Diploma Requirements & Grading

Graduation for Indiana high school students requires each student to fulfill 3 different “Graduation Pathways” in order to earn an Indiana high school diploma.

(Read about pathways from the Indiana Department of Education).

Bishop Chatard students will be directed to complete these 3 requirements in the following manner:

  1. Earn a high school diploma from Bishop Chatard*. (See course requirements in the tables below).
  2. Learn and demonstrate employability skills by completing and reflecting upon a service based learning experience. A written reflection is required and will be embedded in Theology course curriculum at each grade level.
    Go to the BCHS Service Program for details
  3. Earn one of the postsecondary-ready competencies below:
    • Core 40 with Academic Honors Diploma — OR —
    • C average in 3 AP or Dual Credit classes, at least one of which must be in a core content area. — OR —
    • College and Career Readiness Benchmark score on either the ASVAB, SAT, or ACT
      ACT** SAT ASVAB
      English 18
      Reading 22
      Math 22
      Science 23
      Evidence based Reading & Writing 480
      Math 530
      AFQT 31
      ** Students must meet at least 2 of the 4 ACT score requirements: 18 in English or 22 in Reading AND 22 in Math or 23 in Science

*Students may opt out of the Core 40 requirements and receive a general Indiana diploma, but only with administrative approval.

Graduation Pathways

The State of Indiana requires each candidate to complete each of three pathway requirements to graduate.
(Read about pathways from the Indiana Department of Education)

Bishop Chatard students will be directed to complete these 3 requirements in the following manner:

Pathway Requirements
#1 Earn a high school diploma from Bishop Chatard. (See diploma requirements in the tables below).
#2 Learn and demonstrate employability skills by completing and reflecting upon a service based learning experience. A written reflection is required and will be embedded in Theology course curriculum at each grade level.
Read about the BCHS Service Program
#3 Earn one of the postsecondary-ready competencies below:
  • Core 40 with Academic Honors Diploma — OR —
  • C average in 3 AP or Dual Credit classes, at least one of which must be in a core content area. — OR —
  • College and Career Readiness Benchmark score on either the ASVAB, SAT, or ACT
    ACT
    English 18
    Reading 22
    Math 22
    Science 23
    ** Students must meet at least 2 of the 4 ACT score requirements: 18 in English or 22 in Reading AND 22 in Math or 23 in Science
    SAT
    Evidence based Reading & Writing 480
    Math 530
    ASVAB
    AFQT 31

Diploma Requirements

Area CORE 40 DIPLOMA
Theology 8 credits or 2 for each school year in attendance at BCHS
English 8 credits: English, Literature, and Composition
Mathematics 6-8 credits: Algebra I*, Algebra II, and Geometry. (Students must take a math course each year)
Science 6 credits: 2 Biology; 2 Chemistry, Physics or Integrated Chemistry-Physics; and 2 add’l credits from any Core 40 science course
Social Studies 6 credits: 2 World History or 2 World Geography/History of the World; 2 U.S. History; 2 Government/Economics
Directed Electives:
World Language,
Fine Arts
5 credits total in any combination of World Language*, Fine Arts and/or Career & Technical Education
Health 1 credit
Physical Education 2 credits
Electives Additional courses to bring the total number of credits to 48
Total Credits 48 minimum
*Courses a student tests out of (e.g. Algebra I, Spanish I) are not awarded high school credit, so are not counted in the total required.
– Students may opt out of the Core 40 requirements and receive a general Indiana diploma, but only with administrative approval.

Area CORE 40 with ACADEMIC HONORS DIPLOMA
Theology 8 credits or 2 for each school year in attendance at BCHS
English 8 credits: English, Literature, and Composition
Mathematics 8-10 credits: Algebra I*, Algebra II, Geometry. (Students must take a math course each year)
Science 6 credits: 2 Biology; 2 Chemistry, Physics or Integrated Chemistry-Physics; and 2 add’l credits from any Core 40 science course
Social Studies 6 credits: 2 World History or 2 World Geography/History of the World; 2 U.S. History; 2 Government/Economics
Directed Electives: World Language,
Fine Arts
8 credits total: World Language: 6-8 credits in one language or 4 credits each in two different languages*, Fine Arts 2 credits
Health 1 credit
Physical Education 2 credits
Electives Additional courses to bring the total number of credits to 55
Total Credits 55 credits minimum
Additional Requirements
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Semester grades of C- or above.
  • Students must complete ONE of the following:
    • Earn 4 credits in 2 or more AP courses and take the corresponding AP exams
    • Earn 6 verifiable transcripted college credits in dual credit courses
    • Earn a minimum of 3 verifiable transcripted college credits and 2 credits in AP courses and corresponding AP exams
    • Earn a composite score of 1250 or higher on the SAT with a minimum of 560 in math & 590 in evidence based reading and writing
    • Earn an ACT composite score of 26 or higher and complete the writing section
*Courses a student tests out of (e.g. Algebra I, Spanish I) are not awarded high school credit, so are not counted in the total required.
Honors courses are weighted courses, which mean that a grade achieved in an honors course has a higher grade point attached to it than that of a regular course. This “weighting” recognizes that much more is expected from the student. The weighted average is then used in the calculation of the GPA. Students are selected for admission to honors courses on the basis of aptitude, motivation, teacher recommendations and prior evidence of academic achievement.

