Important Resources & Information
- High School Course Selection Guide Introduction
- High School Course Rigor Levels
- Technical Career and College Opportunities
- High School Elective GPA Inclusion Form
- AP Capstone
- HS Concurrent Enrollment
- Request for High School Elective Course GPA Inclusion
- WC Cyber Program
High School Course Selection Guide Introduction
Making Next Year’s Course Selections
Each year between January and May, West Chester Area School District students select their courses for the following school year. This procedure involves teacher recommendations, parental suggestions, counselor advice, and, finally, student choice. The final decision is extremely important because the West Chester Area School District’s staffing of teachers is dependent upon these choices. Furthermore, in order to build an accurate master schedule, the following procedures will be in effect.
- All course changes must be made by February 27.
- All required courses must be scheduled before graduation.
- Requests for particular periods and/or teachers will not be considered to ensure an equitable master schedule
Scheduling of Courses:
Students in grades nine and ten must schedule a minimum of 6 credits including Health and Physical Education. Students in grade eleven must schedule at least 6.4 credits including Physical Education. All seniors must schedule at least 5.4 credits including Physical Education.
Graduation Requirements
A total of 23.8 credits and a completed graduation project are required for graduation.
English: 4 credits
Social Studies: 4 credits
Mathematics: 3 credits
Science: 3 credits
Arts/Humanities: 2 credits
Electives: 4.5/5 credits
Health/Physical Ed: 2.8 credits
Personal Finance: 0.5 credits
Beginning with the class of 2023, Chapter 4 Rules and Regulations for the state of Pennsylvania require that students must demonstrate proficiency on the Algebra 1, Biology, and Literature Keystone Exams in order to graduate. Keystone Exams help assess student proficiency of the Pennsylvania Core Standards - standards aligned with expectations for success in college and the workplace. Students will be offered multiple opportunities to take the Keystone Exams throughout their high school careers. Visit our Assessment webpage for more information.
Additionally, Act 158 and Act 6, established alternative pathways to meeting statewide graduation requirements, and as per Act 35 of 2023, students must successfully complete a personal finance course as part of their graduation requirements. This requirement impacts the class of 2029 and beyond. Personal finance offerings can be found among the Business Ed courses, where there are options for full-year, half-year, and cyber courses.
Sequence Of Courses
In recommending a sequence of courses, it’s difficult to arrive at a recommendation which will best serve the needs of all students. Variations to the sequence of courses suggested below can be arranged through consultation with your teacher and counselor. These suggested guidelines refer only to the minimum requirements for graduation. Your counselor has more detailed information regarding recommended courses for college-bound students, business students, etc.
| 9th grade - 6.0 cr. | 10th grade - 6.0 cr. | 11th grade - 6.4 cr. | 12th grade - 5.4 cr. |
| English | English | English | English |
| Social Science | Social Science | Social Science | Social Science |
| Math | Math | Math | Elective |
| Science | Science | Science | Elective |
| Arts & Humanities | Arts & Humanities | Elective | Elective |
| Health Fitness 9 | Health 10/Physical Ed. | Elective | Physical Ed. |
| Elective (Optional) | Elective (Optional) | Physical Ed. |
The Arts & Humanities requirements may be satisfied by English and Social Science electives and/or by courses in World Language, Art, Music, Family Consumer Science, and Technology Education. At times, some courses may be offered through distance learning due to low enrollment.
Additionally, Act 158 and Act 6, established alternative pathways to meeting statewide graduation requirements, and as per Act 35 of 2023, students must successfully complete a personal finance course as part of their graduation requirements. This requirement impacts the class of 2029 and beyond.
Moving From One Level to Another From Year to Year:
If a student performs at a consistently high standard within a basic, Career & College Prep or honors level, the student should consider moving to a more demanding level in the succeeding school year. Students who find that a higher-level course is too challenging should consider dropping a level within that content area for the succeeding year.
Changes After the School Year Begins:
Students who wish to change a course and/or level within a content area must follow the guidelines provided by the Administration. Students may consider a level change (e.g. Honors to Accelerated Honors, Honors to Career & College Prep), after September 11.
- Once the school year begins, students may add electives if seats are available in the place of study halls, lunches, and otherwise unscheduled periods.
- Once the school year begins, student schedules will not be adjusted to accommodate course change requests, including requests to add electives, except as described above.
- Requests for particular periods and/or teachers will not be considered to ensure an equitable master schedule.
All level changes for full-year courses must be completed no later than three weeks after the end of the first semester. All level changes for semester courses must be completed no later than three weeks before the end of the first marking period.
