Washington State Graduation Requirements

All public high school students are required to meet statewide graduation requirements in order to earn a diploma. The goal is that more students will be better prepared to meet 21st-century demands in their working and personal lives.

Within these pages, families, students and educators can learn more about each of the new requirements, including what each requirement is designed to do and how students will be supported.

To earn a high school diploma, a student must:

• Earn high school credit
• Pass state tests or approved alternatives to those tests
• Complete a Culminating Project
• Complete a High School and Beyond Plan

The Graduation Toolkit is produced each year by OSPI to help educators and families understand Washington state graduation requirements. This guide is available online for easy viewing and in a downloadable format for printing.

The Washington State Board of Education establishes minimum credit requirements, the Culminating Project and the High School and Beyond Plan.

The Washington State Legislature requires state testing.