• Clarke Central High School

    Graduation Requirements

    In order to graduate from Clarke Central High School, a student must earn 24 credits.  A passing grade in one class equals one credit.

    The required 24 credits for graduation must be broken down as follows: 

    • 4 English credits
    • 4 math credits
    • 4 science credits
    • 4 social studies credits
    • 1 Health/PE credit
    • 3 CTAE and/or Foreign Language and/or Fine Arts credits
    • 4 electives

    The CCHS Graduation Checklist can be found here in English and here in Spanish. 

    Frequently Asked Questions

    My son has earned 24 credits.  Can he graduate early?

    • A student must successfully meet all requirements for graduation as set by the GA Department of Education and the CCSD Board Of Education.  Please refer to the graduation checklist linked above for a complete list of requirements for Clarke Central High School.  Students who meet graduation requirements early may submit a request for early graduation through their school counselor. Requests must be approved by the CCHS principal and CCSD superintendent.
    • Students who meet graduation requirements early should begin working towards post-secondary pursuits, particularly during their senior year.  Students can gain job experience and make valuable connections through Work-Based Learning, and Academic Internship, or Career Pathway completion at the Athens Community Career Academy. They may also earn college credit through dual enrollment or by taking AP courses.

    My daughter entered her freshman year with 3 high school credits from middle school.  How does this affect her graduation?

    • Many students enter high school with foreign language, science, and/or math credits they earned in 8th grade.  These earned credits allow students to pursue additional electives in high school. They also make it easier for students to earn college credit through dual enrollment, additional AP coursework, and/or at the Career Academy or to engage in internships through Work-Based Learning or the Young Dawgs Academic Internship Program.

    What are career and academic pathways?

    • Career and academic pathways are completed at either Clarke Central or the Career Academy.  Each is a series of courses within a content area which prepare students for either a specific career or college major.  You can find a list of pathway opportunities at CCHS here and those at ACCA here.  

    What are AP classes?

    • Advanced Placement classes are introductory college-level courses taught at the high school.  At the end of the course, students take an AP exam which determines if they will earn college credit.  AP classes are valuable preparation for college whether or not the student passes the AP exam. AP courses count towards a student’s high school credits as either an elective or an equivalent content credit (eg. AP Language = Lit/Comp 11, AP US History = US History).  Click here to learn more about the AP courses offered at CCHS. For more information, contact Mrs. Ginger Lehmann, CCHS's AP Coordinator, at lehmanng@clarke.k12.ga.us.  

    What about the Career Academy?

    • The Athens Community Career Academy is a partnership between the Clarke County School District, Athens Technical College, and the University of Georgia.  At ACCA, students have the opportunity to take core academic college courses, enroll in career-themed college certification programs, and participate in unique internships.  Credits earned at ACCA count towards high school graduation requirements. For more information, visit www.clarke.k12.ga.us/acca