SJHS Acceptable Credit Policy

SJHS

May 20, 2025

May 14, 2025

At the May 8, 2025 SJUSD board meeting, the following policy regarding acceptable credits at the high school was approved.  

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year:

  • Credits earned via an online platform outside of SJHS while a student is enrolled in SJHS will not be accepted for original credit. 

  • Online courses from a SJHS-approved accredited institution may only be used as credit recovery, and will only be given a P grade.  

  • Prior written permission from the Academic Counselor is required before enrolling in any accredited online course not offered at St. Johns High School for credit recovery, otherwise credit will not be given.

  • Credits earned via a homeschool program will not be accepted for original credit or credit recovery.

  • Credits recorded on transcripts from an online or homeschool program prior to June 1, 2025 will still be honored.


In an effort to ensure clarity regarding this policy, here are answers to a few frequently asked questions: 

➤  Why was this acceptable credit policy proposed?

This policy has been considered, reviewed, and discussed at length for over a year, including analyzing applicable data and individual student circumstances. Here are a few of the areas that were considered as the rationale for the policy:

  • Academic Integrity - By only accepting credits from SJHS, we can more easily guarantee consistent academic rigor and quality.

  • Curriculum Consistency - External courses may not always match the depth and breadth of our in-house offerings.

  • Teacher Involvement - In-person education fosters stronger relationships and better oversight.

  • Student Experience - Online courses cannot always offer the same level of engagement.

  • School Reputation - By limiting credits to those earned at SJHS, the diploma becomes a reflection of the school's dedication to high-quality education.


➤ When will the policy take effect? 

This policy will take effect on June 1, 2025. Any credits recorded on transcripts from an online or homeschool program prior to June 1, 2025 will still be honored. 

➤ What is “original credit” as opposed to “credit recovery”?

Original credit is earned the first time a student takes and passes a course. If the student does not pass the course, they are then required to recover the credit to graduate. Credit Recovery courses are only given a P grade on the student’s transcript, once the credit is earned.

➤ Which accredited online programs are approved by SJHS for credit recovery?

➤ How do I get pre-approval from the SJHS Academic Counselor for an online credit recovery course?

Students and parents/guardians are encouraged to meet with our Academic Counselor, Mr. Johnson, to discuss online credit recovery options, which will include those offered at St. Johns High School through a digital program. To take an online course outside of SJHS, students must complete an “Online Credit Recovery Course Request” form and submit it prior to enrolling in any online credit recovery course. This form will be reviewed, to ensure the student has previously failed/lost credit for the original course and that the online school is accredited and approved by SJHS. This request will either be approved or denied, and signed/dated. This form, with the determination, will be scanned and emailed to the student and guardian, so they are aware of the result. 

➤ If my child un-enrolls from SJHS, enrolls in an accredited online school, and later re-enrolls back in SJHS, will the credits transfer back into SJHS? 

Yes, the credits will transfer to SJHS, as long as the accredited online school provides SJHS with an official transcript of credits earned for that student. This policy only impacts students who are currently enrolled at SJHS and attempting to take a class(es) also at an online school (including during the summer). If a student un-enrolls from SJHS for a semester or longer to attend any other school, credits will transfer back into SJHS through an official transcript.

➤ If I choose to homeschool my child during any of their high school years, will SJHS accept those credits? 

No, credits earned via a homeschool program will not be accepted for original credit nor credit recovery.

➤ How will a student have room in their schedule to take all of the courses they want if they cannot take online courses outside of SJHS? 

St. Johns High School currently only requires 22 credits to graduate, the minimum standard set by the state. This is in contrast to other schools in our area and around the state who have increased the minimum number of required credits (e.g., 24+ credits to graduate). Additionally, the state requires a student to be enrolled for a minimum of 5 class periods a day to be considered full-time and for the school to receive state funding for that student. Because of this, in SJUSD we do not allow students to enroll part-time (under 5 classes per day). Generally, students take 6 to 7 SJHS classes each day. Therefore, a student, who has taken 7 periods their freshman, sophomore, and junior years, would only need one additional credit their senior year to graduate but would still need at least 5 class periods to be considered full-time and attend SJHS. Moreover, we have found that seniors’ class schedules do not always reflect the desired workload and post-high school preparation that we would hope for, especially as they are gearing up for the rigors of college and career. Allowing students to take outside online courses during the summer for original high school credit has only exacerbated these two issues. 

In the case where a student wants to “get ahead” in their academic pursuits, we would encourage enrolling in an NPC early college summer or night course, which will be recorded on the student’s college transcript and may be provided to the high school for graduation credit. NPC courses taken at SJHS as dual-enrollment, TALON, or NAVIT during the school year will also count toward graduation credit.   

If you have any additional questions not answered in this notice, please reach out to our St. Johns High School Office at hsoffice@staff.sjusd.net.