(a) Credits. A student must earn at least 22 credits to complete the Foundation High School Program.

(b) Core courses. A student must demonstrate proficiency in the following.

(1) English language arts--four credits. Two of the credits must consist of English I and II. (Students with limited English proficiency who are at the beginning or intermediate level of English language proficiency, as defined by §74.4(d) of this title (relating to English Language Proficiency Standards), may satisfy the English I and English II graduation requirements by successfully completing English I for Speakers of Other Languages and English II for Speakers of Other Languages.) A third credit must consist of English III, a comparable Advanced Placement (AP) English language arts course that does not count toward another credit required for graduation, or a comparable International Baccalaureate (IB) English language arts course that meets all the requirements in §110.33 of this title (relating to English Language Arts and Reading, English III (One Credit), Beginning with School Year 2009-2010). A fourth credit may be selected from one full credit or a combination of two half credits from two different courses, subject to prerequisite requirements, from the following courses: (A) English IV; (B) Independent Study in English; (C) Literary Genres; (D) Creative Writing; (E) Research and Technical Writing; (F) Humanities; (G) Public Speaking III; (H) Communication Applications, which must be combined with another half credit from the other courses listed in subparagraphs (A)-(G) and (I)-(S) of this paragraph; (I) Oral Interpretation III; (J) Debate III; (K) Independent Study in Speech; (L) Independent Study in Journalism; (M) Advanced Broadcast Journalism III; (N) Advanced Journalism: Newspaper III; (O) Advanced Journalism: Yearbook III; (P) a comparable Advanced Placement (AP) English language arts course that does not count toward another credit required for graduation; (Q) a comparable International Baccalaureate (IB) English language arts course that meets all the requirements in §110.34 of this title (relating to English Language Arts and Reading, English IV (One Credit), Beginning with School Year 2009-2010); (R) after the successful completion of English I, II, and III, a locally developed English language arts course or other activity, including an apprenticeship or training hours needed to obtain an industry-recognized credential or certificate that is developed pursuant to the Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.002(g-1); (S) Business English; and (T) a college preparatory English language arts course that is developed pursuant to the TEC, §28.014.

(2) Mathematics--three credits. Two of the credits must consist of Algebra I and Geometry. (A) The additional credit may be selected from one full credit or a combination of two half credits from two different courses, subject to prerequisite requirements, from the following courses or a credit selected from the courses listed in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph: (i) Mathematical Models with Applications; (ii) Mathematical Applications in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources; (iii) Digital Electronics; (iv) Financial Mathematics; (v) Applied Mathematics for Technical Professionals; (vi) Accounting II; (vii) Manufacturing Engineering Technology II; and (viii) Robotics II. (B) The additional credit may be selected from one full credit or a combination of two half credits from two different courses, subject to prerequisite requirements, from the following courses: (i) Algebra II; (ii) Precalculus; (iii) Advanced Quantitative Reasoning; (iv) Independent Study in Mathematics; (v) Discrete Mathematics for Problem Solving; (vi) Algebraic Reasoning; (vii) Statistics; (viii) a comparable AP mathematics course that does not count toward another credit required for graduation; (ix) AP Computer Science A; (x) IB Computer Science Higher Level; (xi) Engineering Mathematics; (xii) Statistics and Business Decision Making; (xiii) Mathematics for Medical Professionals; (xiv) Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science; (xv) pursuant to the TEC, §28.025(b-5), after the successful completion of Algebra II, a mathematics course endorsed by an institution of higher education as a course for which the institution would award course credit or as a prerequisite for a course for which the institution would award course credit. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) shall maintain a current list of courses offered under this clause; and (xvi) after the successful completion of Algebra I and Geometry, a locally developed mathematics course or other activity, including an apprenticeship or training hours needed to obtain an industry-recognized credential or certificate that is developed pursuant to the TEC, §28.002(g-1). (C) One credit of a two-credit IB mathematics course selected from Chapter 111 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics) may satisfy the additional mathematics credit.

