Graduation Pathways

To meet this graduation pathway option, students need to earn at least the following graduation cut scores on the high school SBA exams:

• English Language Arts (ELA): 2548
• Mathematics: 2595

If determined to be appropriate by their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team, students with an IEP may meet this graduation requirement pathway option with the WA-AIM state assessment with an ELA score of 104 and math score of 103.

Note: For Special Education students in the class of 2021 and prior, the following options are also still available for meeting this requirement:  SBA-Basic, Off-Grade, and LDA (Locally Determined Assessment).

To meet this pathway option, students need to earn at least the graduation score established by the State Board of Education on the ACT or SAT as listed below. 

English Language Arts

• A minimum score of 14 on the ELA section of the ACT exam - student must take the ACT with Writing exam in order to receive an ELA score
• A minimum score of 410 on the SAT English exam

Mathematics

• A minimum score of 16 in mathematics on the ACT exam
• A minimum score of 430 in mathematics on the SAT exam

To meet this graduation pathway option, the student must pass specified courses with a C+ (2.3) grade or higher in AP or IB, or pass the associated assessment at a specified level. 
Students may satisfy this requirement using a combination of two courses as long as they are both approved courses within the same program (AP or IB) and content area.  For example, 0.5 credits with a C+ or better in AP World History plus 0.5 credits with a C+ or better in AP English Language and Composition would meet the ELA grad pathway.

The Advanced Placement (AP) courses that meet this option in English language arts and math are listed below.  Students must earn a C+ (2.3) grade or higher each term and earn 1.0 credit, OR score a 3 or higher on the exam associated with these courses.

English Language Arts

• AP English Language and Composition
• AP English Literature and Composition
• AP Macroeconomics
• AP Microeconomics
• AP Psychology
• AP United States History
• AP World History
• AP United States Government and Politics
• AP Comparative Government and Politics

Mathematics

• AP Statistics
• AP Computer Science A
• AP Computer Science Principles
• AP Calculus

The International Baccalaureate (IB) courses that meet this option are listed below.  Students must earn a C+ (2.3) grade or higher each term and earn 1.0 credit, OR score a 4 or higher on the exam associated with these courses.

English Language Arts - eligible IB Courses

• Language A: Language & Literature
• Language A: Literature
• Business & Management
• Economics
• Geography
• History
• Information Technology in a Global Society
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Social & Cultural Anthropology
• Global Politics
• World Religion

Mathematics (any IB Course in mathematics including):

• Mathematics Analysis & Approaches SL
• Mathematics Analysis & Approaches HL
• Mathematics Applications & Interpretations SL
• Mathematics Applications & Interpretations HL
• Mathematical Studies SL (prior to 2021)
• Mathematics SL (prior to 2021)
• Mathematics HL (prior to 2021)
• Further Mathematics HL (prior to 2021)

To meet the ASVAB graduation pathway option, students with an interest in pursuing military service as a possible career option, must take the ASVAB while in High School and meet the minimum score of 31 on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT).
The AFQT is a component of the ASVAB (not a separate test).

Satisfying this graduation pathway option meets requirements in both English and math.
Use of the ASVAB to meet the graduation pathway is restricted to students for whom military service is part of their High School and Beyond Plan.

A student may meet this graduation pathway option by completing 2.0 credits of CTE courses within a CTE Pathway that meets specific eligibility criteria and supports a student's post-high school goals and interests as reflected in their High School and Beyond Plan.  Satisfying this graduation pathway option meets requirements in both English and math.

More information about available CTE Pathways can be found in the CTE section of your high school course catalog or on the CTE website.

Dual credit courses that qualify for this pathway option are courses that meet core high school graduation credit in English and math, and that allow students to earn college credit at the 100-level or higher.  Dual credit programs in our district include College in the High School and Running Start.
For EdCAP students, some EdCAP courses are considered Dual Credit courses toward meeting a grad pathway.  Check with your EdCAP counselor if you have questions about that.

Students must earn 1.0 high school credits in the course to be eligible to use it to complete the pathway requirement.

Students do not have to pay fees or claim college credit to meet this pathway, but they must meet the state or local program criteria or articulation agreement requirements such as earning a particular grade.

In the Edmonds School District, Bridge to College courses are Transition Courses.

For the purposes of graduation pathway options, Transition Courses are English and math courses that, based on their final grade, allow students to place directly into credit-bearing college level courses (courses with college course numbers of 100 or above), as based on policies and criteria of school districts and applicable institutions of higher education.

Students must earn 1.0 credit in the course to be eligible to use it to complete the pathway requirement.

Local transition courses are those courses that meet college requirements based on a local agreement in place with local colleges. Courses that result in 100 level or higher college level course placement and count toward high school credit are also eligible to complete a pathway requirement.

At this time, the following courses (including Honors, IB, and AP) may serve as a local transition course if taken and passed within two years of graduating:

• Algebra 2
• Pre-Calculus
• Calculus

The following courses may serve as local transition courses if taken and passed within one year of graduating:

• Statistics
• AP Statistics

Students may use a combination of different pathway options to meet the requirements for English versus math.  For example, a student may meet the English graduation pathway option using the state assessment, and the math graduation pathway option using a Transition Course.

The graduation pathway options that may be used in combination are:

• Smarter Balanced Assessment
• WA-AIM
• ACT
• Advanced Placement (AP) course or exam
• Dual Credit course (College in the High School or Running Start)
• International Baccalaureate (IB) course or exam
• SAT
• Transition Course (Bridge to College)