FOUNDATION HIGH SCHOOL
PROGRAM WITH ENDORSEMENTS
& DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT
HOUSE BILL 5 (HB5)
CREDIT REQUIREMENTS•26 CREDITS + COMPLETION OF AT LEAST 1 ENDORSEMENT
•A STUDENT MUST EARN DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR TOP 10% AUTOMATIC ADMISSION
•ALGEBRA II IS A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT FOR DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (4 CREDITS)
•ENGLISH I (EOC COURSES)
•ENGLISH II (EOC COURSES)
•ENGLISH III
•ADVANCED ENGLISH COURSE***
MATHEMATICS (4 CREDITS)
•ALGERBRA I (EOC COURSE)
•GEOMETRY
•ALGEBRA II (REQUIREMENT FOR DAP)
•ADVANCED MATHEMATICS COURSE***
SCIENCE (4 CREDITS)
•BIOLOGY (EOC COURSE)
•IPC OR ADVANCED SCIENCE COURSE***
•2 ADVANCED SCIENCE COURSES***
SOCIAL STUDIES (3 CREDITS)
•U.S. HISTORY (EOC COURSE)
•U.S. GOVERNMENT (1/2 CREDIT)
•ECONOMICS (1/2 CREDITS)
•WORLD GEOGRAPHY OR WORLD HISTORY
ENRICHMENT CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS
•PHYSICAL EDUCATION
•1 CREDIT
•LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH (LOTE)
•2 CREDITS IN THE SAME LANGUAGE
•FINE ARTS
•ONE CREDIT
•ELECTIVES
•6.5 CREDITS + HEALTH (0.5 CREDITS)
EOC COURSES•STUDENTS ENROLLED IN HIGH SCHOOL COURSES ARE
REQUIRED BY THE STATE TO PASS END OF COURSE EXAMS FOR ENGLISH I, ENGLISH II, BIOLOGY, ALGEBRA I AND U.S. HISTORY. THESE EXAMS ARE PART OF THE STATE OF TEXAS ASSESSMENTS OF ACADEMIC READINESS (STAAR). STUDENTS MUST PASS THE 5 EOC EXAMS TO GRADUATE.
DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT•AFTER MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FOUNDATION HIGH
SCHOOL PROGRAM AND AT LEAST ONE ENDORSEMENT,
STUDENTS MAY EARN A DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF
ACHIEVEMENT. THE DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT
REQUIRES 26 CREDITS-THE SAME AS EARNING AN
ENDORSEMENT. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT STUDENTS
MUST EARN AN ALGEBRA II CREDIT TO EARN THE
DISTINGUISHED LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT. THE DISTINGUISHED
LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE
ELIGIBILITY FOR TEXAS’ TOP 10 PERCENT RULE FOR AUTOMATIC
ADMISSION TO PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE.
ENDORSEMENT•AN ENDORSEMENT IS A PROGRAM OF STUDY THAT REFLECTS
STUDENTS’ INTERESTS. THERE ARE FIVE ENDORSEMENT
OPTIONS: MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES, STEM, BUSINESS &
INDUSTRY, PUBLIC SERVICES, AND ARTS & HUMANITIES. EACH
ENDORSEMENT INCLUDES A COMPLETE LIST OF COURSES TO
SATISFY GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. WITH AN
ENDORSEMENT, STUDENTS WILL NEED 26 CREDITS TO
GRADUATE, INCLUDING 4 CREDITS IN MATH, 4 CREDITS IN
SCIENCE, AND 6.5 ELECTIVE CREDITS + HEALTH. STUDENTS
WILL SELECT AN ENDORSEMENT UPON ENTERING 9TH GRADE
AND MAY CHANGE THEIR SELECTION AT ANY TIME.
HOUSE BILL 5 (HB5)•HOUSE BILL 5 (HB5) FROM THE 83RD TEXAS
LEGISLATURE WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE SUMMER
OF 2013. HB 5 OUTLINES THE ASSESSMENT AND
CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATION.