Graduation Pathway Options FAQs

RCW 28A.230.090 authorizes SBE to establish state graduation requirements. In addition, the Legislature sometimes directly establishes new requirements or modifies existing requirements through statute.

In 2019, new legislation (E2SHB 1599) removed the explicit link of the state assessment to graduation, replacing it with a set of pathway options for graduation. The new law also directed the State Board of Education to adopt rules for new graduation requirements, graduation pathways, codified in RCW 28A.655.250.

Current state graduation requirements include 1) credit and subject area requirements, 2) the High School and Beyond Plan, and 3) the graduation pathway requirement. Note: local education agencies may add local requirements to the state requirements.

In the 2019-20 through 2023-24 school years, a waiver of the graduation pathway requirement was available through an emergency waiver program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the Expedited Assessment Appeal was available for the Class of 2020, so students in that class could have their assessment requirement waived—effectively waiving the pathway requirement. No waiver program is available after the 2023-24 school year.

Districts need to help students access graduation pathway options that may be appropriate for the student. Particular attention may be needed for students who may have more limited access to pathway options such as transfer students, English language learners, and some students receiving special education services.

Students must complete at least one of the following graduation pathway options:

  1. Meet or exceed the graduation scores in the Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA). For students with the most significant cognitive difficulties, the WA-AIM is available to fulfill the state assessment pathway.
  2. Dual credit courses (for example, Running Start or College in the High School) in English Language Arts and math
  3. Earn a 3 or higher on certain Advanced Placement exams or a 4 or higher on certain International Baccalaureate exams, or pass the course with a C+
  4. Meet or exceed the graduation scores in the math and English portions of the SAT or ACT
  5. Bridge to College courses (senior courses for students who earned a Level 2 on the SBA)
  6. Complete a Performance-based Pathway
  7. Meet any combination of at least one English and one math option of those options listed in #1-6
  8. Meet standards on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)*
  9. Complete a sequence of Career and Technical Education courses*

*Note: Students who successfully pass the armed services test with the identified graduation score or who complete a CTE course sequence do not need to meet English and math pathway requirements separately. English and math content are embedded in both pathways—and both pathways meet the purpose of a high school diploma: to declare that a student is ready for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and citizenship, and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner (RCW 28A.230.090). A student who meets either the ASVAB standard or the CTE pathway requirements has met the graduation pathway requirement.

More information about each pathway is available on the Graduation Pathways Options webpage.

To achieve this pathway, complete a sequence of Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses:

  • two or more high school credits of CTE courses in a progression tailored to the student’s goals and relevant to the postsecondary pathway(s) outlined in the student’s High School and Beyond Plan. The sequence may be comprised of courses within the same CTE program area or courses within more than one CTE program area.
  • the sequence must include at least one course that meets either 1.) the criteria for CTE preparatory programs, meaning the sequence leads to a certificate or credential (this does not require the student to obtain the credential) or allows the student to earn dual credit, or 2.) the curriculum requirements of Core Plus programs.

The sequence may be comprised of courses within the same CTE program area or courses within more than one CTE program area if the sequence is approved by OSPI.
In order to apply for approval for a local CTE sequence (only required if it is in more than one program area), follow the directions on OSPI’s website. OSPI’s website also includes a list of already approved local CTE pathway sequences. If the local sequence your district wishes to implement has already been approved, you do not need to reapply, you simply need to notify OSPI of your intention to use the previously approved sequence.

If you have further questions, please contact Linda Drake and Alissa Muller.

To meet the ASVAB graduation pathway option, students must meet the minimum score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) to be eligible to serve in a branch of the armed services at the time the student takes the test. The AFQT is a component of the ASVAB (not a separate test). Satisfying this graduation pathway option meets requirements in both English and math.

The current score students must meet is: 31 (this score will be confirmed and updated here at least annually by September 1. Students may choose to meet either the minimum score the year a student take the ASVAB or the score established by any branch of the military posted here on a later date prior to the student turning 21 years of age.)

Score: 31

If you have questions, please contact Alissa Muller.

The graduation scores on the statewide high school assessments (Smarter Balance Assessment or SBA) are:

  • Score on English Language Arts (ELA)—2548
  • Score on math—2595

Courses that meet the dual credit graduation pathway option must generate both high school credit and college credit (100 level or above), and the student must pass the course. The courses must be credited by the high school as English or math credit. However, the courses do not have to count for college level credit in math or English. These courses are offered through Running Start, College in the High School, or CTE Dual Credit programs.

Students can meet the Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or the Cambridge International pathway either by successfully completing the course (see grade requirements below) or by passing the exam (see required scores below.)

Course method: Students may pass specified courses with a C+ grade or better and are not required to take the exam associated with the course. The courses that qualify for meeting this graduation pathway option in English Language Arts or math are listed on the State Board of Education graduation pathways webpage or in the graduation pathway requirement rules (WAC 180-51-230).

Exam method: Alternatively, students can meet this pathway by passing the associated assessment for any of the English Language Arts or math courses as laid out in law (as described above) at a specified level. To meet this pathway, students must earn a 3 or higher on the AP exam, a 4 or higher on the IB exam, or score an E (the minimum passing score in Cambridge exams) or higher on the exam associated with the courses listed in graduation pathway requirement rules (WAC 180-51-230) or on the graduation pathway options webpage.

The current scores for the SAT and ACT graduation pathway options are available on the graduation pathway options webpage.

Students may meet the graduation pathway requirement by passing a high school course that is used for placement into a college-level (100 level or above) math or ELA. This includes Bridge to College Courses, but also could include courses that meet local placement agreements between districts and institutions of higher education.

A student can use any combination of the Smarter Balanced Assessment, dual credit, transition courses, AP/IB/Cambridge, ACT or SAT, and performance-based pathwayto meet the ELA and math requirements of those pathways. For example, a student may combine an AP Statistics course to meet math portion of the graduation pathway requirement with their SBA score in ELA to meet the English portion of the graduation pathway requirement.

The CTE and ASVAB graduation pathway options are “stand-alone” options—students do not need to complete math and English pathways separately. Completing either of these pathway options meets the graduation pathway requirement.

The performance-based pathway allows students to show what they know and can do in real-world, hands-on ways that align with their individual goals for life after high school. This student-centered pathway is intended to be customizable, with the aim of being relevant and engaging to the student. The performance-based pathway may take a variety of forms such as a project, practicum, work-related experience, community service, or cultural activity. A variety of student work that can be evaluated may be used as a student demonstration of skills and knowledge, such as a performance, presentation, portfolio, report, film, pr exhibit. The performance-based pathway may or may not be completed as part of a class where the student also earns credit.

The student performance must address certain specified learning standards in English Language Arts and/or math. The evaluation of the student work must involve an educator endorsed in the relevant subject area, and the evaluation must employ the state-developed performance-based pathway rubric. Additional requirements and guidance are available on the performance-based pathway webpage.