Alaska Admin. Code tit. 4, § 43.030 – Curriculum requirements

(a) For a student graduating from high school in 2011, the curriculum requirements for all levels of the Alaska performance scholarship are completion of
1. (1) the subject matter requirements for high school graduation under 4 AAC 06.075(b); and
2. (2) one additional unit of credit from any of the following:
  1. (A) mathematics - one unit of credit;
  2. (B) science - one unit of credit;
  3. (C) mathematics and science - one-half unit of credit in mathematics and one-half unit of credit in science.
(b) For a student graduating from high school in 2012, the curriculum requirements for the Alaska performance achievement scholarship and Alaska performance opportunity scholarship are completion of either the 2012 mathematics and science curriculum or the 2012 social studies and language curriculum. The required courses are as follows:
1. (1) for the 2012 mathematics and science curriculum,
  1. (A) either of the following:
    1. (i) mathematics - four units of credit, and science - three units of credit;
    2. (ii) mathematics - three units of credit, and science - four units of science;
  2. (B) language arts - four units of credit;
  3. (C) social studies - four units of credit; however, one unit of a world language, fine arts, or cultural heritage may substitute for one of the four units of credit of social studies;
2. (2) for the 2012 social studies and language curriculum,
  1. (A) mathematics - three units of credit;
  2. (B) science - three units of credit;
  3. (C) language arts - four units of credit;
  4. (D) social studies - four units of credit; and
  5. (E) world language - one unit of credit.
(c) For a student graduating from high school in 2012, the curriculum requirements for the Alaska performance honors scholarship are completion of either, as described in (d) of this section,
1. (1) the 2013 and after mathematics and science curriculum;
2. (2) the 2013 and after social studies and language curriculum.
(d) For a student graduating from high school in 2013 and 2014, the curriculum requirements for all levels of the Alaska performance scholarship are completion of either the mathematics and science curriculum or the social studies and language curriculum described in this subsection. The required courses are,
1. (1) for the 2013 and 2014 mathematics and science curriculum,
  1. (A) mathematics - four units of credit;
  2. (B) science - four units of credit;
  3. (C) language arts - four units of credit;
  4. (D) social studies - four units of credit; however, one unit of a world language, fine arts, or cultural heritage may substitute for one of the four units of credit of social studies;
2. (2) for the 2013 and 2014 social studies and language curriculum,
  1. (A) mathematics - three units of credit;
  2. (B) science - three units of credit;
  3. (C) language arts - four units of credit;
  4. (D) social studies - four units of credit;
  5. (E) world language - two units of credit.
(e) The curriculum requirements described in this section do not excuse a student from compliance with the high school graduation requirements in 4 AAC 06.075 or graduation requirements imposed by the student's district.
(f) For a student graduating from high school in and after 2015, the curriculum requirements for all levels of the Alaska performance scholarship are completion of either the 2015 and after mathematics and science curriculum or the 2015 and after social studies and language curriculum described in this subsection. The required courses are
1. (1) for the 2015 and after mathematics and science curriculum,
  1. (A) four units of credit in mathematics, consisting of either four units selected from the following courses or a combination of three units selected from the following courses and an additional course approved by the department:
    1. (i) algebra I;
    2. (ii) algebra II;
    3. (iii) geometry;
    4. (iv) trigonometry;
    5. (v) pre-calculus;
    6. (vi) calculus;
    7. (vii) calculus II;
    8. (viii) statistics;
  2. (B) four units of credit in science, consisting of either four units selected from the following courses or a combination of two units selected from the following courses and two additional courses approved by the department:
    1. (i) physical science;
    2. (ii) earth science;
    3. (iii) biology;
    4. (iv) chemistry;
    5. (v) physics;
    6. (vi) marine biology;
    7. (vii) anatomy and physiology;
  3. (C) four units of credit in language arts, consisting of either four units selected from the following courses or a combination of three units selected from the following courses and an additional course approved by the department:
    1. (i) composition;
    2. (ii) American literature;
    3. (iii) world literature;
    4. (iv) speech and debate;
    5. (v) advanced composition;
    6. (vi) creative writing;
    7. (vii) British literature;
