A student may elect to pursue credit in areas other than World Language if the choice is based on a career-oriented course of study identified in the student’s High School and Beyond Plan. To do so, the student’s parent / guardian (or designee) must agree that credit in other areas is more appropriate than World Language because it better serves the student’s career goals. A meeting must be held with the student, the parent / guardian (or designee), and a high school representative to discuss and sign a form acknowledging they understand the World Language requirement is a college-entrance requirement and that they believe that other alternate course selections are more appropriate given the student’s education and career goals.

If requested by the student and his or her family, a student who has completed high school courses before attending high school shall be given high school credit which shall be applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements the academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes and the course would qualify for high school credit, because the course is similar or equivalent to a course offered at a high school in the district. Students taking 8th grade World Language classes offered at middle schools in Lake Washington School district that meet Year 1 World Language standards may be awarded high school credit for the course. Students cannot earn high school credit by taking exploratory middle school language courses that do not meet Year 1 World Language standards.

Yes, students who have some proficiency in a world language may seek to earn credit by taking an assessment that measures that proficiency. Students who wish to pursue this option must sign up for one of our "Washington World Language Assessment Days." Through this state-sponsored program, students complete an assessment. The district will award one or more credits based on the student demonstrating an overall proficiency level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines as follows:

• Novice Mid – 1 credit
• Novice High – 2 credits
• Intermediate Low – 3 credits
• Intermediate Mid – 4 credits

Multiple testing opportunities are offered each year for all LWSD students in grades 9-12. The cost of a first attempt is free. Information about dates and registration can be found here.

One credit in career and technical education is required for graduation. A career and technical education (CTE) credit means a credit resulting from a course in a CTE program or occupational education credit as contained in the CTE program standards of the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

"Occupational education" means credits resulting from a series of learning experiences designed to assist the student to acquire and demonstrate competency of skills under student learning goal four and which skills are required for success in current and emerging occupations. At a minimum, these competencies shall align with the definition of an exploratory course as contained in the CTE program standards of the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

No. The CTE requirement cannot be waived. However, a non-CTE course that is determined to be “occupational education” will fulfill the CTE credit requirement.

The “two-for-one” policy enables students who take CTE-equivalent courses to satisfy two graduation requirements while earning one credit for a single course; hence, “two-for-one”. The purpose of this policy is to create flexibility for students to choose more elective courses or to address other graduation requirements. A CTE-equivalent course consists of two courses: one CTE, one academic. One of those courses is placed on the student’s transcript for credit. Students generally choose which course they want placed on the transcript, and this choice is driven by their High School and Beyond Plan. The second course, which is not placed on the transcript, may be “checked off” as a “met requirement” by local counseling staff. Which course is put on the transcript and which one is locally “checked off” will continue to be determined by the student, based on their post high school goals. The “two-for-one” policy does not change the total number of credits the student needs to graduate. Specifically:

1. Students who earn a graduation requirement credit through a CTE course determined to be equivalent to a non-CTE course will not be required to earn a second credit in the non-CTE course subject. The single CTE course meets two graduation requirements.
2. Students who earn a graduation requirement credit in a non-CTE course determined to be equivalent to a CTE course will not be required to earn a second credit in the CTE course subject. The single non-CTE course meets two graduation requirements.
3. Students satisfying the requirement in (a) or (b) of this subsection.