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The Advanced Placement Program affords students the opportunity to complete college-level courses in high school. Participating colleges grant credit and/or appropriate placement based on the scores that students achieve on AP examinations. Students who complete an Advanced Placement course are expected to take the appropriate Advanced Placement examination at their own expense.
Course names followed by an H, AP, or IB are Honors courses. All Honors courses receive weighted grades and comply with the rubric following Scottsdale Schools honors classes:
- Provide a foundation for success in AP and/or IB classes and consistently align with AP and/or IB content.
- Consistently align with college coursework.
- Cover more breadth and depth in each subject area, thus requiring additional effort and perseverance on the part of the student. Summer reading or other outside activity is often an expectation.
- Consistently require thinking at the highest levels of Bloom's Taxonomy (application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation).
- Require students to demonstrate higher levels of reading comprehension, analytical writing, oral communication, and test-taking skills across disciplines.
- Require prior mastery of all prerequisite skills.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) program is an enriched and accelerated program challenging students to develop and refine their critical thinking skills. Junior and Senior Courses within this program have weighted grades. See International Baccalaureate section.
Those students who seek enrollment in the AP, Honors, and IB programs will be screened for this placement. Criteria for placement will be available during the pre-registration process.
An appeal for a grade change must be made within one semester of the completion of that course for which the grade was given . All appeals must be made at the site level. Only the teacher of record for the class may change a grade.
In order to participate on an athletic team, a minimum number of classes are required to be in compliance with Arizona Interscholastic Association and State policies. Please check with your guidance counselor or the Athletic Director for specific requirements.
All students who enroll in Scottsdale high schools after having missed 10 days of school will be enrolled on an audit basis. Credit may be granted with administrative approval. Any student entering a course without previous enrollment, after the first (1st ) day of the second (2nd ) grading period of a semester, MAY NOT EARN CREDIT.
Students entering a Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) high school after attending a charter school must provide an official transcript in order to receive credit toward graduation. Credits from accredited charter schools will be transferred to the SUSD transcript. Credits from non-accredited schools will not carry the same academic status on the SUSD transcript. Should a student enter without a transcript, the site principal has the discretion to offer credit by exam.
Concurrent Enrollment / High School Students
Concurrent enrollment programs offer high school students the opportunity to study at a college campus and to receive both secondary and postsecondary credits. The following guidelines must be met:
- The institution in which the course is taught must be accredited.
- Hours spent in the college classroom must correspond with the hours normally spent in the high school classroom for the equivalent course. The course must carry 3 or more hours of college credit to generate a .5 credit at the high school. College courses may not be combined to receive the .5 credit.
- A qualified student may receive credit toward graduation for courses taken at the college level if the course is equal to, or above, the academic demands of the similar high school course.
- The student shall be limited to taking one course per semester at the college level for high school credit except when approved by the high school principal or designee.
- Prior to course registration, the student shall obtain the high school principal's or designee's approval to receive high school credit for the college course.
- Students enrolled for college or university credit are responsible for payment of the appropriate college tuition.
- The student shall have an official college transcript submitted to the high school verifying successful completion of the course and receipt of a credit.
- Honors weight will not be assigned to courses taken outside the Scottsdale Unified School District curriculum.
Concurrent Enrollment/High School Students
High school students who register for concurrent enrollment will be expected to meet college-level requirements for attendance, participation, and performance. Students will be responsible for fulfilling all course expectations. Some concurrent enrollment programs within the colleges may require student and sometimes parent participation in an orientation at the beginning of each semester. Individual high schools may also require students and parents to sign a concurrent enrollment agreement as part of the permission process. Students participating in these programs will be enrolled in college courses with college classmates.
Dual Enrollment/High School Students
Dual enrollment offers students the opportunity to take high school courses on their high school campuses and receive both secondary and postsecondary credit. Students enrolled for college or university credits are responsible for payment of the appropriate college tuition. The dual enrollment courses are taught by SUSD teachers who are certified to teach in those areas and who also hold community college certification. The courses must meet the District's minutes-per-class standard.
In addition, all concurrent enrollment guidelines will apply with one exception. Students enrolled in Honors high school courses will receive weighted grades on the high school transcript and non-honors grades on the college transcript.
Community college credits earned in Arizona may transfer to the Arizona public universities. Students are responsible for verifying whether their dual enrollment credits will transfer to out-of-state colleges and universities.