Advanced Placement (AP) and ACP core dual credit courses also receive a weighted grade.
Students enrolled in an AP course are required to take the AP exam in the spring. Only seniors enrolled in four or more AP classes are allowed to opt out of an AP exam. Seniors who opt out still must take at least three of the exams. Any student who does not make arrangements in advance to opt out of an AP exam will be charged the cost of the exam. AP exam scores range from 1 through 5, and students who receive a 3 or higher may receive college credit.

Dual credit courses are based on the curriculum of the university awarding college credit and taught by BCHS teachers. Students who successfully complete a dual credit course will receive high school credit as well as college credit. Students are beginning a college transcript with dual credit courses.

Final exams are conducted at the end of each semester and are designed to test a student’s comprehensive and cumulative knowledge in a particular course. The exam counts for 20% of the student’s final semester grade.

First semester grades are calculated using the following formula: quarter 1 grade (40%) + quarter 2 grade (40%) + semester exam/project (20%) = semester 1 grade. Second semester grades are calculated using the following formula: quarter 3 grade (40%) + quarter 4 grade (40%) + semester exam/project (20%) = semester 2 grade.
View the Student Handbook for details

Grading and Honor Roll

Grades can be found in PowerSchool. A progress report is posted in the parental portal midpoint in each quarter. ‘Report Cards’ are posted quarterly in PowerSchool. An email reminder will be sent to each family at midterm and at the end of each quarter.

Grading Scale and GPA Calculation

The Grade Point Average (GPA) is a cumulative average of the previous semesters. All courses taken at Bishop Chatard, except driver’s education, are included in the GPA. All credits earned in summer school for credit recovery are also included in the student GPA. Students who transfer from other schools are given grade points on the basis of how those courses transfer into the Bishop Chatard grading scale and attempted credits.

  • Daily GPA can be found in PowerSchool
  • Quarter GPA determines athletic/extra-curricular eligibility and Honor Roll
  • Semester GPA is 40% Q1(3) + 40% Q2(4) + 20% Final S1(S2) = S1(S2) GPA
  • Cumulative GPA is the average of all semester grades throughout high school
Letter Grade Percent Grade Point Honors Point AP/Dual Credit Point
A 94-100 4.00 4.50 5.00
A- 93 3.67 4.17 4.67
B+ 91-92 3.33 3.83 4.33
B 86-90 3.00 3.50 4.00
B- 85 2.67 3.17 3.67
C+ 83-84 2.33 2.83 3.33
C 76-82 2.00 2.50 3.00
C- 75 1.67 2.17 2.67
D+ 73-74 1.33 1.83 2.33
D 71-72 1.00 1.50 2.00
D- 70 .67 1.17 1.67
F Below 70 0.00 0.00 0.00

Weighted Courses

Students who take rigorous courses have an additional weight value added to them. Honors courses receive an additional .5 point, and AP (Advanced Placement) and dual credit courses receive 1 full point. Report cards reflect the actual grade earned in the course. Grade point average (GPA) reflects the weighted value.

Honor Roll Requirements

Grade points are the basis for computation of the honor roll.

The quarter honor roll is computed on the basis of the course work for that nine-week grading period only. For a student to be eligible for the honor roll, he or she may not have received any grade lower than a C.
The honor roll is published each quarter and is computed in the following manner:

  • Principal’s Honor Roll: GPA 4.00 – 4.00+ (All A’s)
  • First Honors: GPA 3.50 – 4.00+ (All A’s and B’s)
  • Second Honors: GPA 3.00 – 4.00+ (All A’s, B’s and C’s)

**All courses, with the exception of driver’s education, are included in the calculation of the honor roll.