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“The education of my child is exceptional in quality.”

Graduation Requirements

To ensure the success of our students, The Hillsboro School meets or exceeds the expectations for the Alabama state requirements for high school graduation.

As such, The Hillsboro School offers all students simply a High School Diploma and allows the transcript to indicate the level of courses taken. We do calculate both a simple and weighted GPA, which allows for Honors level courses to count toward a higher GPA.

For the High School Diploma, students are expected to complete 25 credits during their time in high school. 3 of these may be completed in middle school (only applicable for Spanish 1, English, Computer Applications, and Algebra/Geometry). 16 of these required 25 credits are in the required core areas of math, English, science, and social studies. The other 9 credits come through other required courses and electives.

Core Courses

While the Montessori approach focuses on moving on the speed of the child, we maintain rigorous standards on the level of work that must be completed to graduate from The Hillsboro School. In English, students are expected to successfully complete 4 years of composition and literature study. In Math, students must pass four years of math, including Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra II. In science, all students are required to take biology, at least one physical lab science, as well as two elective science courses. For social science, all students must take 4 years of history including at least one year in both world and US history.

Other Requirements

While there are many electives available, there are other specific required elements for graduation. All students are required to complete life skills courses, including health, applied math, and career planning. Students must take at least 2 sequential years of a foreign language as well as complete one credit worth of fine arts. Spanish is available each year, as are other languages depending on demand. Other courses, such as art, music, drama, physical education, and computer literacy and applications, are regular options. Students also have a variety of electives from which to choose, including specialized physical education, various science courses, robotics, advanced and applied mathematics, and creative writing.

Students taking Honors level classes seek the highest course offerings allowed in The Hillsboro School program. This may include not only campus-based Honors options, but also offerings such as blended courses, Early College courses, dual enrollment, or other options that best prepare students for college while also allowing them the support of The Hillsboro School.