Dual enrollment is a program that provides the opportunity for high school students (primarily juniors and seniors) to earn both high school and college credits. Through dual enrollment, students can take specified college-level courses at the high school during regular school hours. SUSD partners with several Maricopa County Community Colleges to offer a variety of dual enrolled courses. Below is a list of SUSD HS Courses that often offer dual enrollment credit. Dual enrollment is not offered for all courses and is dependent on the ability of the HS teacher and course to be approved by the community college for dual credit. The courses listed below function no differently than other high school courses. Students receive ½ high school credit per semester for each period enrolled in the dual enrolled course. The courses differ in that students may be eligible to receive college credit in addition to their high school credit for successfully completing the courses. College credits received may vary from 1-12 credits per high school course(s) completed. Please contact the high school teacher for specific dual enrollment information including the number of college credits available and tuition costs.
Gateway Community College
Engineering Design (DFT105)
Architectural Design (DFT254)
Computer Usage & Applications (BPC 110)
Web Page Design (CIS233AC, CIS120DC, CIS233AA & CIS233BA
Computer Repair (BPC170)
Health Care Assistant II (HCC130, CC145, NUR156, & NUR157
Health Care Assistant III
Hospitality Year One (HRM 110)
Foundations of Marketing, Management, & Entrepreneurship (MGT174, MGT175, MKT112, & MKT273)
Senior Internship (GBS107, GBS110, MGT106, MGT109, & MGT148AA)
Glendale Community College
Child Development (ECH 181, ECH 182, ECH 270, ECH 283, CFS 123,& CFS 125)
Mesa Community College
Media Communications I & II (ART 100 & MMT 140)
Media Communications II & III (ART 179 & TCM 241)
Rio Salado Community College
Spanish (SPA 101, 102, & 202)
Spanish III (SPA 101, 102)
French (FRE 101 & FRE 102)
Psychology (PSY 101)
Modern Fiction (English 275)
Modern Contemporary Fiction (English 275)
Mythology (English 251)
Scottsdale Community College
Astrophysics (AST 111, 112, 113, & 114)
Graphic Design and Advertising Art I (ART 100 & ART 112)
Graphic Design and Advertising Art II (ART 181)
Visual Art IV / College Foundations (ART 111 & 112)
Physics I Honors (Physics 101)
Principles of Real Estate
Human Physiology and Anatomy Honors (BIO 201 & BIO 202)
The Dual Enrollment Process
- Once teacher and course are approved for dual enrollment credit, high school communicates the dual enrollment option to students (Each community college operates differently, the HS teacher will provide the dual enrollment registration and tuition details to students).
- Students register and submit tuition payment directly to the community college or submit payment to their high school (see instructor for details).
- High school instructors collect students' registration forms and submit to college or students submits registration directly to the college (see instructor for details).
- High school instructors verify class rosters provided by college after 45th Day.
- College sends final roster at the end of the course. High school instructors submit grades to college on the rosters provided.
Joint Enrollment / Middle School Students
Students may enroll at more than one school in the SUSD with the approval of the principals of both schools.
Middle school students can receive high school credit for math courses if they are taking a class that uses a high school staffed teacher and that uses the District's high school curriculum. If the course is an Honors course, they may receive an honors weighted grade.
Middle school students may also earn high school credit by enrolling in both middle school and high school. The students may travel to the high school and take a course on the high school campus. Students will receive two sets of report cards, two grade records, and two grade point averages. These students will be concurrently enrolled at the participating high school in the district's student information system.
Credits earned through correspondence courses to meet graduation requirements shall be taken from an accredited institution as defined in R7-2-601. Credits earned thereby shall be limited to four (4), and only one credit may be earned in each of the following subject areas:
- English as described in subsection (1)(a) of this rule
- Social Studies
- Mathematics
- Science
To receive a diploma from a Scottsdale Unified School District high school, a student must be enrolled at the SUSD home campus for at least four classes during the semester in which the student plans to graduate. Correspondence exams must be proctored by approved personnel, which may include home school staff. Students must receive prior approval from an administrator or his or her designee to receive credit for any correspondence course.
District high schools provide those courses required for a student to graduate. The availability of specific courses may depend on sufficient enrollment. Courses will be offered at all high schools unless noted in course listing.
- All students in the high school except graduating seniors are required to enroll in 6 classes. Graduating seniors will be required to enroll in a minimum of 4 classes on campus.
- A unit of credit is granted for work completed in a subject meeting one (1) period daily for the academic year. One-half unit of credit is granted for work completed in a subject meeting one (1) period daily for one semester.
- Once graduation requirements have been met in any department, additional courses taken will be recorded as electives.
- Fractional course credit of .33 or greater and transferred in from other high schools, shall be evaluated and shall be adjusted to the nearest half-credit. Full credit will be given for course experience in the high schools that meet the equivalent amount of time for the credit granted in the SUSD. The adjustment shall always be made with the student's best interest in mind.
- To receive a diploma from a Scottsdale Unified School District high school, a student must be enrolled at the SUSD home campus for at least four classes during the semester in which the student plans to graduate.
- Exceptions to course loads must be approved by the principal or designee.
It is the student's responsibility to present official verification of courses taken at institutions outside of his/her high school before the completion of arrangements for graduation exercises. This deadline is a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the scheduled date of the graduation ceremony.
Approved language courses taken at the Phoenix High School of Jewish Studies or any accredited high school, when submitted with transcript verification, will be accepted for graduation.
The District Assessment Program (Benchmarks) measure a student's progress on the Arizona State Standards. At the high school level, Reading benchmarks are administered to all freshman and sophomore students; Writing benchmarks are administered to freshman, sophomore, and junior students; and math benchmarks are administered to students in Algebra I and Geometry. Students who have yet to pass the AIMS test will also take benchmark assessments. These tests help teachers and students determine which of the essential standards have been mastered and which standards still require mastery. These tests also help teachers and administrators predict how a student might perform on the High School AIMS test..
The following grading scale is used in all courses , both non-weighted and weighted, and at all levels to report grades:
A = 100 - 90
B = less than 90 - 80
C = less than 80 - 70
D = less than 70 - 60
F = below 60
The expectations, challenges, rigor, and content of courses will be adjusted to reflect the different levels of courses, as defined in the course descriptions in the District Planning Guide.
Students are limited to registering for six classes per semester. Students desiring to take more than six classes per semester must have the approval of the principal to do so. This will include correspondence courses, SUSD Online, dual enrollment classes, and community service projects.
Fees may be charged in some courses. See the Fee Schedule section located in the back of the planning guide.
Each high school may enroll one foreign exchange student per 700 students. Foreign exchange students will only be granted a "Certificate of Attendance". |
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A student's grade placement and cohort/graduation year are established when the student enters into the ninth grade for the first time at any school. The cohort/graduation year is calculated by adding four years to the year in which the student entered 9 th grade (i.e., student entered the 9 th grade in 2007, the cohort year for this student would be 2011). Once set, the cohort year must not be changed. For tracking purposes, students will be promoted at the end of each school year regardless of credits earned; students may be retained in their senior year (12 th grade) if graduation requirements have not been met.
The following scale is used for computing grade point averages:
Non-Weighted
Classes |
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Weighted Classes
Honors, IB, AP |
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A = 4
B = 3
C = 2
D = 1
F, I, or N = 0 |
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A = 5
B = 4
C = 3
D = 1
F, I, or N = 0 |
Weighted classes identified as Honors, International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement classes have GPAs computed by totaling the grade points earned and dividing by the number of classes taken. Academic and Overall GPAs are computed.
Students transferring into SUSD who have been in honors courses will be granted weighted credit only if SUSD offers the identical course and is so designated on the transcript.
If a student's record included courses that are marked in non-traditional fashion; i.e. on a pass/fail or credit/no credit basis, the computation of grade point average will be based upon those courses with traditional marks only.
Students who move within SUSD may retain a weighted grade for any completed course in the District program of studies.
Academic Grade Point Average - This computation includes all grades earned in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language.
Overall Grade Point Average - This computation includes all courses for which alpha grades are received.
The Scottsdale School District does not automatically award credit for students entering high schools from home schooling. Students who enter from home schooling must provide information regarding the quantity and quality of the home teaching before credit is granted to them.
Home school course credit transfer criteria:
The school counselor will ascertain the following:
- Whether parent used home schooling services?
- Which services were used?
- What curriculum was utilized?
- What courses were taken?
- Were assessments provided by the services?
- Were grades awarded?
- Was a transcript issued by the services?
Based on the criteria above, credit could be awarded for courses taken through the home school service. Upon review 'pass' or 'no credit' will be indicated on the transcript.