Course Withdrawal Policy
A student may withdraw from a class up to the following time period and receive NO grade:
- Full year course: 2 weeks prior to the end of the second marking period
- 1st semester course: 2 weeks prior to the end of the first marking period
- 2nd semester course: 2 weeks prior to the end of the third marking period
Withdrawal from a course beyond the time specified above:
- Student is failing: WF grade is recorded and included in the GPA
- Student is passing: WP grade is recorded but not included in the GPA
Promotion Requirements (Minimum)
Grade 10: A student who has completed at least 5 credits in Grade 9.
Grade 11: A student who has completed at least 11 credits in Grades 9 and 10.
Grade 12: A student who has completed at least 17 credits in Grades 9, 10, and 11.
Counseling Telephone Numbers:
East: 484-266-3811
Henderson: 484-266-3408
Rustin: 484-266-4318
High School Course Rigor Levels
Career & College Prep:Career & College Prep level courses develop students’ essential skills and acquisition of content knowledge within the subject area. This level emphasizes the development of increased rigor through classroom interactions and progressing demands for independent work in preparation for college and career readiness.
Honors: Honors courses follow a rigorous curriculum prescribed by each department and develop higher-order thinking skills using a challenging pace and enriched content. Both in-class instruction and outside assignments focus on self-directed learning through activities and assessments that emphasize written and oral communication.
Accelerated Honors: Accelerated Honors courses prepare students for Advanced Placement studies. Courses at this level are designed to provide students with access to the most rigorous curriculum that extends well beyond grade level standards. These courses promote both collaborative and self-directed learning through activities and assessments that emphasize written and oral communication.
Advanced Placement: Advanced Placement, or AP, refers to college-level courses taught according to the syllabi approved by the College Board Advanced Placement Program and/or to courses designed to prepare students for College Board AP tests. Successful performance on AP tests may lead to college credit and/or advanced placement in college courses. While course descriptions provide information about the course content on which the AP exam will be based, WCASD teachers have the flexibility to determine how the content is presented.
Technical Career and College Opportunities
Chester County Technical College High School - Brandywine Campus
The Chester County Technical College High School Brandywine Campus is a public high school specializing in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and is available for students in grades 9 through 12. CTE programs prepare students for success in college, the workplace, and life. All CTE programs at the Brandywine Campus are designated as High Priority Occupations (HPO) by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and are aligned with the Pennsylvania State Academic Standards and national industry certifications.
There's a reason we're called Technical College High School - students can earn college credit in high school with college partnerships at TCHS. Click here to see how TCHS is your link to the college experience.
CTE programs at the Brandywine Campus lead seamlessly to postsecondary education through the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s (PDE) SOAR Programs of Study. The mission of SOAR is to prepare students (who are) Occupationally and Academically Ready for college and careers in an increasingly diverse, high-performing workforce. Graduates of approved SOAR programs who meet challenging academic and technical criteria qualify for several FREE technical credits at over twenty-five participating colleges across Pennsylvania. These include the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Delaware County Community College, Clarion University, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, and Harcum College. Visit the PA Department of Education's website for more information about SOAR and the complete list of participating colleges and postsecondary programs.
Octorara Area Career & Technical Education
The Octorara Homeland Security & Protective Services Program is a three-year PA Department of Education-approved Career Program of Study. The course prepares cadets for careers in law enforcement, corrections, pre-hospital emergency medical care, emergency management, military services, and firefighting. The program requires cadets to wear uniforms and focuses on discipline and teamwork in a paramilitary environment. The course is taught on-site at the new Chester County Public Safety Training Campus located in Coatesville, PA. This is a challenging endeavor, but cadets can earn State and National job-related certifications, which are required for entry-level positions directly upon graduation. The intent is to train qualified, competent, and professional emergency first responders. Students are exposed to mentors and representatives in a variety of careers related to these fields almost daily. It is strongly recommended that Cadets join and participate at their local volunteer fire company to enhance learning and hone skills for testing.
High School Elective GPA Inclusion Form
Students and their parent/guardian must and return to the student’s counselor the neutrally weighted courses form to receive academic quality points.
Para recibir puntos de calidad académica para los cursos de ponderación neutral, este formulario deberá ser llenado y firmado por los padres o tutores y devuelto al consejero del estudiante.
AP Capstone
AP Capstone™ is a College Board program that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges. It cultivates curious, independent, and collaborative scholars and prepares them to make evidence-based decisions. Students who enroll in this program must commit to the two years and will earn 2 high school credits, weighted at the AP level.
Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing receive the AP Capstone Diploma™. This signifies their outstanding academic achievement and attainment of college-level academic and research skills.
Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in both AP Seminar and AP Research but not on four additional AP Exams receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™.
View Frequently Asked Questions. The student presentation can be viewed here.
HS Concurrent Enrollment
The West Chester Area School District Concurrent Enrollment (previously Dual Enrollment) program offers juniors and seniors the opportunity to concurrently enroll in a college-level course that would be considered a high school elective credit. Students participating in concurrent enrollment coursework would receive High school advanced placement credit, as well as college credit.
WCASD high schools will offer 2 courses in Geosciences that will be held at students' home school during the regular school day. These concurrent enrollment courses will be taught on-site by WCASD teaching staff in cooperation with West Chester University. Students successfully completing this full-year college-level course will receive six college credits from West Chester University and 2 credits from WCASD.
Full-School Year
Advanced Geoscience: Astronomy and Geology
Advanced Geoscience: Oceanography and Meteorology
The partnering concurrent enrollment college establishes admittance and other criteria for participation. Students will be responsible for tuition, fees, and course materials. Administrative approval will ensure that concurrent enrollment courses are commensurate with the rigor of advanced placement requirements and do not significantly overlap with the content of a WCASD course. More information and concurrent enrollment pre-approval forms are available from the school counseling department.
West Chester University Concurrent Enrollment Partnership
For the school year, the West Chester Area School District and West Chester University have partnered again to offer a menu of pre-approved concurrent enrollment courses for juniors and seniors. For student convenience, these classes will be located at the West Chester University Graduate Center and be scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:05 pm -1:55 pm. Students will be scheduled to depart from their high school at the conclusion of the 6th period and travel by way of their own transportation to the Graduate Center located off of Greenhill Road. Tuition will be determined in the spring. Students successfully completing a semester college-level course will receive three college credits from West Chester University and 1 credit from WCASD. West Chester University Dual Enrollment Courses offered:
Spring Semester (2026)
Nutrition and Culture
University of Pittsburgh, College in High School
Through a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, WCASD high school students may earn both high school and college credit concurrently for select approved courses. WCASD teachers teach these courses during the regular school day and are tightly aligned with our curriculum in that the collegiate-level coursework mirrors the WCASD coursework. The College in the High School (CHS) offerings represent an opportunity for significant financial savings for our families. Information regarding the CHS program is below. However, guidance counselors will be able to provide specifics.
For the 2025-2026 school year, the proposed college in the high school courses are:
AP Art History
AP Calculus BC
AP Computer Science A
AP United States Government and Politics
Honors Broadcast Journalism & Social Media Production
Honors Italian 3
Honors Latin 3
How to Register for Courses Taught at the WCU Graduate Center
How to Register for Courses Taught at all WCASD High Schools
Concurrent Enrollment Approval Protocol
Six weeks prior to the registration deadline for the desired course, the student must:
1. Initiate a consultation with his/her guidance counselor. The student must bring the course description from the institution’s course catalogue with him/her to the consultation. The counselor will review the request against the student’s course of study and his/her progress toward completion of graduation requirements and determine whether or not the course is already offered by the district. The counselor will then forward the request for dual enrollment to the student’s grade level administrator and the course content area supervisor.
2. The team then analyzes the request by examining the following criteria: the quality and educational relevance of the college course requested, educational appropriateness to the student’s course of study, and compatibility with the student’s progress toward graduation and ensure the course is not already offered by the district.
3. If the request meets the benchmarks of the above criteria, the student will provide documentation to the team to verify the accreditation of the college or university where the desired course is offered. The documentation will include but is not limited to a syllabus, course requirements, text, and other resources related to the course.
4. Based on the above steps and documentation, the team will approve or disapprove the student’s request for the desired course before the registration deadline for the course.
5. If the request is approved, the following individuals will sign a Dual Enrollment Form—see attached.
6. The decision of the team is final. There is no appeal.
In addition:
- A 3-credit college course translates into a 1-credit high school course.
- The district will not provide transportation.
- The district will not fund any costs associated with the approved course such as but not limited to tuition, fees, books and materials.
- The student is fully responsible for his/her academic success in the course and understands the district will not provide progress reports.
- There is no guarantee the college credits will transfer to the student’s college of choice
- All online tests must be taken at the home school and arranged through students’ guidance counselor.
