HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION

Rheannon Thomas
 Why is High School
Completion important?
o Most employers require a
diploma or high school
equivalency
o Most post-secondary
institutions require a diploma or
high school equivalency for
acceptance
o High school completion
provides essential tools for
entering the workforce or
continuing education
 CURRENT
COMPLETION
STATISTICS
 High School Completion Options

Alberta High School Certificate of High School

Diploma Achievement Certificate of School
(English and Francophon (English and Francophon Completion
e) e)

There are 2 options for

achieving a High School
Alberta High School
Equivalency Diploma,
Diploma as a Mature
including the General
Student
Educational
Development (GED)
 100 Credits including:
o 30 level ELA
o 30 level Social Studies
o 20 level Mathematics
o 20 level Science
o Physical education 10
o CALM
Alberta High o 10 Credits in combination from:
o CTS
School Diploma o Fine Arts
o Second Language courses
Requirements o Phys ed 20 or 30
o Knowledge and employability courses
o RAP courses
o Locally developed courses in any of the above
categories (excluding RAP)
o 10 credits in any 30-level course including:
o 30 level locally developed courses
o Advanced level CTS courses
o 30 level work experience courses
o 30 level knowledge and employability courses
o 30 level RAP courses
o Special projects 30
Certificate of High School
Achievement

This certificate is awarded to students

enrolled in the Integrated Occupational
Program from grades 10-12.
 80 Credits Including:
o ELA 20-2 or 30-4
o Mathematics 10-3 or 20-4
o Science 20-4
Certificate of o Social Studies 10-2 or 20-4

High School o Phys ed 10

o CALM
Achievement o 5 credits in
o 30 level K&E occupational course
Requirements o Advanced level CTS courses
o 30 level locally developed course
o 5 credits in 30 level K&E workplace practicum
course
o 30 level work experience course
o 30 level green certificate course
o Special projects 30
OR
o 5 credits in 30 level RAP program
 This certificate is awarded to students who have a
Certificate of significant cognitive disability that impacts their ability
to achieve other completion credentials. Students are
High School nominated by the principal of their school and are to
meet certain requirements in order to receive the
Completion certificate.
 o The student, due to a significant cognitive
disability, is not able to achieve any of the
following certificates or diplomas:
o Alberta High School Diploma
o High School Equivalency Diploma
Certificate of o Certificate of High School Achievement
(Knowledge and Employability)
High School o The student has worked toward goals and
objectives in their individualized program
Completion plan/instructional support plan.
o By the end of the nomination school year, the
Requirements nominee has been a student for at least 12
years (and is 17 years of age or older by March
1 of the nomination year).
o The school year in which the nomination is
being submitted is the student’s last year of
school programming.
o The student’s registration in PASI usually
includes one of the following special education
codes at the time of school completion: 41, 43,
44, 52.
Alberta High School Diploma for Mature Students
A mature student is one who (As of
September 1st of the current school
year):
• Is age 19 or older
• Has a previously awarded high school diploma
from Alberta, or an approved equivalent high
school diploma
o Mature students are able to enrol in a
senior high school level course or write a
diploma exam without completing the
course prerequisites. There are several
courses, however, that must be completed
for specific programs (see here for more
detailed list)
o Mature students may receive the Alberta
High School Diploma or Certificate of High
School Achievement under the current or
specified requirements but are not
required to complete CALM or Phys Ed
10.
 A person 18 or older that has not received
enough credits for a high school diploma and
has been out of school for 10 consecutive
months may apply to a principal at a school in
their area to receive their High School
High School Equivalency Diploma. Students must have
previously completed 60 credits through
classroom instruction including the following:
Equivalency o A high school course in mathematics (5
credits)
Diploma: Option o A high school course in science (3
credits)
1 o English language arts 30-1 or 30-2 (5
credits)
o One other 30-level course, other than
English language arts (5 credits)
o Additional high school courses (42
credits)
Once their eligibility is confirmed, students may
complete courses until they earn the 100 credits
required for the diploma.
High School
Equivalency: A person 18 or older that has been out of high
school for at least 10 consecutive months may earn
Option 2 their High School Equivalency Diploma by passing
all five tests in the General Educational
Development (GED) program with a minimum score
of 450 on each test. The five tests are:
o English Language Arts – Reading
o English Language Arts – Writing
o Mathematics
o Science
o Social Studies
https://www.alberta.ca/general-educational-develop
ment.aspx
 HIGH SCHOOL
COMPLETION VS.
GRADUATION
CREDITS
General Guidelines
Students must at least achieve a grade of 50% in a class to receive the
credits attached to the course.

If a student is to repeat a class, the highest grade will be reported on

their transcript, but they will not receive additional credits.

Students who receive a grade of 50% in a class can take the next
ranking course in its sequence.

Credit values for specific courses can be found here

 Prerequisites may be waved
by a principal under certain
conditions:
o The student possesses the
Prerequisite understandings from the waived
prerequisite(s) for placement in the next
Waiver or higher-level course.
o Judgement is made on an individual
basis, not for an entire class of students.
o Consultation with the student and, where
applicable, the parent or guardian has
taken place.
o It is in the student’s best interest.

** there are several prerequisite courses

that cannot be waived, including CTS
courses.
 CTS courses have three
levels: Introductory,
Intermediate, and Advanced

CTS
Prerequisites Each CTS level builds upon
skills and competencies from
the previous level

Students are not able to waive

any CTS prerequisites,
therefore it is important they
have completed all modules in
order to move on to the next
level.
 Dual credit programming creates
opportunities for high school students to
earn both high school and
post-secondary credits for the same
coursework and allows for these
opportunities to be reported on the
Alberta Transcript of High School
Achievement.

Dual Credits
Dual credit programming falls within the
CTS program and credits are reported
using the same process as CTS high
school courses.
 The CTS program creates
External Credits opportunities for students to earn
external credits through their
workplace or a post-secondary
institution that can be reported on
their transcript.
 A credentialed pathway is a series of
specific courses selected to provide
opportunities for students to achieve a
credential or credit awarded by a
CTS recognized community or industry
organization or post-secondary institution.
Credentialed
Pathways
Credentialed pathways have been aligned
with post-secondary and industry
standards. Alberta Education does not
award the credential and/or articulation;
however, the pathways have been created
using outcomes from the governing bodies.
 Guide to Education

All information was retrieved from

the Alberta Education Guide
which can be found here.