S.P.S N.J. HIGH SCHOOL PROFICIENCY TESTING - / H.S.P.A.

All students must pass the High School Proficiency Assessment in The HSPA tests will be administered during the spring of the junior year.  However, prior to that time, we utilize practice tests and other measures to assess students' potential for success on this graduation requirement.  Those students who are in danger of not passing a section of the test will be placed into classes designed to provide skill development.

CREDIT REQUIREMENT
Students must earn 125 credits, of which 105 must come from required courses.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS

English I, II, III, IV 4years/20credits
Social Studies 3 years/15 credits
  Government & Economics/ U.S. History/Global Studies
PE/Health 1 year (3.75 credits / 1.25 credits) for each year of high school
  PE 9/Adolescent Issues
  PE 10/Driver Education
  PE 11/Adult Issues
  PE 12/Senior Health.
Math 3 years/15 credits
Science 3 years/15 credits
  1 Physical Science, 1 Biological Science, any other Science)
World Language 2 years/10 credits (of the same language)
Visual or Performing Art 1 year/5 credits (see last section on this page)
Practical or Technical Art

1 year /5 credits (see last section on this page)



ACADEMIC UNITS - Explanation and Listing

Your post-high school plans will determine to a great extent which courses you will take in high school.  Students who are planning to go to a four-year college should accrue a minimum of sixteen academic units before graduation.  An academic unit is earned for completion of study in a year-long college-preparatory course. Students will want to present as strong an academic record as possible to prospective colleges.  To help in planning, the courses which are generally accepted by colleges as academic units are listed here. .Please refer to footnotes for clarification. NOTE: Semester courses do not earn academic unit status.

Economics  s and Criminal Law (1) Physical & Earth Science
College Accounting I & II  (1) Biology I
Advanced Computer Applications (1) Biology II
International Business (1) A.P. Biology
Business Organization & Management   Human Anatomy and Physiology
BusinesA.P. Field Ecology & Animal Behavior
English I, II, III, IV – all levels AP Environmental Science
Ancient Greek I & II Chemistry      I-T/ Chemistry I-CC
Latin I, II, III, IV, V – all levels Honors Chemistry I
Spanish, IIA,IIIA (2) A.P. Chemistry
Spanish I, II, III, IV, V Physics I-T/Physics I-A
Honors / AP  Spanish V Honors College Physics
Spanish for Natives I, II (1) A.P. Physics C
French I, II, III, IV, V – all levels A.P. Physics B  
Algebra I/Elements of  Alg. I/Adv. Alg. I Sci. Appl. of Multi-Variable Calc.
Geom./Elem. of Geom./Adv. Geom. Sci. Appl. of Diff. Equa. & Comp. Analysis
Alg.II/Adv. Alg. II/ Hon. Alg. II./Elem. of Alg. II Science & Society (1)
Computer Prog./ Comp. Science II Global Studies – all levels
A.P. Computer Science A & AB  Holocaust & Genocide
Discrete Math Govt. & Economics – all levels
Introduction to Statistics IPLE I & II (1)
Preparation for College Math Introduction to Psychology
Adv. Pre Calculus A.P. Psychology
Trig  & Algebraic Functions Military History and Strategy
Calculus U.S. History  - all levels
A.P. Calculus – AB, BC  The Vietnam Era (1)
A.P. Statistics Race, Class & Gender in America (1)
Music Theory I (1) Simulations in World Trade (1)
A.P. Music Theory Asian Studies (1)
A.P. Art History C A.P. U.S. Govt. PoliticAmerican Justice (1)
  A.P. European History
  A.P. U.S. Govt.& Politics
  A.P. Comp. Govt. & Politics


(1) Accepted as an academic unit by some colleges, but is not universally accepted.

(2) Completion of these two course sequence yields one academic unit.


NCAA Information

College-bound athletes need to be sure that they have the kind and number of courses required to meet NCAA eligibility requirements.  Although most of the courses listed as academic units qualify as eligible core courses, students should check with their counselors for NCAA information or go to NCAAClearinghouse.net to see which of our courses are authorized core courses.   In addition, perspective athletes must meet GPA and SAT/ACT score requirements.  The NCAA uses a sliding scale in regard to GPA and SAT scores. You can consult NCAAClearinghouse.net  for further details.


VISUAL/ PERFORMING and PRACTICAL ART REQUIREMENTS

The list below contains the courses that can be used to fulfill the Visual/ Performing/Practical Arts requirements for graduation. The courses with an *  could fulfill either area. NOTE: Some of these are semester courses so yield 2.5 credits. Two semester courses would be needed to fulfill the requirement of 1 year of the requirement.

Visual / Performing Arts

Practical Arts

Practical Arts
Advanced String Ensemble Accounting I & II Electronic and Robotic Technology
AP Art History Adv. Child Development Engineering Draw. / Adv. Eng. Drawing
Art I & II Adv. Computer Applications for Business Engineering Technology I
Art Portfolio - all levels Adv. Graphics / Photo Screen Printing* Entrepreneurship
Black & White Photography I & II Adv. Graphics II / Digital Printing* Independent Living
Cartooning I Advanced Video Technology* Industrial Design*
Chorus AP Computer Science - AB International Business
Comedy in Film AP Computer Science - Java[1] Introduction to Business
Concert Band AP Computer Science A Introduction to Technology
Concert Choir AP Economics Intro. to Web Page / Adv. Web Design
Desktop Publishing* Applied Business Math Keyboarding [1]
Drawing I / Adv. Drawing Architecture - all levels* Kids! Kids! Kids!
Graphic Design I & II* Automotive Technolgy - all levels Marketing Education
Intro. To Computer Graphics* Business and Criminal Law More Kids!
Introduction to Film Business Organization & Management Multimedia Applications*
Music Theory I / AP Music Theory Career Exploration Newspaper Journalism - all levels
Painting I / Adv. Painting Clothing / Adv. Clothing / Clothing Lab Parenting
Photoshop I & II College Accounting I & II Personal Law
Printmaking I & II Computer Applications Senior Internship for Business
Sculpture I / Sculpture II Computer Programming Studio Production for Television*
String Orchestra Computer Science II The Art of Screenwriting
Symphonic Band Computer Technology Video and Communications Tech.*
Theatre Arts I & II Craft Marketing I & II VTN Broadcast Journalism Tech.*
Wind Ensemble Creative Foods / Foods  - all levels
Yearbook I & II* Creative Writing I & II [1] Former course title


Note:  Course Changes [1]
Regardless of changes, all previously taken courses will count toward graduation requirements.