Click here to download the Concurrent Enrollment Approval Form
Request for High School Elective Course GPA Inclusion
Elective courses that are weighted at the Career & College Prep level will be neutrally weighted. However, students may choose to include Career & College Prep level weighting for these specific elective courses in the calculation of their grade point average (GPA). Neutrally weighted elective courses can be found in the following subject areas:
- Career & College Prep level Art and Music courses
- Career & College Prep level Family & Consumer Science, Video Production, and Tech Ed. courses
- Career & College Prep level Business and Marketing courses academic level English, Science, and Social Studies elective courses
- Career & College Prep level 1 and 2 World Language courses
Notes to emphasize during course selection on "Request for Elective GPA Inclusion"
- All grades in courses (Neutrally Weighted or GPA Included) will be used to determine eligibility for honor roll, athletics and club participation.
- The term "Neutrally Weighted" will appear beneath the course title of all eligible courses.
- Credits and grades earned in neutrally weighted courses will appear on transcripts and be counted towards fulfilling any WCASD High School arts and humanities and/or elective graduation requirements.
Academic Quality Points Per Grade:
| Grade | Quality Points |
| A+ = 97-100 | 4.3 |
| A =93-96 | 4.0 |
| A- =90-92 | 3.7 |
| B+ =87-89 | 3.3 |
| B =83-86 | 3.0 |
| B- =80-82 | 2.7 |
| C+ =77-79 | 2.3 |
| C =73-76 | 2.0 |
| C- =70-72 | 1.7 |
WC Cyber Program
Cyber Courses for Grades 9 - 12
West Chester Area School District offers an innovative educational pathway designed to meet the evolving needs of our high school students. As part of our commitment to offering a diverse array of learning opportunities, we offer this program for grades 9 through 12.
Our Cyber Program's courses are driven by student interest and demand. This means we determine which classes run each year based on the enrollment numbers we gather through our rigorous course selection process. We understand each student is unique in their learning journey and goals, and our aim is to provide individualized pathways that cater to these distinctive needs.
However, it's important to note that our offerings may vary from year to year due to fluctuations in enrollment. While we strive to offer as wide a variety of courses as possible, we can only run classes with sufficient enrollment. As such, the courses available in the Cyber Program are subject to change each academic year.
This approach allows us to ensure that we're meeting the most pressing needs and interests of our students, while also maintaining the high educational standards that our district is known for and inspiring students to achieve their personal best.
We encourage students and families to carefully consider their course choices each year, as your selections play a vital role in shaping our Cyber Program. Thank you for your understanding and collaboration in creating a dynamic, responsive, and enriching cyber learning environment for all our students.For any questions or further information, please reach out to the supervisor of the cyber program:
Ms. Kara Bailey
kbailey@wcasd.net
484-266-1023
High School Course Descriptions
- HS Advanced Placement Capstone
- HS Advanced Placement Courses
- Collegiate Opportunities: Concurrent Enrollment & Advanced Placement Courses
- HS Art
- HS Business, Marketing & Information Technology
- HS Computer Science
- HS ELL
- HS English & English Electives
- HS Family & Consumer Sciences
- HS Health & Physical Education
- HS Mathematics
- HS Music
- HS Science
- HS Social Studies
- HS Technology Education
- HS World Language
- HS Career Compass *NEW PROGRAM*
HS Advanced Placement Capstone
Year 1: AP Seminar (10, 11) 1 credit
AP Seminar is a year-long course that has students investigate real-world issues from multiple perspectives. Students learn to synthesize information from different sources, develop their own lines of reasoning in research-based written essays, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations, both individually and as part of a team. Students will be assessed on a group presentation, individual paper, and written exam.
Year 2: AP Research (11, 12) 1 credit
AP Research allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, or issue of individual interest. Through this exploration, students design, plan, and conduct a year-long research-based investigation to address a research question. The course culminates in an academic paper of 4000-5000 words (accompanied by a performance or exhibition of product where applicable) and a presentation with an oral defense. Students will be assigned a lead advisor for their Research year, but will also have the ability to seek out experts in the specific field of their research to serve on their 3-person advisory panel.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of AP Seminar
HS Advanced Placement Courses
The bolded courses are the approved CHS courses.
