Galena Park ISD House Bill 5 District Parent

Galena Park ISD House Bill 5 - District Parent Meeting: New Graduation Requirements Presented by: GPISD Department of Educational Support Spring 2014

Welcome Parents! OUR GOALS: Prepare you and your 8 th grade student for high school by: Providing information on the new graduation requirements developed under House Bill 5 Sharing information on graduation requirements so family discussions on Endorsements can begin. Answer and address concerns regarding the selection of an Endorsement plan and the path to graduation

2014 -2015 Online Registration All students will register online through Skyward using their Skyward student password. Make sure your child knows his/her password!!!! Students and parents will be able to view and make changes to the course selections online for one week following registration. A copy of the selected courses will be mailed home in May. Any additional changes should be made in writing and must be submitted to your child’s high school or middle school counselor no later than June 6, 2014.

End of Course Exams Required for Graduation English II Algebra I Biology U. S. History Note: All students in the Class of 2015 and beyond must meet satisfactory performance on all five exams to receive a high school diploma in the state of Texas. STAAR/EOC support courses will be added to your child’s schedule if he/she does not pass STAAR/EOC exams thereby limiting elective course selections.

Graduation Plan Options Students currently in high school (Class of 2015, 2016, and 2017) may graduate under the current high school graduation plans (Recommended Plan or Distinguished Plan) or under the new Foundation High School Plan under House Bill 5. Students currently in the 8 th Grade (Class of 2018) and beyond will graduate under the new Foundation High School Plan under House Bill 5. Students may NOT mix plans

Current High School Plans Class of 2014 - 2017 Recommended Plan – 26 Credits Distinguished Plan – 26 Credits and completion of four advanced measures __________________________________________ Recommended Plan: 4 Credits of English 4 Credits of Math 4 Credits of Science 4 Credits of Social Studies 2 Credits of LOTE – Same Language 1 Credit in Physical Education ½ Credit of Speech 1 Credit of Fine Arts 5 ½ Credits of Electives __________________________________________ Distinguished Plan 3 Credits of LOTE – Same Language 4 ½ Credits of Electives Advanced Measures: 3 or higher on AP Exam, 3. 0 in Dual Credit , PSAT Commended Scholar, PSAT National Merit Scholar

What did House Bill 5 Change? A. Reduced State Testing Requirements From: 15 EOC Tests to graduate To: 5 EOC Tests to graduate B. Changed Graduation Requirements From: Old Recommended/Distinguished Plan To: New Foundation Plan with Endorsements C. State Accountability From: Measuring a district’s performance on student test scores only To: Measuring a district’s performance on student test scores, financial soundness and community engagement House Bill 5 allows for student choice, flexibility and a more focused course of study.

Future High School Students Class of 2018 and Beyond… Welcome to the new Foundation High School Plan!!! There are three levels to the new FHSP: Foundation, Foundation with Endorsements and Distinguished Achievement There are opportunities to earn Performance Acknowledgements A student and parent shall specify in writing which endorsement the student intends to earn when entering the 9 th Grade All 8 th grade students will be provided with a student letter indicating their selected Endorsement as indicated on the World-Of-Work Map by interest choices made on the ACT-EXPLORE

New Foundation High School Plan Performance Acknowledgements Distinguished Endorsements Foundation Plan

New Foundation High School Plan Level I: Foundation (No Endorsement) – 22 Credits The Foundation Plan with no endorsement is reserved only for special populations in their Junior or Senior year with parent permission. Level II: Foundation Plan with Endorsement – 26 Credits STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Business & Industry Arts & Humanities Public Services Multidisciplinary Studies Level III: Distinguished Achievement – Completion of the Foundation Plan with at least one endorsement AND Algebra II Note: ONLY students completing the Distinguished Level and graduating in the top 10% of their class will be eligible for college admission under the top 10% automatic admission law

Graduation Requirements Class of 2018 and Beyond… Subject Areas: Foundation Plan with Endorsement Credits: Required for all Endorsements English 4 Math 3 + 1 Advanced or CTE Math Course Science 3 + 1 Advanced or CTE Science Course Social Studies 3 Foreign Language 2 Fine Arts 1 Physical Education 1 Electives 7 Total Credits for Graduation 26 Core Course Credits (19) + Elective Credits (7) = 26 Credits

STEM Endorsement Must include courses directly related to: • • Science, including environmental science Technology, including computer science Engineering Advanced mathematics

Business & Industry Endorsement Must include courses directly related to: • • Database management Information technology Communications Accounting Finance Marketing Graphic design • • Architecture Construction Welding Logistics Automotive technology Agriculture science Heating, ventilation and air conditioning

Public Services Endorsement Must include courses related to: Health sciences and occupations Education and training Law enforcement Culinary Arts and Hospitality

Arts & Humanities Endorsement Must include courses related to: Fine Arts Political Science World Languages Cultural Studies English Literature History

Multidisciplinary Studies Endorsement Allows students to select a combination of courses from the curriculum of each of the endorsement areas: STEM Business & Industry Public Services Art & Humanities

Which Endorsement should my child choose? Choosing an endorsement is similar to choosing a college major. Ask your child what career field sparks the most interest… Each completed endorsement will result in a seal on the diploma and transcript indicating mastery of a particular course of study, and your child can graduate with more than one seal. Ask your child how many seals he/she would like to earn for graduation… The endorsement your child selects in the 8 th grade can be changed if the current career choice changes in later years. Your child’s counselor will review the plan annually to ensure graduation requirements are being met and to give your student a chance to make any necessary changes.

How does my child earn Performance Acknowledgements? Achieve outstanding performance : In a dual credit course or In bilingualism and biliteracy or On an AP test or On the PSAT, the ACT-Plan, the SAT, or the ACT or Earn a nationally or internationally recognized business or industry certification or license And earn additional academic seals on your diploma and transcript!

Moving from Middle School to High School… Scheduling: A Day Periods: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 B Day Periods: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 Credits: Earned at the end of each semester Students can earn 4 credits each semester (4 credits x 8 semesters = 32 credits) Earning 32 credits makes it possible to graduate with multiple endorsements! Must attend class 90% of the days class is offered to earn credit. More than 6 absences in a class can result in loss of credits Sponsor Approved Courses: Will not be placed on a student’s schedule until roster is received from the sponsor listing the student’s name. (All Sports, Drill Team, Band all others that apply)

College and Career Preparation Seniors should make final decision on which college they plan to attend, begin applying in the fall and retake the ACT/SAT as necessary before the end of the first semester. Juniors should take the SAT and/or ACT for the first time during the fall of their Junior year, begin narrowing college selections, and begin researching scholarships. Sophomores should research colleges and determine requirements for admission or career certifications. Freshmen should research colleges and careers and select courses relative to a career path.

Final Comments… If you have any questions, please fill out a form and leave with us. You will be notified once the House Bill 5 link is up and running on the District website Thank you for coming!