Alternatives and Options for Completion of High School

CCPS recognizes that four-year enrollment in a public high school may not serve the best interests of all students, and the following alternative programs are available:

• Early Graduation: Qualified students who have met Student Service Learning (SSL) and Maryland High School Assessments (MHSAs) have the opportunity to graduate at the end of their junior year. Students must apply and have a minimum of 15 credits by the end of their sophomore year. Students must register and complete English III in summer school for original credit prior to junior year. Students participating in Early Graduation are not ranked. Will not be considered senior status until after successfully completing the first semester of their junior year.
  
  Early Graduation
   
• Full-time College Waiver: Qualified students who have met all other graduation requirements have the opportunity to attend college full-time during their senior year, completing the high school English IV requirement by taking and passing two semesters of approved college-level English courses. Students may participate in commencement activities (prom, senior trip, and pictures). Students may NOT participate in extracurricular and athletic activities, academic contests, and student rank at their high school. Students must contact appropriate school personnel for senior activity information.
   
• Virtual Academy: An educational program offered through CCPS that provides a hybrid of face-to-face instruction and online high school courses. Credit is awarded upon satisfactory completion of subject requirements. Students who enroll in Virtual Academy are self-motivated independent learners who have basic computer skills. Virtual Academy accepts students in grades 9-12 and who are referred by the school principal.
  
  Virtual Academy

Each of these alternatives requires that interested students to follow specific procedures established by Charles County Public Schools. The guidelines, forms, and timelines for application are available from high school counseling departments.

Credit that is awarded for high school graduation requirement and college credit.

Qualified juniors and seniors have the opportunity to earn college credit free of charge at the College of Southern MD (CSM) while also attending high school. Students must select approved college-level courses from CCPS. Students must be approved to participate in the Dual Enrollment program by CCPS and meet the requirements to participate in the Dual Enrollment Program at CSM.

Dual Enrollment Information or see your school counselor.

Charles County Public Schools is proud to partner with The College of Southern Maryland to offer CCPS high school students and their families the CSM Early College Program. Open to qualified rising seniors and juniors, this tuition-free program is an opportunity to experience being a full-time college student, save money, and earn college credits. Students take college classes on the CSM La Plata Campus their junior and/or senior year, while simultaneously fulfilling their high school graduation requirements. Participating students will earn their high school diploma while learning a Transfer Certificate consisting of 34 or 60 credits at CSM. Aligning with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, this program is open to rising juniors and/or seniors.

Early College Program

In extreme cases, students may exhaust all options in a given subject area. An additional course may be needed which requires a higher level of study or research, thus necessitating the need for a high level of self-directed learning. These courses must not be offered in any CCPS school or affiliated institution of higher learning. Arrangements for Independent Study are made on an individual basis to address a particular academic need. Independent Study is a contractual arrangement with approval of the principal for a grade and credit in a designated course. Students taking Independent Study must be self-motivated, independent individuals who learn with minimal supervision.

The following high school course work requirements apply to students seeking admission to four-year public colleges and universities in Maryland:

SUBJECT

• English - 4 credits
• Social Science/History - 3 credits
• Mathematics - 4 credits (Students must complete Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Students who complete Algebra II prior to their final year must complete the four-year mathematics requirement by taking a course or courses that utilize non-trivial algebra.)
• Biological and Physical Sciences (two must be lab sciences) - 3 credits
• World Languages (other than English) - 2 credits of the same language

Each institution shall publish its own decision criteria, which may be more rigorous than the system-wide requirements listed above. Additionally, individual schools may choose to accept Advanced Technology coursework in lieu of the World Language requirement.

All students are encouraged to exceed the minimum entrance requirements by taking honors or Advanced Placement (AP) courses, as well as additional academic electives including a fourth year of all core subjects and a third year of World Language.

The following Charles County high school courses are articulated (may be eligible for college credits) with the College of Southern Maryland, University of Maryland, Towson University, Stevenson University, or other post-secondary institutions.

• Academy of Health Professions
• Advanced Algebra with Trigonometry
• Advanced Business Management
• Advanced Computer Applications, Integration, and Development
• Automotive Technology
• CASE: Natural Resources
• Collision Repair
• Composition and Rhetoric
• Computer Internship
• Criminal Justice
• Culinary Arts
• Cyber Security
• Drafting and Design Technology
• Early Childhood Education and Childcare
• Engineering Concepts
• Graphic Communications
• Introduction to Advanced Math
• Interactive Media Productions (IMP)
• IT Networking (CISCO)
• Manufacturing Technology
• Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI)
• Pre-Calculus
• Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Biomedical Science
• Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Engineering
• Prostart- Food and Beverage Management
• Teacher Academy of Maryland

For more information on which schools offer these programs, please visit their schools’ website.

Individual high schools may offer approved pilot courses in addition to those listed in the Program of Studies. Please see your counselor and course selection sheet for more information.