Getting Ready for the Next Year

Does my 8th grader have to take Carnegie credit courses? All 8th graders will be enrolled in the Carnegie credit Physical Science course; other Carnegie courses are optional.

What is the benefit of taking a Carnegie credit connections course? Students who take and pass a Carnegie course have the opportunity to earn high school credit, which will count towards graduation requirements. Many of these courses are also the first course in high school pathways (an option available for students who wish to receive the recognition as a pathway completer at graduation).

What would be the reason to not accept a Carnegie Credit Option Course? If a student passed a class, but still did not feel comfortable or that they fully mastered the AKS content, it would more than likely be recommended to not accept the course credit. Once a student accepts the credit, they can not go back and retake the course, but instead they move on to the next course in the sequence.

What happens if a student does not select a year-long Carnegie Connection Course? The students will randomly be entered into the semester course options for 8th grade

What are the non-Carnegie credit connections courses? There are a variety of courses that will be offered, depending on the number of students with this scheduling need. Courses may include (but are not limited to) health, physical education, art, technology, and music.

How many pathways are available/how many can my child complete? Each high school offers different pathways; please refer to the GCPS or school website for your specific inquiry. Most children complete one pathway, but it is possible to complete more than one.

What if my child fails the first semester of a Carnegie credit connections course? Students who do not pass the first semester will be placed in a non-Carnegie connection course for the second semester.

Can my student earn credit if they fail a semester of a Carnegie credit connections course? No. Students must successfully pass both semesters in order to earn credit.

If my child is currently in 7th grade Spanish, will they take Spanish II in the 8th grade? No, the 7th grade Spanish course is a middle school introductory course and is not associated with the Carnegie credit option.

My student is interested in taking a foreign language. Is taking a foreign language required for high school graduation? No, completing a foreign language is not required for high school graduation. However, two years of the same foreign language is required for 4-year college admission. 

 

Eighth Grade is a time of significant change! Students have evolving friendships and are experiencing more independence. It is also a time of transition. In the spring of every year, students in 8th Grade will complete transition activities and a four-year high school graduation plan. Please use the information provided by our GOC High School Counselors to learn more about registration, dual enrollment, and high school graduation requirements.

 

Important Links:

Dual Enrollment

HS Planning

College & Career

We are excited to partner with you on helping your child with college and career! We know it can feel overwhelming at times. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Students in 8th grade may earn one Carnegie unit for passing the following approved courses if the course is taught by a teacher who is certified 6 -12 in his/her specific content area:

• Accelerated Algebra I
• Algebra I
• Physical Science (HS Course)
• Introduction to Digital Technology
• Introduction to Business and Technology
• Marketing Principles
• Spanish I

A student's parent/guardian is required to sign the Carnegie Unit Credit Decision Form at the end of the school year indicating either the credit for the course(s) taken will be for middle school credit or as a Carnegie Unit towards high school graduation; this year, the form will be completed electronically through the Parent Portal.

Students may not earn 1/2 Carnegie credit for courses. Courses that earn a high school Carnegie credit in middle school will not be used in the grade point average (GPA) calculation for high school, nor will be used in GPA calculations for the HOPE scholarship, according to current Georgia Student Finance Commission rules for HOPE.

Both semester grades (not the yearly average) will be used to determine credit earned. If the student successfully passes both semesters, then a 'P' will be placed on the transcript and not a grade. A 'P' will equal 1.0 unit of Carnegie Credit earned.

The process of application for Carnegie Units for 8th grade students will open in May.

For additional information you can look HERE.