CMCSS | Clarksville-Montgomery County School System

Graduation

CMCSS is committed to students graduating college and career ready. As students move through their academic journey, they are provided with learning opportunities to ignite their passion and introduce them to future possibilities. The information included here provides families with the knowledge, tools, and resources they’ll need to support their child as they approach graduation.

Navigating Your Future

As you’re approaching high school, graduation requirements, elective opportunities, and new vocabulary begin playing a more significant role in your student’s life. This publication will help you navigate through registering for courses, choosing electives, and determining what opportunities are available across the district to support your student’s future goals.

Graduation Requirements

To view as a PDF, click here.

Note:

Math – Tennessee students are required to be enrolled in a math course each year of high school.

Wellness/PE – Students may substitute 66 hours of documented participation in a CMCSS school-sponsored, after-school physical activity for this requirement.

Computer Science – This is required for freshmen entering high school in the 2024-25 school year. This course may be a substitute for other courses.

Each credit requirement may be met only once. Taking a subsequent course that meets the same requirement is considered an audit and is not counted for credit. Credited core courses take prior to 9th grade will count toward a student’s high school GPA.

Career Focused Curriculum
The Fine Art and Foreign Language Requirements may be waived for students who are sure they are not attending a university immediately after graduation. These credits will be replaced with three additional focused elective courses (6 total) to prepare the student for their career choice. Parents and students will meet with the counselor to develop and sign this career-focused curriculum before those requirements may be waived.

Ready Graduate Indicators

The vision of CMCSS is all students will graduate college and career ready. As students progress through their academic careers, they are exposed to courses, tests, and opportunities to prepare them for the next phase of the journey. The Tennessee Department of Education Ready Graduate indicator is a statewide accountability measurement. To be considered a Ready Graduate, a student must meet one of the following criteria by graduation:

ACT Composite Score of 21 or higher
Four EPSOs
Two EPSOs and pass an industry certification*
or two EPSOs and earn a 31+ on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery or Aptitude Assessment.)

*Early Postsecondary Opportunities (EPSOs) and Career and Technical Education pathways with industry certifications vary by school. Students should connect with their school counselor to understand the opportunities available.

Community Learning Series

Families can help their students prepare for high school and their future through the Community Learning Series. These five courses will walk through critical information for students to feel comfortable and successful as they move through their academic journey.

Each course takes approximately five minutes to complete.

Graduation Requirements

Learn about the number and types of credits students must earn in order to receive a high school diploma in Tennessee.

Focused Elective Groups

In the Graduation Requirements segment, you learned that a student must earn 22 credits to graduate from high school in the state of TN. Three credits must be in a focused elective group (FEG). Find out what FEGs are available for CMCSS students.

Career and Technical Education and Academies of CMCSS

Students may choose Career and Technical Education (CTE) as their Focused Elective Group (FEG). In CMCSS, students have the choice between traditional CTE FEGs and applying to an Academy. Learn the similarities and differences of these two types of career and technical education pathways in this lesson.

Ready Graduate Indicators

The vision of CMCSS is that all students graduate college and career ready. But how will we know if students are “ready” when they cross the stage at graduation?

Know Your Numbers

Many numbers will factor into your child’s high school experience and the type of diploma they will receive. These numbers will also influence a student’s options for post-secondary enrollment and job attainment after high school.