If a home schooling service was not used, then the g rade level placement of home schooled students upon re-enrollment in public school is dependent upon school district policy. Arizona Revised Statute §15-745 states:
A child who enrolls in a kindergarten program or grades one through twelve after receiving instruction in a home school program shall be tested pursuant to this article in order to determine the appropriate grade level for the educational placement of the child.
In accordance with policy JFABC students may request and take a course exam designed and evaluated by a teacher who is certificated to teach the subject matter of the course for which the credit is requested. All tests will be administered and taken only once. There will be no retakes. Upon assessment review, either "pass" or "no credit" will be indicated on the transcript.
High school students shall be expected to spend an average of thirty (30) minutes per class, per day, doing regularly assigned study outside of class. College-bound students may exceed this.
If a student receives a grade of "Incomplete (I)", the student must make up the work within four (4) weeks of the following nine-week grading period. An "Incomplete" grade remaining after the four-week grading period will be changed to an "F."
Students taking Independent Study for enrichment courses which are offered outside the traditional program of studies should have those experiences so designated, preceded by the title of the course. Credits shall be awarded on the basis of the Carnegie Unit Criteria. A certificated Scottsdale teacher must sponsor the course work. Independent Study may be taken for two (2) credits toward graduation. Principal approval must be obtained for independent study. Approval of the course must be received in advance.
Credits to be transferred in from non-accredited institutions are to be entered on a student's transcript, but are to be designated as "non-accredited". These non-accredited courses shall count toward graduation in Scottsdale Unified School District .
Non-accredited institutions, from which courses will be accepted for record keeping purposes only, must be recognized as diploma-granting institutions. The District will limit the acceptance of credits from non-accredited institutions to 2 credits.
Scottsdale’s Online Learning program is a web based curriculum in all content areas for all students, grades 9-12. The curriculum is aligned with state and district standards. This curriculum is provided to SUSD students through a partnership with Pinnacle Online Education, a state accredited Distance Education Charter School. This partnership allows students to enroll in online courses to meet their needs for credit completion, credit recovery as well as credit acceleration.
SUSD/Pinnacle courses using the following structure will be offered starting with the 2008-09 school year:
SUSD/Pinnacle course structure offerings:
6-12 week courses –This course structure may require students to complete coursework online outside of the scheduled school day.
Registration will be done through counselor advisement. Please note that students will be encouraged to enroll in courses required for success on the AIMS test (Algebra, Geometry, English I and English II) in a traditional setting. Students wishing to enroll in these courses for credit acceleration or credit completion must have prior approval from their counselor.
In order to meet the needs of all of our students the District will not limit the number of SUSD/Pinnacle courses for students. The District strongly encourages students to enroll in the District’s course offerings through SUSD/Pinnacle to meet their course selection needs.
Students registered in SUSD/Pinnacle online courses and the grades associated with the courses will appear as transfer credits on the SUSD transcript. It is important to note that all grades will be transferred to the SUSD transcript, including failing grades.
All other District policies and procedures described in the High School Planning Guide apply to SUSD/Pinnacle enrollments; specifically, course load credits and residency requirements for graduation .
Please refer to the District's Open Enrollment Policy available on line at www.susd.org/district/ administrativeservices/openenroll.cfm.
Teacher's Assistant, Peer Assistant, SUSD Online Learning, AIMS Math Standards, AIMS English, Algebra Assistance, and Interdepartmental courses (unless otherwise noted in course description) will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis.
Repeat courses (after they have been taken twice for a letter grade) may be taken on a Pass/Fail basis if the decision to do so is made during the semester in which the class is taken. The instructor and the appropriate administrator must approve. Other than repeat courses, Pass/Fail cannot be assigned to a student in a graded course.
The student's permanent record (transcript) will include the following:
- Academic record
- AIMS proficiency requirements
- Class ranking
- Proficiency in Computer Basics
- Other pertinent information (age, address, etc.)
- In determining rank in class, all students at a grade level shall be included.
- Students transferring into SUSD who have been in honors courses will be granted a weighted credit only if SUSD offers the identical course, and the course is designated on the student's transcript.
- Rank in class shall be determined by the overall academic grade point average for the classes 2009, 2010 and 2011. Beginning with the class of 2012, rank in class will be determined by the GPA earned by each student in the core academic content areas.
- For college admission purposes only , rank in class is computed and posted on the permanent record at the end of the sixth (6th ) semester.
- For college admission purposes only , rank in class is computed again, by request, at the end of the seventh (7th ) semester.
