Throckmorton Independent School District
Curriculum and Course Guide
2016-2017
Throckmorton Independent School District
Vision Statement
Throckmorton ISD will support and empower our
community of learners for success in the 21st century.
Mission Statement
The belief that all children can learn and achieve mastery of basic skills regardless of previous academic performance, ethnicity, or socio-economic status is of paramount importance to the education community of Throckmorton.
Belief Statement
We believe . . .
· In the worth and dignity of each individual, both student and staff. We will constantly strive to assure the right of each student to receive the best education possible in a warm and caring atmosphere.
· Every child can learn, although not always at the same speed and not always in the same manner, and we are dedicated to providing the best possible education for every child in the district.
· Involved parents and community, a focused mission, strong instructional leadership, high expectations for students and staff, a safe and orderly environment, and effective evaluations or district progress in these areas are necessary to ensure educational growth.
· A multi-faceted and comprehensive curriculum provides the opportunity for student’s success while preparing them for post-secondary education and potential careers.
Throckmorton Independent School District
The Throckmorton ISD, in partnership with the home and community, strives to provide the best educational opportunities in a challenging yet supportive environment where individuals are respected so that our students may become knowledgeable and responsible citizens who are capable of life-long learning and who have developed the necessary skills to contribute productively to a complex and ever-changing world.
TISD is dedicated in its mission to prepare students as thoroughly as possible for their next step in life, whether that step is admission to college, technical school, or immediate entrance into the job market. To achieve this mission, parents and students are urged to become familiar with the courses available to meet the requirements for graduation.
The Throckmorton ISD Course Catalog lists the courses that our district generally makes available to students. It should be noted, however, that not all of the courses listed are scheduled every year. Since it is not economically feasible to schedule classes in which only a few students enroll, some classes may not be offered for the current year. Due to our size, we are also limited to when we can offer classes and it is quite possible that the class you desire is offered at a time that a core class is scheduled that you must be enrolled. Please know that your counselor will make every effort to place you in a class that is supportive of your future plans.
Planning your four-year high school graduation program is a serious undertaking. Your plan and course selection should be guided largely by your plans for the future.
Ask yourself the following questions:
· Will you continue your education in college or in a trade or vocational school?
· Do you want to learn a career skill in order to enter the full-time work force immediately after school?
· Are you interested in a technical field?
· Are you thinking of entering a profession that requires many years of specialized education?
· What are you interests and abilities?
Texas Graduation Plans
Students will complete a four year high school graduation plan before entering 9th grade. Courses should be selected based on their plan and in consultation with their counselor and parent/guardian. Students considering post-secondary education should be aware of college admission requirements. Current college catalogs and information regarding college admission are available online at individual college websites.
Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP)
This plan is the highest plan available to students who wish to go above and beyond in all academic areas. Students who choose this plan need to be capable of advanced work, including Dual Credit classes. A student must receive any combination of four (4) of the Advanced Measures approved by the State Board of Education which focuses on demonstrated performance at the college or professional level, and which must be assessed through an external review process. Advanced Measures may be earned by national recognition on PSAT, completion of an original research project, scores of 3, 4 or 5 on AP Exams, or grades of 80 or better on dual-credit courses. In addition, students entering 9th grade in the fall of 2011 or after must meet the College Readiness standards on the English III and Algebra II End-of-Course assessments.
Recommended High School Program (RHSP)
The Recommended Plan includes courses that are a part of the admission requirements of most four-year colleges. Since each college sets its own admission requirements, students should check the individual requirements of colleges in which they are interested. However, the Recommended Plan will guide the student in selecting an appropriate college preparatory curriculum. The Texas Grant Program requires students graduate on either the Recommended or Distinguished Achievement Plan.
