High school students who live in Maryland are fortunate to be in a state where pubic education is highly regarded. The state of Maryland spends more than the national average on each student - meaning that students will be given opportunity to partake in special programs that other states may not offer.
One example is Maryland's Office of Instruction and Academic Acceleration. They are responsible for leadership throughout the state's Education Department and helping local school systems accelerate the achievement of all students. They are also working on getting rid of the achievement gaps for low-income and minority students statewide within the next five years.
With all the programs available to students, it's easy to forget the basic requirements of high school graduation. According to the Maryland Department of Education, www.marylandpublicschools.org, the following are the minimum standards to get your diploma:
- Four credits English language arts
- Three credits social studies
- Three credits mathematics
- Three credits science
- 0.5 credit physical education
- 0.5 credit health education
- One credit fine arts
- One credit technology education
- Three credits approved electives
Stating with the Graduating Class of 2009, Maryland will also require each student to complete the Maryland High School Assessments (HAS) test, which includes sections in algebra or data analysis, biology, government and English. The following is a breakdown of passing scores:
- Algebra/Data Analysis - Passing: 412; Minimum: 402
- Biology - Passing: 400; Minimum: 391
- Government - Passing: 394; Minimum: 387
- English - Passing: 396; Minimum: 386
