NC GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Over the past few years, the State Board of Education has changed graduation requirements to better reflect the skills and knowledge students need for success in the workplace, and in community colleges, colleges and universities. Our goal is for students to be prepared for whatever they want to do after high school graduation.

So, what do students need to do in order to receive a high school diploma from a North Carolina public school? The answer to that question depends entirely on when the student enters high school for the first time as a ninth grader: between 2000-01 – 2008-09, or between 2009-2010 and later. Students in the Occupational Course of Study will meet the same requirements as those students who entered ninth grade in 2000-01.

Depending on when they entered as a ninth grader, students must meet specific course and credit requirements, and pass specific end-of-course tests in addition to the Computer Skills test. Some districts and schools require students to successfully complete some form of a graduation project or other assignment to receive a high school diploma. The State Board of Education's requirement for students to complete The North Carolina Graduation Project has been put on hold by the North Carolina General Assembly while committee members study the project. The first graduating class that could possibly be required to complete the project as a graduation requirement would be the class of 2015.

This Web site was created to help parents and students better understand what is required to receive a high school diploma in one easy to access location.