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Diploma Designation Opportunities

Students have an opportunity to earn special recognition through coursework, assessments, and grade point averages. These designations are recognized on their diplomas or in diploma programs at graduation. Students should consider if they want these designations; and pursue the needed coursework, grade point average, and assessments for the recognition. These designations can also be added to college applications and resumes. The School Counselor or Career Specialist at your school can help you with more information on these programs.

Specific recognition based on grade point averages are:

Cum Laude 3.2000 – 3.7999

Magna Cum Laude 3.8000 – 4.1999

Summa Cum Laude 4.2000+

These are weighted grade point averages based on semester grades.

There are also three diploma designation options:

Scholar Designation

In addition to the requirements of section (s.) 1003.4282, Florida Statutes (F.S.), a student must satisfy the following requirements (per. s. 1003.4285, F.S.):

• Earn 1 credit in Algebra 2 or an equally rigorous course

• Pass the Geometry EOC

• Earn 1 credit in Statistics or an equally rigorous mathematics course

• Pass the Biology 1 EOC* • Earn 1 credit in Chemistry or Physics

• Earn 1 credit in a course equally rigorous to Chemistry or Physics

• Pass the U.S. History EOC*

• Earn 2 credits in the same World Language

• Earn at least 1 credit in an AP, IB, AICE or a dual enrollment course

*A student is exempt from the Biology 1 or U.S. History EOC assessment if the student is enrolled in an AP, IB or AICE Biology 1 or U.S. History course; takes the respective AP, IB or AICE assessment; and earns the minimum score to earn college credit.

Merit Designation

Students may earn a Merit Designation by meeting the standard high school diploma requirement and obtaining one or more industry certifications offered at their high school. This requires taking multiple Career Technical Education courses in a specific pathway and passing the needed assessments aligned to the coursework. For more information, reach out to your School Counselor or Career Specialist. There is also more information available here.

Attain one or more industry certifications from the list established under F.S. 1003.492

Florida Seal of Biliteracy

The Florida Seal of Biliteracy Program is established to recognize a high school graduate who has attained a high level of competency in one or more world languages in addition to English. There are two levels to this designation, Silver and Gold.

Both options require, students earned 4 world language course credits in the same world language with a cumulative 3.0 grade point average out of 4.0 grade point average. Additionally, students must score at a specific performance level. The Gold level does require a high assessment score. Please review the assessment requirements at this link:

For Gold level, the student must have passed the Florida Standard Assessment and Algebra I End of Course exam.

Florida Seal of Biliteracy Brochure

Valedictorian and Salutatorian for Standard Diploma Students

Membership Requirement in Graduation Class for Valedictorian and Salutatorian

Membership in a graduation class will be determined by the selection of a diploma option and progress toward the diploma option. To be considered for valedictorian or salutatorian:

A standard diploma student (18- or 24- Credit Diploma Options) must meet the minimum full-time enrollment criteria for their school (6 courses/3 credits) in the same Pasco County high school during each of the last four semesters prior to graduation*,

*7 courses/3.5 credits are required each semester at WKTHS and KRAI to be considered full-time. Full-time dual enrollment students meet the full-time enrollment criteria.

and

24-Credit Diploma Option students must have been a member of the graduating class in the same school for each of the four semesters prior to graduation,

18-Credit Diploma Option students must have been a member of the graduating class in the same school for each of the four semesters prior to graduation, have been working from an acceleration plan and be on track for graduation.

More information can be found in the Student Progression Plan.

Valedictorian*

The valedictorian will be that student who meets the membership requirements as identified above and has the highest weighted grade point average (GPA) for courses approved by Pasco County Schools or credit based on Class Rank GPA.

Full-time Dual Enrollment students and students on school approved Acceleration Plans will be eligible for this recognition if they are included in the class rank and meet the membership requirements.

In calculating the valedictorian for the graduating class, the student with the highest weighted GPA after seven semesters will be the valedictorian. In the event that a 3-Year graduation plan student has the same or higher weighted GPA as the 4- Year graduation plan student, the student(s) will be classified as co-valedictorian(s).

*If a student who is receiving the recognition of Valedictorian or Salutatorian is the sole earner of this recognition and is not on track to graduate by the deadline date the schoo lset to inform students and parents of students who will not graduate, the recognition will be moved to the next student with the next highest weighted GPA based on the 7 the semester freeze.

Salutatorian*

The salutatorian will be that student who meets the membership requirements as identified above and has the second highest weighted grade point average (GPA) for courses approved by the District School Board for credit based on Class Rank GPA.

Full-time Dual Enrollment students and students on school-approved Acceleration Plans will be eligible for this recognition if they are included in the class rank and meet the membership requirements.

In calculating the salutatorian for the graduating class, the second highest weighted GPA after 7 semesters will be the salutatorian. In the event that a 3-Year graduation plan student has the same or higher weighted GPA as the 4-Year graduation plan student, the students will be classified as co-salutatorians.

Tied Ranks

In the event of tied ranks for valedictorian and/or salutatorian, the principal shall award co- valedictorian and/or co salutatorian positions.

IB and AICE Valedictorian and Salutatorian

The International Baccalaureate and Cambridge AICE programs will designate their own valedictorian and salutatorian based on the Class Rank GPA, of its members whose membership in the IB and AICE program meet the criteria outlined in the Membership Requirements above. The Class Rank for the IB and AICE will be a district-wide class rank based on the total senior graduating class for the school district of Pasco County using the ranking criteria in the Student Progression Plan.