Graduation Requirements

John Adams Academy graduation requirements meet or exceed the California graduation requirements, and University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) requirements for freshman admission. The chart below of graduation requirements demonstrates the Academy graduation requirements in comparison to current California, UC and CSU requirements as an example of the Academy meeting or exceeding said requirements. The Academy may amend graduation requirements during the term of the charter based on changes in California, UC or CSU requirements as well as the Academy’s identification of scholar or program need. Parents will be informed about the transferability of courses to other public high schools and the eligibility of courses to meet college entrance requirements via methods including, but not limited to, the Family/Scholar Handbook, family orientations, parent/school conferences, Academy website and information available at the main office.

In the event that changes are made that increase the requirements for graduation, any scholar currently enrolled in high school would be subject to the previous requirements as advertised when they enrolled. The more stringent requirements would apply to any scholars newly enrolling in a high school grade level following the change.

Scholars graduating from John Adams Academy will complete a minimum of 240 credit hours. All scholars must complete each of the following Capstone Requirements with a passing grade (C- or higher) to be eligible for graduation:

Thesis
Speech
Project

Scholars must earn a grade of C- or higher for satisfactory completion of all academic courses. Scholars who earn a grade of D+ or lower will be required to repeat the course to earn credit. Scholars who have been absent for any reason from 10% or more of the class during the time for which they were enrolled are deemed chronic absentees (see attendance policy above). In the case of chronic absenteeism, scholars absent for reasons deemed “unexcused” may be precluded from receiving credit for assignments and tests missed during the unexcused absence, and/or may not receive credit for the course if tracked under period attendance.

	John Adams Academy Graduation Requirements	California Graduation Requirements	University of California (UC) Requirements for Freshman Admissions	California State University (CSU) Requirements for Freshman Admissions
History/Social Science (A)	50 Units[1] including 30 units Western Cilization [2]; 10 units U.S. History; 5 units American Government and 5 units Economics	6 semesters (30 Units), including 2 semesters (10 units) of U.S. History and geography; 2 semesters (10 units) of world history, culture, and geography; 1 semester (5 units) of American government and civics, and 1 semester (5 units) of economics.	4 semesters (20 Units), including 2 semesters (10 units) U.S. history or 1 semester (5 units) of U.S. history and 1 semester (5 units) of civics or American government; and 2 semesters (10 units) of world history, cultures, and geography.	4 semesters (20 Units), including 2 semesters (10 units) of U.S. history or U.S. history and government and 2 semesters (10 units) of other approved social science.
Philosophy	10 Units Moral and Political Philosophy	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	Not Applicable
English (B)	40 Units	6 semesters (30 Units)	8 semesters (40 Units) of approved courses.	8 semesters (40 Units) of approved courses.
Mathematics (C)	30 Units [3], including Algebra I and Geometry	4 semesters (20 Units), including Algebra I.	6 semesters (30 Units), including algebra, geometry, and intermediate algebra. 8 semesters recommended.	6 semesters (30 Units), including algebra, intermediate algebra, and geometry.
Science (D)	30 Units[4] , 10 Units Biology, 10 Units from either or Chemistry, or Physics, the additional 10 Units from any science.	4 semesters (20 Units), including biology and physical science.	4 semesters, (20 Units) with lab required, chosen from biology, chemistry, and physics. 6 semesters recommended.	4 semesters (20 Units), including 2 semesters of biological and 2 semesters of physical science with lab.
Foreign Language (E)	20 Units in the same language required.	2 semesters (10 Units) of either visual and performing arts, foreign language, or career technical education.	4 semesters (20 Units) in same language required. 6 semesters recommended.	4 semesters (20 Units) in the same language required.
Visual /Performing Arts (F)	10 Units of visual or performing arts	2 semesters (10 Units) of either visual and performing arts, foreign language, or career technical education.	2 semesters (10 Units) of visual and performing arts chosen from the following: dance, drama/theater, music, or visual art.	2 semesters (10 Units) of visual and performing arts chosen from the following: dance, drama/theater, music, or visual art.
Physical Education	Offered, but not a core class and not required for graduation	4 semesters (20 Units)	Not Applicable	Not Applicable
Electives (G)	50 Units (10 semesters)	Not Applicable	2 semesters (10 Units)	2 semesters (10 Units)
Additional Requirements	• Thesis • Speech • Project	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	Not Applicable
Total Credits	240 Unit Credits (48 semesters) (Grades below C- will not be awarded credit, save for the 10 Unit exception listed above.)	130 Unit Credits (26 semesters)	150 Unit Credits (30 semesters) 14 semesters must be completed in the last two years of high school	150 Unit Credits (30 semesters)

Please note: Scholars must be enrolled as a full-day scholar at John Adams Academy unless excused by the Headmaster for reasons such as, but not limited to, classes taken at a local college, a work release with a permit, or as part of an internship approved by the Academy, etc.

[1] Scholars enrolling into John Adams Academy from a non-John Adams Academy school after they have completed their freshmen year of high school, may graduate with 40 units; however, while attending JAA, they must complete 5 units of American government and 5 units of economics and they must complete the JAA appropriate grade level required history course each semester for which the scholar is enrolled (beginning with the class of 2028; scholars may opt into these requirements sooner)

[2]New scholars can meet one of these requirements with the submission of transferred World History/ Geography units.

[3] The Algebra 1 and/or Geometry requirement may be met by successfully completing a course that meets or exceeds the rigor of the content standards of Algebra 1 and/or Geometry. Courses meeting the Algebra 1 and/or Geometry requirement may be transferred from middle school if the course is A-G approved or it can be demonstrated that the course content qualifies as high school level content. Beginning with the class of 2028, scholars must complete a minimum of 30 Units of mathematics while in High School even if the mathematics requirements for graduation were completed in middle school.

[4] Beginning with the class of 2028.

[5] One year of language may be transferred from middle school if the course is A-G approved. Courses meeting the Foreign Language requirement may be transferred from middle school if the course is A-G approved or it can be demonstrated that the course content qualifies as high school level content. American Sign Language is deemed a foreign language for purposes of meeting the foreign language graduation requirement. Scholars must complete 10 units of foreign language while in high school even if Foreign Language requirements for graduation were completed in middle school.

Board approved: April 11, 2024