The Colorado Academic Standards require a student to develop and demonstrate entrepreneurial skills, personal skills, civic/interpersonal skills, professional skills and other skills critical to preparing students for the twenty-first-century workforce and for active citizenship. These Essential Skills are embedded in all content areas and all grade levels of the Colorado Academic Standards.

Upon graduation from DPS, students should be able to demonstrate the following essential skills for college and career readiness:

• Entrepreneurial Skills – A Colorado graduate demonstrates entrepreneurial skills through critical thinking and problem solving, creativity and innovation, inquiry and analysis, and risk taking.
• Personal Skills – A Colorado graduate demonstrates personal skills through self-awareness, initiative and self-direction, personal responsibility and self-management, adaptability and flexibility, and perseverance and resilience.
• Civic/Interpersonal Skills – A Colorado graduate demonstrates civic/interpersonal skills through collaboration and teamwork, strong communication skills, global and cultural awareness, civic engagement and strong character.
• Professional Skills – A Colorado graduate demonstrates professional skills through task and time management, career awareness, information literacy, productivity and accountability, self-advocacy, and leadership.

To participate in commencement exercises with their class, students must complete the equivalent of 24 units as well as complete all required classes by the end of their senior year, demonstrate competency in English and Math, and complete their ICAP.

The Board of Education has established the following graduation requirements for students in the Class of 2021, per Board Policy IKF: Requirements for Graduating Class of 2021 and beyond and thereafter to earn a diploma:

• Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) – their plan for their future
• 24 units of course credit in required areas shown below
• Competency demonstrations in English and Math, or career readiness through completion of one or more of the items on the competency menu.
• Students whose original ‘Class of’ is 2021 who graduate in 2022 or beyond are required to demonstrate competency, similar to other students in their graduating class.

The Colorado Department of Education does not distinguish between spring and summer graduates.  For reporting purposes, a student who graduates by June 30 will be reported as a current year graduate.  If the student graduates on or after July 1, they will be reported as the next year graduate. However, students who meet graduation requirements over the summer by attending summer school may be counted as a current year graduate. The Student Submissions Team must be notified by the student’s homeschool of any students who have completed summer school and met graduation requirements by August 9 in order to count in the current year graduation numbers. Please contact the Student Submissions Team at StudentSubmissions@dpsk12.org or 720-423-1350 for additional information.

A transfer student from outside Denver Public Schools must meet Denver Public Schools requirements to receive a diploma from Denver Public Schools. All graduation requirements must be met prior to graduation with a minimum of 5 units of credit earned in a DPS high school.

Valedictorian/Salutatorian

The cumulative GPA of all eight semesters is used to determine each school’s valedictorian/salutatorian. Except for Pathways schools, students must be enrolled in their school of attendance for a minimum of three (3) years and achieve the highest weighted cumulative grade point average in their graduating class to qualify to be the class valedictorian/salutatorian.

While DPS believes most students benefit from four years of high school experience, the new graduation requirements are less about grades earned for time spent in a classroom, and more about students demonstrating they are truly prepared for their future after high school.

In Colorado, every child who has attained the age of six (6) years on or before August 1 of each year and is under the age of 17 years is required to attend public school with such exceptions as provided by law. A student may graduate early provided the student has met the requirements for early graduation outlined in the DPS High School Procedures Guide. In addition, the district will support students who may require more time to meet graduation requirements up to age 21.

For students who have demonstrated college and career readiness competencies early in high school, or for students who have completed the required course units of credit, DPS high schools offer a variety of rigorous programs to prepare students for success in college and career. Students and families should consult with local school staff on school-based offerings such as concurrent/dual enrollment, ASCENT, career readiness internships, apprenticeships and other programs that support students in fulfilling the post-secondary goals in their ICAPs.

The Board of Education has established the following graduation requirements for students in the Class of 2021 and thereafter to earn a diploma:

• Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) – their plan for their future
• 24 units of course credit in required areas shown below
• Competency demonstrations in English and Math, or career readiness through completion of one or more of the items on the competency menu.
• Students whose original ‘Class of’ is 2021 who graduate in 2022 or beyond are required to demonstrate competency, similar to other students in their graduating class.

DPS Board Policy IKF: Requirements for Graduating Class of 2021 and beyond

 

		ASCENT FAQ
CE/DE FAQ		Correspondence School credit, Independent study, Study abroad and Supplemental programs
Internship, Apprenticeship, Work Experience Programs