- For merit based scholarships ONLY , an additional class ranking may be calculated based on an academic GPA at the end of the 6th or 7th semester.
- All ranks shall be reported in whole number percentiles, with graduating class size.
- The methods used to compute grade point average and rank in class shall be reported to students, parents/guardians, and any authorized transcript recipient.
- The rank that is entered on a student's transcript will be available to students and parents/guardians upon request.
- Rank in class information should be released only to: 1) appropriate school personnel; 2) at the request or with consent of the student and/or parent/guardian; or 3) in response to formal legal processes.
Registration materials will be distributed to all students in the spring. Students will be able to register through their counseling departments as well as through online registration.
For students new to the school, the registration process begins when the forms and the supporting paperwork have been completed. The student will then meet with a counselor for course selection and to develop a program for the coming year.
One credit of religious education will be accepted toward graduation, if the course has been taken in an accredited high school in which diplomas are granted.
A course may be repeated for remediation of an "F" or to better a poor grade. A student who fails a required course must repeat it until it is passed successfully. The credit for that course resides with the better grade, and only the better grade is computed into the GPA. The course repeated remains on the transcript, but the credit column will show "R". Only courses designated as repeat courses may be counted toward graduation more than once.
It should be noted that Honors courses differ from regular-track courses to the extent that one cannot replace the other. If a student has obtained credit in two courses in the same subject, one in the regular track and one with an Honors grade weight, the student will receive credit for both courses, and both grades will be computed into the grade point average. Only one of the courses can be used to satisfy a graduation credit (e.g., Biology I and Biology I H would not count as two lab sciences). The second course would count as an elective course.
Although these courses may be taken up to four times toward the graduation requirement, the first two courses are recorded as letter grades. The rest of these credits maybe recorded as pass / fail with the permission of the appropriate administrator and the teacher. Follow the pass / fail guidelines on page 7.
Academic Decathlon
Advanced Dance
Advanced Practical Design
Advanced Theatre
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)
Chorus (any choral course)
Instrumental Music (any instrumental course)
Intermediate Dance
Photojournalism
Leadership in Technology
Newspaper Production
Physical Education (any course except introductory)
Reading 180
Reading Improvement
Service Learning II
Student Government Leadership (see course description for limitations)
Technical Theatre II
Video Production
Visual Arts/Photography II
Yearbook Production
Academic Content Skill Development (see EIS program)
A student may be awarded a diploma from any SUSD high school if he/she has enrolled for a minimum of four (4) courses that are taken on a Scottsdale high school campus his/her senior year. The diploma will only be awarded if the student requests it, and only if a diploma has not been requested and issued from another high school that he/she formerly attended.
Credits will be accepted from recognized summer and evening high schools. Information is available on the District web site at www.susd.org.
As per ARS §15-723-5, "Governing Boards shall furnish free required textbooks and related printed subject matter materials in the high schools." The textbooks must be returned at the end of a course, or the student must pay the actual replacement cost.
Fractional course credit of .33 or greater transferred in from other high schools shall be evaluated and adjusted to the nearest half-credit. Full credit will be given for course experience in the high schools that meet the equivalent amount of time for the credit granted in SUSD. The adjustment shall always be made with the student's best interest in mind. Students, upon presenting a transcript, will be registered on the grade level indicated by the record in accordance with their cohort/graduation year.
Students entering with a record indicated by a Credit/No Credit format will show Pass/Fail on the Scottsdale transcript. Students entering with letter grades will receive those letter grades on the Scottsdale transcript. Credit and/or grades will be accepted as they are transferred to SUSD.
Numbers identifying courses that correspond to courses taken in a previous school will be used when possible. Transfer numbers for the various departments will be used when course descriptions do not match the course in our system.
To determine credits accepted by SUSD, foreign transfer students must provide the grades, number of hours per week, and descriptions of the courses taken at previous schools. A translated transcript is preferred.
If a student withdraws from an individual class during the first or third grading period, no mark will be entered on his/her record.
If a student withdraws in the first half of the second or fourth grading period, his/her record will show either Withdrawal Passing ("WP") or Withdrawal Failing ("WF").
A student withdrawing after the mid-point of the second or fourth grading period who is passing the course will have a Withdrawal Passing ("WP") recorded on his/her record. If a student is failing the course, a grade of Failing ("F") will be recorded, and that grade will be computed into his/her Grade Point Average. |
