FOUNDATION HIGH SCHOOL

PROGRAM WITH ENDORSEMENTS

& DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT

HOUSE BILL 5 (HB5)

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS•26 CREDITS + COMPLETION OF AT LEAST 1 ENDORSEMENT

•A STUDENT MUST EARN DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR TOP 10% AUTOMATIC ADMISSION

•ALGEBRA II IS A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT FOR DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (4 CREDITS)

•ENGLISH I (EOC COURSES)

•ENGLISH II (EOC COURSES)

•ENGLISH III

•ADVANCED ENGLISH COURSE***

MATHEMATICS (4 CREDITS)

•ALGERBRA I (EOC COURSE)

•GEOMETRY

•ALGEBRA II (REQUIREMENT FOR DAP)

•ADVANCED MATHEMATICS COURSE***

SCIENCE (4 CREDITS)

•BIOLOGY (EOC COURSE)

•IPC OR ADVANCED SCIENCE COURSE***

•2 ADVANCED SCIENCE COURSES***

SOCIAL STUDIES (3 CREDITS)

•U.S. HISTORY (EOC COURSE)

•U.S. GOVERNMENT (1/2 CREDIT)

•ECONOMICS (1/2 CREDITS)

•WORLD GEOGRAPHY OR WORLD HISTORY

ENRICHMENT CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS

•PHYSICAL EDUCATION

•1 CREDIT

•LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH (LOTE)

•2 CREDITS IN THE SAME LANGUAGE

•FINE ARTS

•ONE CREDIT

•ELECTIVES

•6.5 CREDITS + HEALTH (0.5 CREDITS)

EOC COURSES•STUDENTS ENROLLED IN HIGH SCHOOL COURSES ARE

REQUIRED BY THE STATE TO PASS END OF COURSE EXAMS FOR ENGLISH I, ENGLISH II, BIOLOGY, ALGEBRA I AND U.S. HISTORY. THESE EXAMS ARE PART OF THE STATE OF TEXAS ASSESSMENTS OF ACADEMIC READINESS (STAAR). STUDENTS MUST PASS THE 5 EOC EXAMS TO GRADUATE.

DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT•AFTER MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FOUNDATION HIGH

SCHOOL PROGRAM AND AT LEAST ONE ENDORSEMENT,

STUDENTS MAY EARN A DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF

ACHIEVEMENT. THE DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT

REQUIRES 26 CREDITS-THE SAME AS EARNING AN

ENDORSEMENT. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT STUDENTS

MUST EARN AN ALGEBRA II CREDIT TO EARN THE

DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT. THE DISTINGUISHED

LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY FOR TEXAS’ TOP 10 PERCENT RULE FOR AUTOMATIC

ADMISSION TO PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE.

ENDORSEMENT•AN ENDORSEMENT IS A PROGRAM OF STUDY THAT REFLECTS

STUDENTS’ INTERESTS. THERE ARE FIVE ENDORSEMENT

OPTIONS: MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES, STEM, BUSINESS &

INDUSTRY, PUBLIC SERVICES, AND ARTS & HUMANITIES. EACH

ENDORSEMENT INCLUDES A COMPLETE LIST OF COURSES TO

SATISFY GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. WITH AN

ENDORSEMENT, STUDENTS WILL NEED 26 CREDITS TO

GRADUATE, INCLUDING 4 CREDITS IN MATH, 4 CREDITS IN

SCIENCE, AND 6.5 ELECTIVE CREDITS + HEALTH. STUDENTS

WILL SELECT AN ENDORSEMENT UPON ENTERING 9TH GRADE

AND MAY CHANGE THEIR SELECTION AT ANY TIME.

HOUSE BILL 5 (HB5)•HOUSE BILL 5 (HB5) FROM THE 83RD TEXAS

LEGISLATURE WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE SUMMER

OF 2013. HB 5 OUTLINES THE ASSESSMENT AND

CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL

GRADUATION.