The State Board of Education is responsible for setting state-level graduation requirements that students must complete in order to receive a diploma (RCW 28A.230.090). The Board also identifies the scores students must achieve to meet standard on statewide assessments (RCW 28A.305.130) as well as scores on the graduation pathway options that require an assessment. The Legislature may also establish additional graduation requirements.

In addition to these state-level requirements, school districts may add additional local graduation requirements on top of the state minimum requirements. A student must meet all of the designated state and local requirements in order to earn a diploma.

Students are assigned an expected graduation year at the time they enter ninth grade (WAC 180-51-035). They are held to the graduation requirements of that graduation year regardless of the year they actually complete high school.

Any changes to graduation requirements made by the State Board of Education or by local education agencies should be applied to an incoming 9th grade class.

Per WAC 180-51-050, a high school credit is earned after a student meets either of the following options:

1. Successful completion, as defined by written district policy, of courses taught to the state's learning standards. If there are no state-adopted learning standards for a subject, the local governing board, or its designee, shall determine learning standards for the successful completion of that subject; or
2. Satisfactory demonstration by a student of proficiency/competency/mastery, as defined by written district policy, of the state's learning standards.

Credits can be awarded only for work that is at an academic level of 9th grade or higher. More information on the state's academic standards and grade level expectations is available on OSPI's Learning Standards & Instructional Materials webpage.

Note: Washington State does not have a seat hour requirement as part of the definition of a credit—so there is not a state requirement to provide a specified number of hours of instruction before awarding a student a credit. Districts may define credit according to seat time, but this is not a state requirement.

To graduate, students must complete a total of 24 credits — 17 core credits and seven flexible credits. This includes four credits of English and three credits of math, along with other subjects. (WAC 180-51-210)

The 24-credit framework was designed to be both rigorous and flexible. High school course work for most students will keep all postsecondary options open, including meeting the college admission requirements for entry into a public four-year institution or pursuing a program of study in a two -year institution or apprenticeship. The framework is flexible enough to accommodate a program of study leading to a professional or technical certificate or degree through a skills center or Career and Technical Education program. 

Key elements of the credit requirement framework: 

• 7 of the 24 credits are flexible credits; these include 4 elective credits and 3 Personalized Pathway Requirements that are chosen by students based on their interest and their High School and Beyond Plans. 

• 17 of the 24 credits are mandatory core credits, including 3 credits of science, 2 of which must be lab science. 

• 2 of the flexible credits may be waived locally for individual students based on ‘a student's circumstances,’ as defined by local district policy. 

• Within some subject credit areas, students are required to receive credits from certain classes. For example, a student needs three social studies credits, but 1 credit must come from U.S. history, .5 credit from contemporary world history, .5 credit in civics, and 1 social studies elective. There is also a non-credit requirement for successful completion of Washington state history typically taken by students in middle school.

For the classes of 2016 and beyond, there are three graduation requirements that students may or may not earn credit for completing: 1) a High School and Beyond Plan, 2) completing a graduation pathway option, and 3) studying Washington State History and Government..

The High School and Beyond Plan

The High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) is a personalized planning process that helps students – along with their families and teachers – navigate high school and prepare for their future. Each student starts their HSBP in 7th grade, and it’s updated every year to reflect their changing interests, goals, and needs.

The requirements of the High School and Beyond Plan are described in RCW 28A.230.212 and in WAC 180-51-220. Decisions about whether a student has met the requirements for the High School and Beyond Plan are made locally per RCW 28A.230.212. The HSBP may be offered for credit, if it is included as part of a for-credit course such as an English or social studies course, or if it is offered as part of an advisory for which the school or district offers for credit.

The HSBP includes a high school course taking plan that aligns with a student’s postsecondary plans, any supports the student may need to graduate, an activity log that includes a student’s extracurricular experiences, and evidence the student has received financial aid information for postsecondary programs. Click here to learn more about the High School and Beyond Plan.

Graduation Pathway Options:

Students must complete at least one graduation pathway option. In some course-based options, students would earn credit while meeting their graduation pathway requirement. Other graduation pathway options are test-based, and credit may or may not be offered. Read more about the graduation pathway options requirement.

Washington State History and Government

Districts may offer Washington State History and Government at a middle school academic level, allowing middle school students to meet the graduation requirement before high school. If the course is offered at a high school academic level, the district may award high school credit.

The requirements for the classes of 2016-2018 are listed in WAC 180-51-067.

The requirements for the Class of 2015 and prior classes is listed in WAC 180-51-056.

By the 2021-2022 school year, each school district board of directors shall adopt an academic acceleration policy for high school students (RCW 28A.320.195).

Under an academic acceleration policy, districts shall automatically enroll any student who meets or exceeds the state standard on the eighth grade or high school English language arts or mathematics statewide student assessment in the next most rigorous level of advanced courses or program offered by the high school that aligns with the student's high school and beyond plan goals. Each school district may include additional eligibility criteria for students to participate in the academic acceleration policy so long as the district criteria does not create inequities among student groups in the advanced course or program.

Students receiving special education services meet graduation requirements, including subject area credit requirements and graduation pathway options, as directed by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. The students’ postsecondary goals will be documented in their IEP Transition Plan and aligned High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP). Additionally, IEP teams may use comparable content course substitutions to support students to meet the graduation subject area credit requirements when it is necessary (see question 9 for more information).

IEP teams need to consider what additional accommodations, modifications, and special education services, including transition services, may be needed to support each student to make sufficient progress in their graduation pathway and demonstrate the necessary preparation for their post-secondary goals indicated in their IEP transition Plan and aligned HSBP. Early collaborative and student-centered planning is necessary to develop IEPs that support students to reach graduation and be ready for their next steps after high school.

Specific questions about IEP team decisions around a student's graduation plan can be directed to speced@k12.wa.us for technical assistance.

According to WAC 180-51-115, in limited circumstances when determined necessary by the IEP team due to the unique needs resulting from the student’s disability, a graduation credit and subject area requirement may be substituted with comparable content course work as identified by the IEP team. This does not permit the IEP team to modify existing graduation credit requirements with noncomparable substitutions nor to waive credits needed for graduation. However, IEP teams can determine which district courses may be considered comparable content course substitutions (i.e., similar in scope and content to the learning standards of the course). Mastery-based learning opportunities that align in scope and learning standards with courses that meet credit graduation requirements may also be considered. IEP teams should identify what additional special education services, accommodations, and modifications may be needed to support the student with accessing the learning standards of the course and demonstrating mastery of the comparable content. The Special Education Office of OSPI has published guidance on WAC 180-51-115 that can be found on page 8 of the February 2020 Special Education Update.

Note: WAC 180-51-115 was revised in 2019-2020 (effective January 13, 2020). Prior to this revision, under limited circumstances, credit and subject area graduation requirements could be waived for students with IEPs. The revised rule allows the flexibility noted above but no longer permits a waiver. As of July 1, 2020, all decisions about course substitutions for graduation credit requirements for students receiving special education services should align with the revised WAC 180-51-115 rules.

Students and parents should contact their school or district to identify their local graduation requirements. WAC 180-51-045 requires districts to inform students and their parents or guardian of the students’ graduation requirements. Students and parents should work with schools to track progress in meeting graduation requirements as part of the students’ high school and beyond planning. Questions about state graduation requirements can be directed to: Alissa Muller, Director of Policy.

A Graduation Requirements 101 Handout is available on the Graduation Requirements web page. This helpful one-page brochure highlights the three required components for earning a high school diploma and how they work together to fulfill the purpose of the diploma.

Page last updated: January 2026