Graduation Requirements

Core Credit Requirements
Regents Diploma requires students to score a minimum of 65% on five Regents exams: Global History and Geography, US History and Government, Comprehensive English, one of the sciences (Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, or Physics), and one Math (Algebra, Geometry, or Algebra II/Trigonometry).

Advanced Regents Diploma requires successful completion of additional Regents or local exams: the local LOTE (Language Other Than English), two Science Regents exams, one of which must include Biology, and Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra II/Trigonometry Regents Exams.  A five-unit sequence in fine arts, business, or career and technology, may replace the three-unit LOTE sequence of an Advanced Diploma.  Please contact your school counselor for further information.

Meeting these requirements does not necessarily mean that students pass the related courses. Earning credit requires that students meet course standards for the entire year, including a senior thesis and community service.

Minimum Academic Load
All 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students must maintain a course of study leading to a minimum of six (6) credits per year.  Seniors must also maintain a minimum enrollment of six (6) credits per year.

Exceptions may be granted by the principal on an individual basis. These exceptions will be based on the educational merit of substituted activities. Situations such as the need to work to support a family, concurrent attendance at a university, or work that is directly related to academic or career goals are examples of situations which would warrant consideration.

Early Graduation
A request for early graduation should be initiated by the student’s counselor.  Programs leading to early graduation must be acceptable to parents and approved by the principal.  Upon approval, students eligible for early graduation become members of the graduating class to which they have petitioned, and are ranked along with that class. (To be eligible for inclusion in the Senior class rank, students must apply for early graduation by the end of the 1st semester of the Sophomore year.

Alternative Credits
A student may earn up to 6 1/2 units of credit - without completing units of study - under the following conditions:

1. Based on the student’s past academic performance, the superintendent of a school district or the chief administrative officer of a nonpublic school (or his or her designee) determines whether the student will benefit academically by exercising this alternative.
2. The student achieves a score of at least 85 percent or its equivalent (as determined by the Commissioner) on a State-approved examination.
3. The student passes an oral examination or successfully completes a special project to demonstrate proficiency­ (as determined by the principal) in the subject matter area.
4. The student attended school or received substantially equivalent instruction elsewhere, in accordance with Section 3204 (2) of the Education Law, until the age of 15, pursuant to Sections 3204 and 3205 of the Education Law.
5. Students must apply by November 15 or April 15 of each year to be considered for the alternative credit option.

Repeating of Courses
Students are encouraged to repeat a course, if appropriate, to improve competence or to raise an existing course grade. Courses may be repeated in summer school or the following year with the permission of counselors. Courses that are repeated at an outside district’s summer school or through the Summer Credit Recovery Program are not included in the ranking process or GPA.

To be eligible to attend and gain credit for a full year course during the summer credit recovery program, a student must have a 55% final average or pass the fourth quarter and final exam with a 70%.

Summer Credit Recovery Program
Amherst Central High School (ACHS) is dedicated to granting students multiple opportunities to achieve success. Our high school is pleased to announce that once again this summer students will be afforded the opportunity to attend a summer program to earn credits. Using our GradPoint credit recovery software, ACHS will implement a credit bearing summer recovery program. GradPoint is a self-paced, comprehensive, standards-based online course. Instruction and assessment will take place online. Credit for the course will be awarded upon successful completion of the GradPoint course modules. GradPoint requires a minimum of 70% mastery to award credit.

Student Transfers
Upon transfer to Amherst Central High School from another school, an assessment of course transferability will be performed in accordance with district policy and New York State Education Department regulations. Credits earned at schools other than Amherst or post-secondary institutions will not be calculated in a student’s GPA or included in class ranking.