Graduation Requirements
STUDENTS WHO ENTERED GRADE 9 PRIOR TO 2014-2015
(CLASS OF 2017)
SUBJECTS / RECOMMENDED / DISTINGUISHED***English / 4 credits
o English I
o English II
o English III
o English IV / 4 credits
o English I
o English II
o English III
o English IV
Math / 4 credits
o Algebra I
o Geometry
o Algebra II
o Fourth Math / 4 credits
o Algebra I
o Geometry
o Algebra II
o Fourth Math
Science / 4 credits
o Biology
o Chemistry
o Physics
o Fourth Science / 4 credits
o Biology
o Chemistry
o Physics
o Fourth Science
Social Studies / 4 credits
o World Geography Studies
o World History Studies
o US History Studies
o Government & Economics / 4 credits
o World Geography Studies
o World History Studies
o US History Studies
o Government & Economics
Foreign
Language
(Spanish) / 2 credits
o Level I
o Level II
*same language / 3 credits
o Level I
o Level II
o Level III
*same language
Fine Arts / 1.0 credit / 1.0 credit
PE/Athletics / 1.0 credit / 1.0 credit
Technology Applications
(Local Requirement) / 1.0 credit / 1.0 credit
Agriculture
(Local Requirement) / 0.5 credit / 0.5 credit
Speech / 0.5 credit / 0.5 credit
Electives / 4.0 / 3.0
TOTAL / 26 credits / 26 credits
*Student will graduate under STAAR/EOC assessment requirements.
Minimum Program
In order to opt into the Minimum plan students must : (1) be at least 16 years of age, or (2) have completed two credits required for graduation in each subject of the foundation curriculum; or (3) have failed to be promoted to the tenth grade one or more times. SBOE rule also allows special education students to be placed in the minimum program if their Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD).committee places the student “on a modified curriculum in a subject area.” Minimum Program graduates are not eligible to attend a four year college upon graduation from high school. CONTACT THE COUNSELOR FOR MORE INFORMATION
Distinguished Program
Four advanced measures are required to graduate on DAP: National recognition on the PSAT (1 measure maximum); original research/ project (2 measures maximum); and grades in college credit courses (4 measures maximum).
STUDENTS WHO ENTERED GRADE 9 IN 2014-2015 & THEREAFTER
The Foundation Graduation Program serves as the high school graduation plan for students who entered grade 9 in 2014-2015 and thereafter. The Foundation Graduation Program contains four parts:
*A 26- credit Foundation Program with Endorsement
*Five endorsement options that allow students to focus on a related series of courses
*A higher performance category called Distinguished Level of Achievement
High School Grade Classifications
Total credits earned determine a student’s grade classification. Students graduating under the Distinguished Achievement Plan or Recommended Plan must earn a minimum of 26 credits which satisfy requirements for a Texas high school graduation diploma.
TISD grade classifications are based on the cumulative total of credits earned:
Freshman: 0 – 6 credits
Sophomore: 6.5 - 12 credits
Junior: 12.5 – 19 credits
Senior: 19.5 – 26 credits
Grade Point Average (GPA) and Class Rank
Class rank and Grade Point Average (GPA) for senior students shall be calculated by averaging semester grades earned in grades 9-12 and any high school course taken prior to ninth grade for which a student earned state graduation credit. The numeric semester average shall earn grade points according to the District weighted grade point scale. Class rank and GPA shall be calculated at the end of the 1st semester of the student’s senior year and following the fifth six weeks grading period. Grades earned in physical education, athletics, and in any local credit courses shall not be included in this calculation. Courses for which credit is earned in summer school or through correspondence shall not be included in this calculation. A student shall have been continuously enrolled in the District high school for the two school years prior to graduation to be eligible for recognition as valedictorian or salutatorian. Such recognition shall be determined by averaging the grades for all academic courses taken for high school credit through the fifth six-week grading period of the senior year.
Grades transferred from other schools shall be credited in conformity with the course descriptions approved for the established grading system.
The following are Advance courses and will receive higher honor points for Class Rank:
· Spanish III
· Dual Credit College Courses
Grade Point Averages (GPA) are calculated using the following scale by the student’s earned grade each semester. The grade points awarded for each course are listed as the “GPA Type” in the course catalog.
The 5.0 scale is used for ranking purposes. The 4.0 scale is used for those students whose college enrollment GPA is required to be calculated on a 4.0 scale.
