College in the High School courses (CWU or EWU)
Courses with college-level curriculum and assessments for high school students. With successful completion of courses, students will earn college credit and high school credits. These courses also count towards exit criteria.

Running Start
Students may be eligible for participation in Running Start classes at Lower Columbia College (LCC). Please talk with your counselor or LCC if you are interested.

NCAA
NCAA schools require college-bound student-athletes to build a foundation of high school courses to prepare them for the academic expectations in college.

Course Planner Example for a Benchmark Student

Subject and Credit	High school classes earned in grade 8	Grade 9	Grade 10	Grade 11	Grade 12
English (4)		□ Honors English 9 □ English 9	□ Honors English 10 □ English 10	□ College in HS □ English Elective	□ AP English □ College In HS □ English Elective
Math (3)	□ Algebra	□ Alegbra □ Geometry	□ Algebra □ Geometry □ Algebra 2	□ Algebra 2 □ Other 3rd year option	□ Elective
Science (3)		□ Physical Science	□ Biology	□ 3rd year based on HSBP
Social Studies (3)			□ World Studies □ AP World History	□ US History □ AP US History	□ CWP/Civics □ College in the HS
Art or PPR (2)		Art is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Art □ PPR	Art is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Art □ PPR	Art is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Art □ PPR	Art is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Art □ PPR
Health (.5) / Physical Education (1.5)		Health/P.E. are “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Health (0.5) □ Physical Education (1.5)	Health/P.E. are “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Health (0.5) □ Physical Education (1.5)	Health/P.E. are “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Health (0.5) □ Physical Education (1.5)	Health/P.E. are “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Health (0.5) □ Physical Education (1.5)
World Language Or PPR (2)		World Language is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Art □ PPR	World Language is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Art □ PPR	World Language is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Art □ PPR	World Language is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ Art □ PPR
CTE (1)		CTE is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ CTE	CTE is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ CTE	CTE is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ CTE	CTE is “year-independent” meaning it can be taken any year □ CTE
Electives (4)		Electives are “year-independent” meaning they can be taken any year □ Electives (4)	Electives are “year-independent” meaning they can be taken any year □ Electives (4)	Electives are “year-independent” meaning they can be taken any year □ Electives (4)	Electives are “year-independent” meaning they can be taken any year □ Electives (4)
24 Total Credits	Note: Assessments and career interests should inform grade 9 course selection		Note: Assessments and career/college interests should inform grade 11 course selection	• Make sure to look at the academic and class requirements for the colleges (2-year, 4-year, or technical) you are inter-ested in attending. • The 3rd credits of math and science are chosen by students based on their High School and Beyond Plan	• Make sure to look at the academic and class requirements for the colleges (2-year, 4-year, or technical) you are inter-ested in attending. • The 3rd credits of math and science are chosen by students based on their High School and Beyond Plan

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