VIII. Meeting High Standards

High School Graduation Requirements

High school graduation requirements ensure students get the solid education they need to do well in their further studies and careers. To receive a diploma, students must complete a full range of compulsory, core subjects as well as optional courses that broaden their knowledge and skills.

Diploma requirements are set by the Minister of Learning and include 100 credits in compulsory and optional courses. Schools are required to provide 25 hours of instruction for each credit. Most courses are worth either three or five credits, and the average course load is 35 credits per year.

Students must complete and pass the following courses:

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2 or Français 30* and 33*

Social Studies 30 or 33

Pure Mathematics 20, Applied Mathematics 20 or Mathematics 24

Science 20 or 24 or Biology 20 or Chemistry 20 or Physics 20

Physical Education 10

Career and Life Management 20

* Students in francophone programs may meet their language arts diploma requirements with grade 12 Français, but they also must complete English Language Arts to the grade 12 level.

To broaden their high school program, students are required to complete 10 credits from Career and Technology Studies (CTS), Physical Education 20-30, Fine Arts or Second Languages. To give them more in-depth study, they must also have 10 credits in any 30-level courses (besides English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2 and Social Studies 30 or 33).

Diploma Exams

Students write diploma exams that evaluate their performance relative to provincial standards. Exams are required in the following courses:

Biology 30
Chemistry 30
English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2
Français 30
Pure Mathematics 30 and Applied Mathematics 30
Physics 30
Science 30
Social Studies 30 and 33

Exams are written at all high schools offering diploma courses in January and June. Some also are written in April and November. Exams are written in supervised writing centres outside of schools in August.

The final mark for the examination subjects is determined by blending the school mark (50 per cent of the final mark) and the exam mark (the other 50 per cent). To pass a course, a student must obtain a final blended mark of 50 per cent or higher.

Students who do not successfully pass their course requirements may take the course and/or the exam over again. Students who do not reach the grade average required to enter a post-secondary institution may also repeat the course(s) and exam(s). Additional fees may be charged.

Alberta Learning issues transcripts of marks and graduation certificates.

Provincial Achievement Tests

Alberta has taken a leadership role in testing student achievement. In the past few years, achievement testing programs have been expanded so that tests in grades 3, 6 and 9 core courses are administered annually. The results provide parents, schools, boards and Alberta Learning with valuable information about how well children are learning and whether they are meeting grade-level standards.

Parents can see how their children are doing in key program areas in relation to provincial standards. Schools can identify program areas that are working well and areas that need improvement. Boards can evaluate program delivery, and teacher support and training.

Alberta Learning can improve the curriculum, textbooks and other
learning resources.

Grade 3 students write tests in Math and English Language Arts. Grades 6 and 9 students write tests in English Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. Students in French immersion and francophone programs also write French Language Arts tests. Students in francophone programs write Math, Science and Social Studies tests in French.

A small number of students may be excused by the superintendent under special circumstances. Special provisions are made for students with physical disabilities or learning disabilities who need assistance to write the tests.

Provincial achievement tests are developed by Alberta Learning and classroom teachers through the co-operation of local school boards.

In addition to school and jurisdiction reports, Alberta Learning prepares individual student profiles, showing each child’s performance in relation to provincial standards. Two copies (one for parents) of the individual student profile are sent to the school the child will be attending in September. Schools are encouraged to share the test results with parents and involve them in discussions about improving their child’s learning.

Report Cards

Teachers are required to regularly evaluate student progress, and report how well students are doing in relation to provincial grade-level standards to parents, students and school administrators. Individual teachers may use provincial achievement test results in determining final grades for their students.

Local school boards decide what format to use for report cards and how else to communicate student progress. Many schools schedule parent-teacher interviews as well as issuing written reports on each child’s progress. Parents and school councils may advise schools and boards on the reporting methods they would like to see used.

National and International Achievement Testing

Alberta students also participate in national and international testing. These evaluations show how students in this province measure up to national standards, and to students across Canada and abroad. These results also provide Alberta Learning with a basis for reviewing provincial standards.