The State of Washington provides enough funding for our high school students to have a six-period day. The Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Levy provides the additional funding for a seventh period. Why is it necessary to provide a seventh period for our high school students? Let’s look at our high school graduation requirements to show why.

To graduate, students must complete 24 credits, a High School & Beyond Plan, and a course in Washington State History and Constitution. The 24 credits consist of:

• 17 Core Credits (shown below in yellow)
• 3 Personalized Pathway Requirement Credits (shown below in orange)
  • Personalized Pathway Requirements are courses that lead to a specific post-high school career outcome chosen by the student, based on the student’s High School & Beyond Plan. Personalized Pathway Requirements could be an extra credit of art, two credits of world language, or credits in another subject area focused in the student’s area of interest.
• 4 Flexible Credits (shown below in green)

The 4 flexible credits (electives) are quickly filled for most students.

• Student enrolling in a Washington post-high school public institution must complete the College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADRS). These requirements are like many Washington private and out-of-state post-high school institutions. The CADRS include the following:
  • A senior-year math-based quantitative course. The intent is to require that students take meaningful math during their senior year.
  • 2 credits in the same World Language, Native American language, or American Sign Language.
• High school is a time for students to explore their interests; they need to be able to take electives to do this.
• If a student wishes to be involved in ASB leadership or the Yearbook, these are Career & Technical Education classes. In most cases students take these classes for 2-4 years.
• Many students wish to take 3-4 years of a world language.
• Many students wish to take 3-4 years of choir, band, or theatre.
• Washington State History and Constitution is a one semester course taken in 7th or 8th grade for no credit. If a student moves into the NSD during high school, they must complete the class before graduating.
• If a student does not pass a class, they must use one of their 4 flexible credits to take the class again.

The Northshore School District provides the EP&O levy-funded seventh period at our high schools so that our graduates are ready for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and citizenship, as well as being equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner.