Graduation Requirements
Students will engage in a combination of course work and “real-world” application experiences during their time at KWHS. The following credits will be required for graduation. In addition to these credit requirements, seniors must complete Senior Exhibition before graduation.
Kensington Woods High School recommends a more rigorous course of study in high school to prepare students for success after high school graduation. Studies from the Department of Education show that students who succeeded in challenging high school courses were more likely to go on to college and earn degrees. In addition, it found that the courses students took were a more accurate predictor of their success than grades, test scores, or class rank.
Research shows a strong link between the academic rigor of students’ high school course of study and post-secondary degree completion. For example, 40 percent of students who took Algebra 2 in high school earned a bachelor’s degree, compared with 23 percent of those who stopped with Geometry. It is our mission to help all students succeed, not just those who want a college bachelor’s degree. Today, those who plan to enter career pathway programs at two-year colleges and technical institutes are finding they have to complete rigorous requirements for entry into high-demand programs like nursing, dental hygiene, computer science, and engineering technologies.
| English/Language Arts | 4 credits required |
| Mathematics | 4 credits required |
| Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 & 1 additional math credit | |
| Science | 3 credits required |
| Physics, Biology, Chemistry | |
| Social Science | 3 credits required |
| Civics/Government, Economics, U.S. History,World History | |
| Health & Physical Education* | 1 credit |
| Visual or Applied Arts | 1 credit |
| Symposium | .5 credit (10-11th grades) |
One Humanities, One STEM |
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| Advisory | .5 credit/year |
| Senior Exhibition | .5 credit |
| Project Term | .5 credit/year (9th-11th) |
| Additional Electives | 5.5 credits |
*Additional credit in English, Math, Science or Foreign Language may be substituted for Physical Education