Graduation Requirements

Credit Requirements 

The minimum credit requirements for graduation from Washington County Public Schools adhere to, but are not limited by, the standards established by the State of Maryland. Students must earn a minimum of 24 credits as outlined in the table below: 

Graduation Requirements

Completer Requirements 

Students must also earn credits to satisfy the University of Maryland Completer Program and/or a Career and Technology Education Completer Program. In addition to the requirements listed above, the University of Maryland completer requires 2 World Language credits in the same language, and 4 credits of mathematics. The 4 mathematics credits must include Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Students who complete Algebra II prior to their final year must complete the four-year mathematics requirement by taking a course or courses that utilize non-trivial algebra such as Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry, Calculus, Statistics, and College Algebra. Financial Literacy does not meet this requirement. This final mathematics course must be taken during the regular school year in the student’s fourth year. 

 

Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) 

Students must take MCAP assessments for English 10, Algebra I, Science, and Government.  

 

Student Service Learning Requirements 

Students must complete a minimum of 75 hours of Student Service Learning hours. Contact your school’s Counseling Office for more information. 

 

High School Assessments 

Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year:  

1. Students enrolled in Biology and/or Government courses will take a required end-of-the-course assessment that will account  for 20 percent of the student’s final grade. 

2. Students enrolled in Algebra and English 10 are required to take an end-of-the-course assessment to  determine college and career readiness. 

Students must participate in MCAP assessments for ELA, Math, Life Science, and Government to meet graduation assessment  requirements. 

 

College and Career Readiness

 In 2021, Maryland passed the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. The intent of this legislation is to ensure that Maryland students graduate from high school prepared for college and career pathways. School districts are required to determine whether students are prepared to take credit-bearing college courses in math and English Language Arts by assessing them no later than 10th grade. To comply with the assessment requirements of the Act, WCPS will review students’ assessment scores to determine if the student meets the requirement. If students have not yet demonstrated readiness for college-level work, they will complete supplemental coursework.