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COFFEE COUNTY SCHOOLS

Educate - Elevate - Empower

Graduation Requirements


  • • The Coffee County Board of Education has adopted graduation requirements that are consistent with the Alabama State Board of Education. It is expected that all students will graduate by earning a minimum of 24 Carnegie Units.
    • In order to participate in the graduation ceremony, a student must complete all requirements for a diploma. Exceptions will be allowed through a student’s Individual Education Plan.

    Alabama High School Diploma Options
    Students pursuing a General Education Pathway in Coffee County may choose from four (4) programs.

    The choice is important, and each option should be carefully considered. Parents or students with questions regarding the nature or benefits of these programs are encouraged to contact their school counselor or principal. Further information can be presented so parents and students can make an appropriate decision.

    • Alabama High School Diploma
      • Includes Alabama State Board of Education requirements
      • Note: Beginning with the Graduating Class of 2026, the Alabama High School Diploma: General Education Pathway shall be issued to students who earn the required credits and earn one or more of the College and Career Readiness Indicators approved by the Alabama State Board of Education
      • Note: Beginning with the Graduating Class of 2028, students are required to complete an accompanying financial literacy examination as part of the Career Preparedness course.
    • Alabama High School Diploma with Advanced Endorsement
      • Includes Alabama State Board of Education requirements
      • Note: Beginning with the Graduating Class of 2026, the Alabama High School Diploma: General Education Pathway shall be issued to students who earn the required credits and earn one or more of the College and Career Readiness Indicators approved by the Alabama State Board of Education
      • Note: Beginning with the Graduating Class of 2028, students are required to complete an accompanying financial literacy examination as part of the Career Preparedness course.
      • At least ONE foreign language course is required.
    • Alabama High School Diploma with Honors Endorsement
      • Includes Alabama State Board of Education requirements
      • Note: Beginning with the Graduating Class of 2026, the Alabama High School Diploma: General Education Pathway shall be issued to students who earn the required credits and earn one or more of the College and Career Readiness Indicators approved by the Alabama State Board of Education
      • Note: Beginning with the Graduating Class of 2028, students are required to complete an accompanying financial literacy examination as part of the Career Preparedness course.


  • Special Education Students with disabilities identified through an IEP have three (3) pathways for earning the Alabama High School Diploma:

    • General Education Pathway
    • Essentials/Life Skills Pathway
      • This pathway is designed to allow students to participate in career preparation and competitive employment.
      • The content of Essentials pathway courses is not fully aligned to the Alabama Courses of Study.
      • Students who earn credit in at least one (1) Essentials/Life Skills Core course must complete all requirements of the Essentials pathway, including the following:
        • Career Preparedness (Career and Academic Planning, Computer Applications,  Literacy)
        • Community-Based Work Training
        • Two (2) Career and Technical Education courses in a sequence
        • Workforce Readiness or Transition Services
        • Cooperative Education/School-Based Enterprises and/or Essentials Career Preparation
      • Students must have a minimum of 140 hours of apprenticeship (paid) experience or 140 hours of internship (unpaid) experience.
      • The Alabama High School Diploma: Essentials Pathway may be accepted by most Alabama community colleges; however, the diploma pathway may not be accepted by most four- year institutions, may not be accepted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for eligibility purposes, or may not be accepted by branches of the United States Military, either active duty or reserves.
      •  
    • Alternate Achievement Standards (AAS) Pathway
      • The Alabama High School Diploma: Alternate Achievement Standards (AAS) Pathway is limited to students with a significant cognitive disability.
      • Since the content of Alabama High School Diploma: Alternate Achievement Standards (AAS) Pathway courses is not fully aligned with the Alabama Courses of Study, this diploma pathway will prepare a student with an intellectual disability for supported, competitive employment and supported postsecondary education.???????

  • Civics Exam Requirements

    In 2017, the Alabama Legislature passed, and Governor Kay Ivey signed Act #2017-173 mandating that Alabama students complete the Alabama Civics Exam. The Alabama Civics Exam questions represent the content of those questions utilized by officers of the United States Citizens and Immigration Service as part of the application process for citizenship.