(3) Science--three credits. One credit must consist of Biology or a comparable AP or IB biology course. (A) One credit must be selected from the following laboratory-based courses: (i) Integrated Physics and Chemistry; (ii) Chemistry; (iii) Physics; (iv) Principles of Technology; and (v) a comparable AP or IB chemistry or physics course that does not count toward another credit required for graduation. (B) The additional credit may be selected from one full credit or a combination of two half credits from two different courses, subject to prerequisite requirements, from the following laboratory-based courses: (i) Chemistry; (ii) Physics; (iii) Aquatic Science; (iv) Astronomy; (v) Earth Systems Science; (vi) Environmental Systems; (vii) Specialized Topics in Science; (viii) a comparable AP science course that does not count toward another credit required for graduation; (ix) Advanced Animal Science; (x) Advanced Plant and Soil Science; (xi) Anatomy and Physiology; (xii) Medical Microbiology; (xiii) Pathophysiology; (xiv) Food Science; (xv) Forensic Science; (xvi) Biotechnology I; (xvii) Biotechnology II; (xviii) Principles of Technology; (xix) Scientific Research and Design; (xx) Engineering Design and Problem Solving; (xxi) Engineering Science; (xxii) pursuant to the TEC, §28.025(b-5), after the successful completion of physics, a science course endorsed by an institution of higher education as a course for which the institution would award course credit or as a prerequisite for a course for which the institution would award course credit. The TEA shall maintain a current list of courses offered under this clause; (xxiii) a locally developed science course or other activity, including an apprenticeship or training hours needed to obtain an industry-recognized credential or certificate that is developed pursuant to the TEC, §28.002(g-1); and (xxiv) one credit of a two-credit IB science course selected from Chapter 112 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science). (C) Credit may not be earned for both physics and Principles of Technology to satisfy science credit requirements.

(4) Social studies--three credits. (A) One credit must consist of United States History Studies Since 1877. (B) One-half credit must consist of United States Government. (C) One-half credit must be selected from the following: (i) Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits; or (ii) Personal Financial Literacy/Economics. (D) One credit must be selected from the following: (i) World History Studies; (ii) World Geography Studies; or (iii) a comparable AP or IB world history or world geography course that does not count toward another credit required for graduation.

(5) Languages other than English (LOTE)--two credits. (A) The credits may be selected from the following: (i) any two levels in the same language, including comparable AP or IB language courses that do not count toward another credit required for graduation; or (ii) two credits in computer programming languages, including computer coding, to be selected from Computer Science I, II, and III, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A, IB Computer Science Standard Level, and IB Computer Science Higher Level. (B) A single two-credit IB LOTE course may only satisfy one LOTE requirement. (C) If a student, in completing the first credit of LOTE, demonstrates that the student is unlikely to be able to complete the second credit, the student may substitute another appropriate course as follows: (i) Special Topics in Language and Culture; (ii) World History Studies or World Geography Studies for a student who is not required to complete both by the local district; (iii) another credit selected from Chapter 114 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Languages Other Than English); or (iv) computer programming languages, including computer coding. (D) The determination regarding a student's ability to complete the second credit of LOTE must be agreed to by: (i) the teacher of the first LOTE credit course or another LOTE teacher designated by the school district, the principal or designee, and the student's parent or person standing in parental relation; (ii) the student's admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee if the student receives special education services under the TEC, Chapter 29, Subchapter A; or (iii) the committee established for the student under Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 United States Code, Section 794) if the student does not receive special education services under the TEC, Chapter 29, Subchapter A, but is covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. (E) A student, who due to a disability, is unable to complete two credits in the same language in a language other than English, may substitute a combination of two credits that are not being used to satisfy another specific graduation requirement selected from English language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies or two credits in career and technical education for the LOTE credit requirements. The determination regarding a student's ability to complete the LOTE credit requirements will be made by: (i) the student's ARD committee if the student receives special education services under the TEC, Chapter 29, Subchapter A; or (ii) the committee established for the student under Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 United States Code, Section 794) if the student does not receive special education services under the TEC, Chapter 29, Subchapter A, but is covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. (F) A student who successfully completes a dual language immersion/two-way or dual language immersion/one-way program in accordance with §89.1210(d)(3) and (4) of this title (relating to Program Content and Design), §89.1227 of this title (relating to Minimum Requirements for Dual Language Immersion Program Model), and §89.1228 of this title (relating to Two-Way Dual Language Immersion Program Model Implementation) at an elementary school may satisfy one credit of the two credits required in a language other than English. (i) To successfully complete a dual language immersion program, a student must: (I) have participated in a dual language immersion program for at least five consecutive school years; (II) achieve high levels of academic competence as demonstrated by performance of meets or masters grade level on both the mathematics and reading State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAARÂ®) in English or Spanish, as applicable, in at least one grade level; and Cont'd...