  4. (D) four units of credit in social studies; however, one unit of credit in a world language, fine arts, or cultural heritage may substitute for one of the four units of credit of social studies; at least two units of credit must be from the following courses, with any remaining credits from courses approved by the department:
    1. (i) world history;
    2. (ii) American history;
    3. (iii) geography;
    4. (iv) American government/civics;
    5. (v) economics;
    6. (vi) Alaska history;
    7. (vii) western or eastern civilization;
    8. (viii) psychology;
    9. (ix) sociology;
2. (2) for the 2015 and after social studies and language curriculum,
  1. (A) three units of credit in mathematics, consisting of either three units selected from the following courses or a combination of two units selected from the following courses and an additional course approved by the department:
    1. (i) algebra I;
    2. (ii) algebra II;
    3. (iii) geometry;
    4. (iv) trigonometry;
    5. (v) pre-calculus;
    6. (vi) calculus;
    7. (vii) calculus II;
    8. (viii) statistics;
  2. (B) three units of credit in science, consisting of either three units selected from the following courses or a combination of two units selected from the following courses and an additional course approved by the department:
    1. (i) physical science;
    2. (ii) earth science;
    3. (iii) biology;
    4. (iv) chemistry;
    5. (v) physics;
    6. (vi) marine biology;
    7. (vii) anatomy and physiology;
  3. (C) four units of credit in language arts, consisting of either four units selected from the following courses or a combination of three units selected from the following courses and an additional course approved by the department:
    1. (i) composition;
    2. (ii) American literature;
    3. (iii) world literature;
    4. (iv) speech and debate;
    5. (v) advanced composition;
    6. (vi) creative writing;
    7. (vii) British literature;
  4. (D) four units of credit in social studies, consisting of either four units selected from the following courses or a combination of three units selected from the following courses and an additional course approved by the department:
    1. (i) world history;
    2. (ii) American history;
    3. (iii) geography;
    4. (iv) American government/civics;
    5. (v) economics;
    6. (vi) Alaska history;
    7. (vii) western or eastern civilization;
    8. (viii) psychology;
    9. (ix) sociology;
  5. (E) two units of credit in the same world language.
(g) A course does not satisfy the requirements of this section, regardless of the course name, unless the course
1. (1) is a college or industry preparatory course; and
2. (2) meets or exceeds the standards and grade-level expectations for a high school course established in the department's publication Alaska Social Studies Standards, adopted by reference in 4 AAC 04.140.
(h) An advanced placement course meets the curriculum requirements of this section and is considered an approved course for the subject area covered by the course. In this subsection, "advanced placement course" means a course that has been authorized to use the "Advanced Placement" designation by the College Board. An international baccalaureate course meets the curriculum requirements for this section and is considered an approved course for the subject area covered by the course. In this subsection "international baccalaureate course" means a course that has been authorized to use the "International Baccalaureate" designation by the International Baccalaureate Organization.
(i) The department may conduct a desk audit of the curriculum of a district that determines under AS 14.03.113 that students are eligible for a scholarship award. A desk audit determines whether the district's curriculum meets the requirements of this section. A desk audit may include an examination of the
1. (1) content being taught;
2. (2) district's course performance standards; and
3. (3) district's collection of information on and documentation of student performance.
(j) A district that offers a course of study that meets the requirements of this section but does not clearly fall within the course names used in this section may request approval from the department that the course or courses meet the requirements by completing a form provided by the department.
(k) In determining a student's eligibility for a scholarship, in addition to a qualifying unit of credit earned in grades 9 - 12, a school district shall include the student's completion of a high-school level course in an earlier grade if the course
1. (1) meets the content standards for a grade 9 - 12 course;
2. (2) meets the appropriate curriculum requirement described in (a) - (d) of this section; and
3. (3) appears on the student's high school transcript.

(Eff. 11/4/2010, Register 196; am 2/25/2011, Register 197; am 3/24/2012, Register 201; am 2/16/2013, Register 205; am 10/26/2022, Register 244)

Authority: AS 14.07.060, AS 14.43.810