Throckmorton ISD
Grade Point Average Scale
NumericGrade / Advanced
GPA Pts / Regular
GPA Pts / Modified
GPA Pts / Alternate GPA Pts
100 / 5.0 / 4.0 / 3.0 / 2.0
99 / 4.9 / 3.9 / 2.9 / 1.9
98 / 4.8 / 3.8 / 2.8 / 1.8
97 / 4.7 / 3.7 / 2.7 / 1.7
96 / 4.6 / 3.6 / 2.6 / 1.6
95 / 4.5 / 3.5 / 2.5 / 1.5
94 / 4.4 / 3.4 / 2.4 / 1.4
93 / 4.3 / 3.3 / 2.3 / 1.3
92 / 4.2 / 3.2 / 2.2 / 1.2
91 / 4.1 / 3.1 / 2.1 / 1.1
90 / 4.0 / 3.0 / 2.0 / 1.0
89 / 3.9 / 2.9 / 1.9 / .9
88 / 3.8 / 2.8 / 1.8 / .8
87 / 3.7 / 2.7 / 1.7 / .7
86 / 3.6 / 2.6 / 1.6 / .6
85 / 3.5 / 2.5 / 1.5 / .5
84 / 3.4 / 2.4 / 1.4 / .4
83 / 3.3 / 2.3 / 1.3 / .3
82 / 3.2 / 2.2 / 1.2 / .2
81 / 3.1 / 2.1 / 1.1 / .1
80 / 3.0 / 2.0 / 1.0 / .0
79 / 2.9 / 1.9 / 0.9
78 / 2.8 / 1.8 / 0.8
77 / 2.7 / 1.7 / 0.7
76 / 2.6 / 1.6 / 0.6
75 / 2.5 / 1.5 / 0.5
74 / 2.4 / 1.4 / 0.4
73 / 2.3 / 1.3 / 0.3
72 / 2.2 / 1.2 / 0.2
71 / 2.1 / 1.1 / 0.1
Course Scheduling
The Throckmorton ISD counselor will make every effort to advise students in the selection of appropriate classes, based on their career goals, interests and graduation requirements. However, it is critical for students and parents to be familiar with the expectations set by the state. All high school students will pre-register for the following school year in the spring. Scheduling concerns may be addressed prior to the beginning of school in the counseling office.
Requests for schedule changes may be granted at the discretion of the student’s counselor within the first ten days of the semester.
Keep in mind that classes offered or available to the student are contingent on staffing and enrollment.
Assessments
State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)
Beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, STAAR will replace the TAKS assessment, and include 12 End-of Course assessments (see below) and the new grade 3-8 assessments. Students in the graduating class of 2015 (9th graders in the fall of 2011) will be the first students who must meet the end-of-course testing requirements, as well as passing their classes, in order to earn a diploma. The new tests will be significantly more rigorous than previous tests and will measure a student’s academic performance, growth and college readiness. The grade 3-8 STAAR tests in reading and mathematics, by law, must be linked from grade-to-grade to performance expectations for the English III and Algebra II End-of-Course assessments.
End-Of-Course (EOC) Assessments
In 2007 Senate Sill 1031 was enacted, which called for the development of “end-of-course assessment instruments for secondary-level courses in Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English I, English II, English III, World Geography, World History, and United States History.” The purpose of EOC assessments is to measure students’ academic performance in a core high school courses and to become part of the graduation requirements beginning with the freshman class of 2011-2012. The EOC assessments for lower-level courses must include questions to determine readiness for advanced coursework. The assessments for higher-level courses must include a series of special purpose questions to measure college readiness and the need for developmental coursework in higher education.
According to the student’s graduation plan, determines
the cumulative score that is required for graduation.
At the present time, those standards have not been set by the state.
Texas Success Initiative Program
The Texas Success Initiative is a state- legislated program designed to improve student success in college. Students entering college must meet the College Readiness Standards to be eligible for college- level courses in math, reading, and writing. Students must take developmental courses when they enter college in any subject(s) where they do not meet the standard as defined below.