Art:
- Art & Design
- Art History
Business
- Business with Personal Finance
Computer Science
- Computer Science A
- Computer Science Principles
- Cybersecurity
- Networking Fundamentals
English:
- Language & Composition
- Literature & Composition
Mathematics:
- Calculus AB
- Calculus BC
- Statistics
Music
- Music Theory
Science:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Physics 1
- Physics 2
Social Studies:
- European History
- Human Geography
- Economics
- Psychology
- US Government & Politics
- US History
World Languages:
- French Language & Culture
- German Language & Culture
- Italian Language & Culture
- Latin Language & Culture
- Spanish Language & Culture
Collegiate Opportunities: Concurrent Enrollment & Advanced Placement Courses
West Chester University Opportunities
Fall and Spring semester classes are located at the West Chester University Graduate Center and are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:05 pm -1:55 pm. Students will be scheduled to depart from their high school at the conclusion of 6th period and travel by way of their own transportation to the Graduate Center located off of Greenhill Road. Students successfully completing a semester college-level course will receive three college credits from West Chester University and 1 credit from WCASD.
Fall Semester Courses
No Courses Available
Spring Semester Courses
Nutrition and Culture (11, 12)
Our physical and mental wellbeing are greatly impacted by diet and food choices, which are also directly affected by internal and external cultural influences. Culture-specific foods are associated with family traditions and celebrations (and feelings of comfort and pleasure). This course will examine the relationship between nutrition and multicultural practices and will discuss the origins of traditional food preparation, contemporary consumption habits, and disease incidence among the majority and minority populations within the United States.
Full-School Year Courses
These dual enrollment courses will be taught on site by WCASD teaching staff in cooperation with West Chester University. Students successfully completing this full-year college level course will receive six college credits from West Chester University and 2 credits from WCASD.
Advanced Geoscience: Oceanography and Meteorology (11, 12)
During the first semester, students will explore the physical and biological processes in the oceans. In the second semester, students will investigate the fundamental processes that determine the weather and climate on Earth.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology and Chemistry.
Advanced Geoscience: Astronomy and Geology (11, 12)
During the first semester, the students will examine the formation and composition of the universe. In the second semester, students will study the Earth’s history, composition, and processes.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology and Chemistry.
University of Pittsburgh College in the High School (CHS)
University of Pittsburgh College in the High School (CHS)
Through a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, WCASD high school students may earn both high school and college credit concurrently for select approved courses.
For the 2024-2025 school year, the proposed college in the high school courses are: AP Art History, AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science A, AP United States Government and Politics, and Honors Broadcast Journalism & Social Media Production, Honors Italian 3, and Honors Latin 3.
These courses are taught by West Chester Area School District teachers during the regular school day and are tightly aligned with our curriculum in that the collegiate-level coursework mirrors the WCASD coursework. The College in the High School (CHS) offerings represent an opportunity for significant financial savings for our families. Information regarding the CHS program is below, however, guidance counselors will be able to provide specifics.
- The University of Pittsburgh currently offers these courses at a cost of $75 per credit ($225 for the course) however this may be subject to change for the 2024-25 school year. Most University of Pittsburgh courses are 4 credits ($300) and shows as a 1 credit core course WCASD.
- Students participating in the federal free and reduced lunch program, and those families experiencing financial hardship, are eligible to apply for a reduced course fee.
- WCASD and/or its employees do not charge any additional fees for this service nor do they receive any financial benefit from the University.
- WCASD High School teachers participating in the program have been accepted/approved by the University of Pittsburgh as CHS adjunct professors.
- Students will be awarded 3.0 or 4.0 credits on a University of Pittsburgh transcript and 1.0 credit on their WCASD transcript upon successful completion of a full-year course. Students will be awarded 1.0 credit on a University of Pittsburgh transcript and 0.5 credit on their WCASD transcript upon successful completion of a half-year course.
- College in the High School core courses are weighted as a 1.2 on the WCASD transcript when determining class rank and QPA.
- Credits earned via this program are transferable to many colleges or universities that normally accept such credits. The university transcript does not include any notation that the course was completed via the CHS program.
- Student applications must be completed in order to take part in the CHS program with the University of Pittsburgh; there is no fee for the application. This deadline for applications is in the fall of the school year and will be publicized.
- CHS students may be required to complete assignments that are specific to the CHS program and may be different from non-CHS course assignments.
- CHS students may be graded on two different grading requirements while completing the CHS course as a result of different requirements for each institution.
- Students taking an AP course for CHS credit may choose to take or not take the AP exam.
- Students are encouraged to check with their prospective college/university if the credits will transfer.
- Students may enroll in any AP or CHS course without being required to take the course for college credit.
HS Art
HS Business, Marketing & Information Technology
HS Computer Science
HS ELL
HS English & English Electives
If students opt to take a World Language, the course will replace reading instruction. Students who took a World Language in 7th grade have the option to enroll in Level 2 of the same language or Level 1 of a different language.