(1) Beginning with the graduating class of 2020, each student must meet the requirements of at least one of the eight graduation pathway options in this section. Each of the graduation pathway options are equally valid for earning a Washington state high school diploma.

(2) School districts are encouraged to make the eight graduation pathways specified below available to their students and to expand their pathway options until this goal is met, yet have discretion in determining which graduation pathway options they will offer.

(3) The graduation pathway option(s) used by a student must be in alignment with the student's high school and beyond plan.

(4) All assessment scores used for graduation pathways in subsection (5)(a) through (f) of this section will be posted on the state board of education website. Assessment scores that the state board of education is responsible for setting, will only be changed through a public process culminating in official board action in a public board meeting.

(5) The following are the eight graduation pathway options:

(a) Statewide high school assessments. Meet or exceed the graduation standard established by the state board of education under RCW 28A.305.130 on the statewide high school assessments in English language arts and mathematics as provided for under RCW 28A.655.070.

(b) Dual credit courses. Earn at least one high school credit in English language arts and at least one high school credit in mathematics in dual credit courses. For the purposes of this subsection, "dual credit course" means a course in which a student is eligible for both high school credit and college credit at the level of 100 or higher, upon successfully completing the course, by meeting the dual credit course or program criteria established by the local district and the applicable higher education entity. Dual credit courses include running start, college in the high school courses, and career and technical education dual credit courses. Nothing in this subsection requires a student to pay fees or claim college credit to meet this pathway.

(c) Transition courses. Earn high school credit in a high school transition course in English language arts and mathematics, an example of which includes a bridge to college course. For the purposes of this subsection, "high school transition course" means an English language arts or mathematics course offered in high school that, based on the final grade, allows the student to place directly into a credit-bearing college level course at participating institutions of higher education in RCW 28B.10.016, in accordance with established policy and criteria of the local school district and the applicable higher education entity. This definition includes transition courses identified through local agreements between colleges and school districts. English language arts and math high school transition courses must satisfy a student's core or elective credit graduation requirements established by the state board of education in WAC 180-51-210.

(d) Advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or Cambridge international. Meet either (d)(i) or (ii) of this subsection:

(i) Earn high school credit, with a grade of C+ or higher in each term, in the following advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or Cambridge international courses in English language arts and mathematics.

(A) For English language arts, successfully complete one high school credit in any of the following courses with a grade of C+ or higher in each term: Advanced placement English language and composition, advanced placement English literature and composition, macroeconomics, microeconomics, psychology, United States history, world history, United States government and politics, or comparative government and politics; any of the international baccalaureate individuals and societies courses or English language and literature courses; or earn an E any of the following Cambridge advanced or Cambridge advanced subsidiary courses: English language, literature and English, English general paper, psychology, history, sociology, global perspectives and research, or law.

(B) For mathematics, successfully complete one high school credit in any of the following courses with a grade of C+ or higher: Advanced placement statistics, computer science A, computer science principles, or calculus; any of the international baccalaureate mathematics courses; or a Cambridge advanced or advanced subsidiary mathematics or further mathematics course.

(ii) Score a three or higher on advanced placement exams in one of the English language arts and one of the mathematics courses identified above; score a four or higher on international baccalaureate exams in one of the English language arts and one of the mathematics courses identified above; or score an E or higher on Cambridge international exams in one of the English language arts and one of the mathematics courses identified above.

(e) SAT or ACT. Meet or exceed the scores established by the state board of education for the mathematics portion and the reading, English, or writing portion of the SAT or ACT.

(f) Combination. Meet any combination of at least one English language arts option and at least one mathematics option established in pathway options (a) through (e) of this subsection.

(g) Armed services vocational aptitude battery.

(i) Meet standard on the armed forces qualification test portion of the armed services vocational aptitude battery by scoring at least the minimum established by the military for eligibility to serve in a branch of the armed services at the time that the student takes the assessment. The state board of education will post eligibility scores at least annually by September 1st. Each student may choose to meet either the posted minimum score the year a student takes the armed services vocational aptitude battery or the score posted by the state board of education on a later date prior to the student turning twenty-one years of age.

(ii) The school must inform the students taking the armed services vocational aptitude battery about the minimum eligibility score required by each branch of the military as well as information about eligibility requirements for specific military occupations. Schools are encouraged to schedule an armed services vocational aptitude battery career exploration program interpretation seminar after the test so students can participate in high school and beyond planning and learn about available military and nonmilitary occupations for which they have an aptitude. The state board of education will maintain a web page with information about military occupation requirements and minimum eligibility scores required by each branch of the military.

(iii) Schools that offer the armed services vocational aptitude battery must inform students regarding the ways in which their scores and personal information might be shared, per the agreement between the school and the United States Department of Defense which administers the armed services vocational aptitude battery. Each student must be given prior written notice of the option to decide whether the school can release the student's armed services vocational aptitude battery scores to military recruiters for contact. A school administrator, teacher, or counselor must also explain and offer this option to the students on the day of the test.

(iv) This pathway does not require students to meet the physical or other requirements for military enlistment, require enlistment, or require students to release their scores to the military for purposes of recruitment.

(v) Satisfying this pathway does not require students to meet the separate English and mathematics graduation pathway requirements of pathway options (a) through (f) of this subsection.

(h) Career and technical education course sequence. Complete the curriculum requirements of a core plus program relevant to the student's postsecondary goals outlined in the student's high school and beyond plan as defined in WAC 180-51-220 in aerospace, maritime, health care, information technology, or construction and manufacturing; or complete a sequence of at least two high school credits in career and technical education courses that meet the following criteria:

(i) The sequence is comprised of courses that are technically intensive and rigorous in a progression relevant to the student's postsecondary goals outlined in the student's high school and beyond plan as defined in WAC 180-51-220. Courses to satisfy this pathway must be comprised of either:

(A) Courses within the same career and technical program area; or

(B) A local sequence of courses within more than one career and technical program area if approved by a district's local school board, local board's designee, or the district's local vocational (career and technical education) advisory committee established under RCW 28A.150.500 and submitted to the office of the superintendent of public instruction for an expedited approval. A sequence submitted to the office of superintendent of public instruction for expedited approval will be deemed approved if a decision is not provided to the district within forty-five calendar days of submittal. If a sequence is denied approval, the office of superintendent of public instruction must provide the district with a written notification including the reason for denial. Once a local sequence has been approved by the office of superintendent of public instruction it may be implemented in other districts with notification of implementation to the office of superintendent of public instruction.

(ii) Each sequence of career and technical education courses must be comprised of courses that meet the minimum criteria identified in RCW 28A.700.030. Specifically, the courses must:

(A) Either:

(I) Lead to a certificate or credential that is state or nationally recognized by trades, industries, or other professional associations as necessary for employment or advancement in that field; or

(II) Allow students to earn dual credit for high school and college through tech prep (career technical education dual credit), advanced placement, or other agreements or programs.

(B) Be comprised of a sequenced progression of multiple courses that are technically intensive and rigorous; and

(C) Lead to workforce entry, state or nationally approved apprenticeships, or postsecondary education in a related field.

(iii) Satisfying the career technical education pathway does not require a student to take a course that is part of a career and technical education preparatory program that is approved under RCW 28A.700.030 nor does satisfying this pathway require students to meet the separate English and mathematics graduation pathway requirements of pathway options (a) through (f) of this subsection.

(iv) A course that is used to meet graduation pathway requirements may also be used to meet credit subject area requirements, including career and technical education course equivalencies per RCW 28A.700.070.