    Earning a passing score on this exam is required for graduation, unless a waiver is granted by school administration. A student may take the Alabama Civics Exam multiple times to receive a passing score. There are two cases in which the requirement to pass the Alabama Civics Test may be waived by a school administrator:

    • A student who has successfully passed the United States Government course but has not passed the Civics Exam after two attempts.
    • A special education student who is not “learning at a level appropriate for his or her grade level.”

    A school administrator does not need to seek Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) permission prior to issuing a waiver for the Alabama Civics Exam.

    More information can be found on the Alabama Achieves Graduation Requirements page.

    College and Career Readiness Indicator Requirement

    Effective for students of the graduating Class of 2026 who entered Grade 9 for the first time during the 2022-2023 school year, the Alabama High School Diploma: General Education Pathway shall be issued to students who earn the required credits and earn one or more of the following college and career readiness indicators:

    • Earning a benchmark score in any subject area on the ACT® college entrance exam.
    • Earning a qualifying score of three or higher on an Advanced Placement® exam.
    • Earning a qualifying score of four or higher on an International Baccalaureate® exam.
    • Earning college credit while in high school. • Earning a silver or gold level on the ACT® WorkKeys® Exam.
    • Completing an in-school youth apprenticeship program.
    • Earning a career technical industry credential listed on the compendium of valuable credentials of the Alabama Committee on Credential Quality and Transparency (ACCQT).
    • Being accepted into the military before graduation.
    • Attaining Career and Technical Education (CTE) completer status.
    • Completing an ALSDE-approved computer science course.
    • Any additional College and Career Readiness (CCR) indicator approved by the Alabama State Board of Education.

    Except for students who are pursuing the Alabama High School Diploma: Essentials Pathway or the Alabama High School Diploma: Alternate Achievement Standards (AAS) Pathway, no student shall receive the Alabama High School Diploma: General Education Pathway without earning one or more of the college and career readiness indicators. Any student not receiving the Alabama High School Diploma: General Education Pathway, who later becomes in compliance, may only receive the Alabama High School Diploma: General Education Pathway if the remedy occurs within the two years of their initial failure to graduate.

    More information can be found on the Alabama Achieves Graduation Requirements page.

    Financial Literacy Course Requirements and Examination

    In 2023, the Alabama Legislature passed, and Governor Kay Ivey signed, Act #2023-179 mandating that Alabama students entering Grade 9 in the 2024-2025 academic year complete a course in personal financial literacy along with an accompanying financial literacy examination.

    The financial literacy course must include instruction in the following topics:

    • Banking and Financial Institutions
    • Managing Finances and Budgeting
    • Money Management and Personal Tax Liabilities
    • Saving and Investing
    • Risk Management and Insurance
    • Saving and Investing
    • Credit and Debt Management
    • Business and Legal Concepts

    Content standards found in the following course(s) have been reviewed and approved to fulfill the instructional requirements specified in Act #2023-179:

    • Career Preparedness (22153G1000)
    • Career Preparedness B (22153G0522)

    The Financial Literacy Examination, developed by the ALSDE, must be administered to all students at the completion of one of the previously listed approved courses. The Financial Literacy Examination consists of fifty (50) multiple-choice questions that assesses each of the required instructional topics. To earn a passing score on the Financial Literacy Examination, students must answer a minimum of thirty (30) items correctly; however, a passing score is NOT required for graduation.

    The requirement to complete the Financial Literacy Examination can be waived by a school administrator for special education students not learning at a level appropriate for their grade level.

    FAFSA Application Requirement

    Effective with the graduating Class of 2022, the following requirements shall be fulfilled on behalf of the graduating senior as part of the graduating senior’s transition into postsecondary education, training, or the workforce: Submit to the United States Department of Education a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Certify a non-participation waiver, in writing, to the superintendent of the local education agency if the graduating senior chooses not to complete and submit FAFSA.