Graduation Requirements:

Subject Credits required
• Language Arts 4 credits (8 semesters)
• Social Studies 4 credits (8 semesters)
• Mathematics 2½ credits (5 semesters)
• Sciences 3 credits (6 semesters)
• PE/Health 1½ credits (3 semesters)
• Electives 7½ credits (15 semesters)
  Total 22½ credits

All students must pass the Alaska High School Graduation Qualifying Exam (reading, writing and math) prior to receiving a diploma, as well as fulfill ASD graduation requirements.
2008-09 Graduation dates
Graduation dates for 2008-09 will be finalized in the fall of 2008. Please contact the High School Education Department at 907-742-4256 or hall_kelly@asdk12.org if you have questions.

Language Arts — 4 credits
English 9-1, 9-2, English 10-1, 10-2, and one semester of Composition during grades 11 or 12 plus three semesters of electives in grades 10, 11, or 12.

Social Studies — 4 credits
World History 9- 1 and 9- 2, U.S. History 10- 1 and 10 -2, one semester of Alaska Studies, one semester of Economics, one semester of United States Government, one semester of a Social Studies elective. Students may waive the .5 credit social studies requirement by completion of Level III of a world language (Latin, French, German, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish); immersion students may waive the .5 social studies requirement by completion of Japanese for Fluent Speaker II or Pacesetter Spanish.

Mathematics — 2.5 credits
Five semesters of Mathematics electives. Students must complete course work containing or founded in Algebra I level math skills or demonstrate Algebra I level skills by examination.

Sciences — 3 credits
Three years (six semesters) of science credit are required. Two semesters must be life science. Two semesters must be physical science.

Physical Education/Health Education — 1.5 credits
Three semesters of physical education graduation requirements can be fulfilled by passing the required Lifetime Personal Fitness course plus .5 credit from the lifetime activity courses (noted as such in course listings) plus .5 additional credit from any physical education class.Students may obtain a waiver of .25 of the physical education graduation requirement for each full season of Anchorage School District sports participation. Elective credit must be earned to replace the Physical Education/Health Education requirement that is waived. A waiver of the physical education requirement under this section does not affect the overall minimum requirements of 22.5 credits.
Lifetime Personal Fitness can be waived by:
successful completion of a fitness and written test administered by Health and Physical Education Department; or
participation in two seasons of ASAA-sanctioned extracurricular sports and successful completion of the written test administered by the Health and Physical Education Department.
Students may also waive physical education requirements through Credit-By-Choice, correspondence, college coursework, or field study programs.
A maximum of 1.0 waiver of the physical education requirement is available upon completion of 1 full year of JROTC and the subsequent summer camp.
Lifetime Personal Fitness, Healthy Life Skills and First Aid are not repeatable upon receiving a passing grade in a previous semester.

Electives — 7.5 credits
Fifteen semester courses have not been specified so as to provide students an opportunity to pursue individual educational goals. Electives may include additional courses in Language Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, Technology, Fine Arts, World Languages, Physical Education and Career Technology.

NOTES:
A student may be considered for graduation when he or she has acquired a minimum of 22.5 credits after grade 8 in required and elective subjects. Depending upon High School Graduation Qualifying Exam results, either a diploma or certificate of achievement will be awarded.

Seniors entering the ASD for the first time may graduate by meeting requirements of their previous school when the ASD requirements create hardship.