Anonymous
Post 01/18/2024 10:41     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Anonymous wrote:One PP says language counts. Another says it doesn’t. I don’t see why it wouldn’t count, if you’re taking multiple years beyond what you need to.


I read it to mean it only counts if you take 2 years beyond the required 3 for an advanced diploma. So you need language 4 and 5 OR language 4 and AP for it to count.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2024 10:35     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
One PP says language counts. Another says it doesn’t. I don’t see why it wouldn’t count, if you’re taking multiple years beyond what you need to.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2024 10:31     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Well, there's something that wasn't even on my radar, and looks to be a PITA. Exactly how many slots do kids have to take electives in the first place? Is foreign language considered an elective?


Foreign Language is an elective but doesn't count in this sequential calculation.

So my kid could have taken AP CS A in 9th but did programming in 9th and then AP CS A in 10th to meet this requirement. Was it a waste of time? Yes. Did it satisfy the requirement? Also, yes.


Interesting, what HS is this? Ours doesn't offer AP CS A to 9th graders, only to 10th and above. 9th can take AP CS Principles instead.


At Hayfield as long as your already took geometry you can take AP CS A. My kid took geometry honors in 7th.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2024 09:28     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Well, there's something that wasn't even on my radar, and looks to be a PITA. Exactly how many slots do kids have to take electives in the first place? Is foreign language considered an elective?


Foreign Language is an elective but doesn't count in this sequential calculation.

So my kid could have taken AP CS A in 9th but did programming in 9th and then AP CS A in 10th to meet this requirement. Was it a waste of time? Yes. Did it satisfy the requirement? Also, yes.


Interesting, what HS is this? Ours doesn't offer AP CS A to 9th graders, only to 10th and above. 9th can take AP CS Principles instead.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 23:20     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It is an FCPS requirement for HS. How do you satisfy it? For example, would AP Macro/Micro satisfy it? If not, can you give an example that would?


HS counselor here

The easy tell if courses are sequential is that on the course selection sheet they’ll be under the same header. So all marketing classes are sequential within that course group. The IT classes are all sequential within their group. They just don’t cross over and become sequential with each other. Also, you can tell if something is sequential, obviously, if it has a number attached. Photography 1 and Photography 2, etc...

Another way to meet the requirement is to do 2 years of a subject beyond the advanced diploma requirement. So you need 4 years a math to get the advanced diploma. If you do 2 added math electives so like a 4 + 2 you meet the requirement. For example: Algebra 1 (8th) Geometry (9th), Algebra 2 (10th), Precalculus (11th), And the 2 “extra” they take technically as electives: AP Calculus BC (12th) and AP Stats (12th). Same for other subjects like science: Bio (9th), Chem (10th), Physicy and AP Chem (11th). Now you met your 4. Then then 2 “extra” they take technically as electives: AP Physics and AP Environmental Science (12th)

A student can also do it with language so like a 3 + 2: They take French 1, 2, 3 in grades 8, 9, and 10. Then Level 4 in 11th and level 5 or AP in 12th. Levels 4 and 5 are sequential because they are electives that go beyond what is needed for the language requirement for the advanced diploma.

Hope this helps someone.


What about 4 years of orchestra in high school? Would that count as sequential electives?
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 15:39     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
thank you pp
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 15:16     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Anonymous wrote:It is an FCPS requirement for HS. How do you satisfy it? For example, would AP Macro/Micro satisfy it? If not, can you give an example that would?


HS counselor here

The easy tell if courses are sequential is that on the course selection sheet they’ll be under the same header. So all marketing classes are sequential within that course group. The IT classes are all sequential within their group. They just don’t cross over and become sequential with each other. Also, you can tell if something is sequential, obviously, if it has a number attached. Photography 1 and Photography 2, etc...

Another way to meet the requirement is to do 2 years of a subject beyond the advanced diploma requirement. So you need 4 years a math to get the advanced diploma. If you do 2 added math electives so like a 4 + 2 you meet the requirement. For example: Algebra 1 (8th) Geometry (9th), Algebra 2 (10th), Precalculus (11th), And the 2 “extra” they take technically as electives: AP Calculus BC (12th) and AP Stats (12th). Same for other subjects like science: Bio (9th), Chem (10th), Physicy and AP Chem (11th). Now you met your 4. Then then 2 “extra” they take technically as electives: AP Physics and AP Environmental Science (12th)

A student can also do it with language so like a 3 + 2: They take French 1, 2, 3 in grades 8, 9, and 10. Then Level 4 in 11th and level 5 or AP in 12th. Levels 4 and 5 are sequential because they are electives that go beyond what is needed for the language requirement for the advanced diploma.

Hope this helps someone.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 11:11     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Two will get them into a 4 year university, somewhere.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 11:09     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Anonymous wrote:10:57 again. The student can take FL pass/fail. Two years of FL taken pass/fail, get the Standard Diploma, and still go to college. Just look outside Virginia and it will limit choices.


Exactly, OOS want more than 2 years. So we encouraged our DS to do at least 3. He hated his 2nd year teacher but 3rd was such an improvement that he opted to do 4 years of the language
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 11:02     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
10:57 again. The student can take FL pass/fail. Two years of FL taken pass/fail, get the Standard Diploma, and still go to college. Just look outside Virginia and it will limit choices.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 10:57     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Foreign Language --use to -- count as a sequential elective IF the student was getting the Standard Diploma. I just don't know the current requirements. I'd check on that. Though the Standard Diploma limits college choices, look to states in the Midwest for good options.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 10:55     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Anonymous wrote:What happens if you are in band for two years but in the same band? Based on auditions? Does that not count as sequential?


My DD was in the top level band all 4 years of HS and her counselor marked that as meeting the "sequential" requirement.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 10:54     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Anonymous wrote:What does this have to do with having a republican governor? Was this instituted 10 years ago or so after the dems took over? Honest question.


Good questions. 8VAC20-131-50 Requirements for graduation (effective for the students entering ninth grade prior to the 2018-2019 school year).
lists: "Courses to satisfy this requirement shall include at least two sequential electives as required by the Standards of Quality." (Footnote 4).
So we can date it to 2018 or earlier, definitely pre-Youngkin.

Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 10:52     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
What happens if you are in band for two years but in the same band? Based on auditions? Does that not count as sequential?
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2024 10:13     Subject: Can you explain sequential electives requirement
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This isn’t a graduation requirement. It’s a requirement to have a seal saying your diploma is advanced.


Yea that’s what we want of course. Who wouldn’t want an advanced diploma?


It really doesn't matter if you get standard vs. advanced. Advanced is just what you'd generally get if you are on a college prep path, e.g. the core classes all 4 years, foreign language, etc.

But the "sequential electives" thing is actually part of both the standard and advanced:

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/parents-students/for-students/graduation/diploma-options/standard-diploma-graduation-requirements
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/parents-students/for-students/graduation/diploma-options/advanced-studies-diploma-graduation-requirements



Most kids are on a college prep path and would want advanced.


Why? No one cares about advanced vs. standard the day after graduation. Some kids may prefer to pick up an extra AP science class or an extra language class or AP stat in addition to their regular math class rather than taking photography II


Do you know what colleges require? They want to see foreign language. It was my understanding that you don’t need foreign language with a standard diploma. That will ruin your chances for college at many places.


Yes, you need foreign language but you can do that and still not meet the "advanced diploma" requirements if you didn't take an arts/CTE elective or maybe you want to double up on math or science classes and don't take a history/social studies class senior year. That also knocks you out of getting advanced but can be a reasonable choice. The "advanced" requirements are generally a good guide for what a college-prep student should be taking but not an absolute.