Academics

Graduation Requirements

• Four credits of English taken each academic year 
• Four credits of Math 
• Three credits of Science 
• Four credits of Social Studies 
• While there is no foreign language requirement, a minimum of two credits is required for admission to a university in the UNC system. 
• One Health and Physical Education credit 
• Six elective credits, including two from Career and Technical Education (CTE), Arts Education, or World Languages, and four from CTE, JROTC, Arts Education, or any other subject area. 
  • For students entering 9th grade in 2026-2027, one credit of Computer Science instruction is required.
• Other requirements: Students are required to successfully complete CPR instruction to meet Healthful Living Essential Standards as a requirement for high school graduation.
• 28 credits recommended (22 state requirements)

Course of Study and Credit Requirements

• End-of-Course (EOC) Test Requirements
  • Students must complete the state-required End-of-Course (EOC) tests in NC Math 1, NC Math 3, Biology, and English II.
  • Middle school students enrolled in courses such as NC Math 1 that require an end-of-course test must complete the state-required End-of-Course (EOC) test.

Credit Recovery vs. Grade Suppression
When a student fails a class, they have two options to improve their record: Credit Recovery or Grade Suppression. Grade Suppression can also be used if a student earns a low grade that hurts their Grade Point Average (GPA).

Credit Recovery:  Credit Recovery is a focused instructional program designed to help students make up specific learning gaps from a course they did not previously pass. Rather than repeating the entire course, students receive targeted instruction on the key skills and content they need to demonstrate mastery and earn credit.

The length of a Credit Recovery course is not fixed and depends on the individual skills and knowledge each student needs to recover.

How the Credit Recovery grade is calculated:

• 50% of the final grade comes from the student’s original course grade
• 50% comes from the Credit Recovery grade (such as work completed in Edgenuity, when applicable)

If a student successfully completes Credit Recovery, a new numeric grade between 60–69 will be assigned. All Credit Recovery grades must be approved by the school principal.

Grade Suppression: Students who fail a course may repeat the course for credit and take advantage of grade suppression.  Unlike Credit Recovery, this option will replace the previous failing grade and will impact the student's GPA.   Students who have already earned the credit but received a less-than-desirable grade may also repeat the entire course and take advantage of grade suppression, however, this option may only be used for up to four courses per student.  When the course is successfully completed, the new grade shall replace the previous grade and will impact the student's GPA.

Gaston County high school seniors are eligible for graduation honors based on their weighted Grade Point Average (GPA). The student with the highest weighted GPA is named valedictorian while the student with the second-highest weighted GPA is named salutatorian. Students must complete a minimum of 32 credits to qualify for valedictorian and salutatorian honors. In the event of an exact numerical tie (calculated to three decimal places), co-valedictorians and/or co-salutatorians are chosen. Students who achieve a weighted GPA at the following levels are designated as honor graduates:

• Summa cum laude - 4.3+
• Magna cum laude - 4.0 - 4.299
• Cum laude - 3.7 - 3.99

Grades
Gaston County high schools grade on a percentage basis as follows:
A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
D = 60-69
F = Below 60

Class Rank
Class Rank/Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated three times a year - once at the end of each semester and once at the end of summer - using the weighted 4.0 scale below.

Grades are worth different points depending on the type of class a student takes:

• Standard Level Course: An A is worth 4 points 
• Honors, AP Prep, or International Studies Course: An A is worth 4.5 points 
• Advanced Placement (AP) or Transferable Career and College Promise Course: An A is worth 5 points

For a B, C, and D, the points decrease in the same way.

If a student fails a class, it is worth 0 points.

This system affects the Grade Point Average (GPA)—higher-level courses give more points for the same grade.

Each school has courses that require special skills or are limited in class size by law. If a student wishes to be considered for enrollment in one of these courses, he/she should submit a completed application to the counseling office or to the teacher of the course.

Once students have selected their courses during the Spring registration process, they are expected to pursue those courses in the following school year. While principals and school counselors may consider schedule change requests, factors such as course availability, course enrollment, teaching position allotments, etc. are considered in making these decisions.  

For students enrolled in courses through the Gaston College Now program there is a different process for recording dropped or withdrawn courses.  All decisions about dropping or withdrawing from courses should be discussed and processed with the school counselor. 

Gaston County Schools reserves the right to cancel classes due to insufficient enrollment or other extenuating circumstances. This includes courses offered by Gaston College.

A student who needs to transfer to another high school must complete a withdrawal form at the current school. All books or other school materials should be returned prior to withdrawal.

The receiving school will expect the following:

• a completed withdrawal form from the previous school
• TWO (2) proofs of your address to verify residence (power, gas, water, cable, landline telephone, lease or mortgage bill; must be current bill issued within 30 days).  

Students who enter a Gaston County high school with home high school credits must submit information as required through the High School Instruction Department. Complete and accurate information must be submitted and approved for credit(s) to be awarded.

Middle school students are eligible to earn high school credit toward meeting graduation requirements.  Students must pass the course and take the applicable final exam.  High school courses taken in middle school count towards graduation credits but not as part of the student’s high school grade point average.  High school credit courses offered at middle school are World History (7th grade), Spanish I (8th grade), and NC Math 1 (8th grade). 

Gaston County high schools offer a number of Advanced Placement (AP) courses. These courses are designed for students who are ready for the rigors of college-level work and are willing to dedicate significant time outside of class to be academically successful at a high level. 

Students are encouraged to take the most rigorous courses offered in their schools in preparation for AP courses. College credit may be earned by attaining the required scores on the national AP exams. Students should consult with their chosen college to determine the test grade required to receive credit at that institution. The standards vary across the state and the nation. 

For information on Advanced Placement and course content, consult the College Board website, www.collegeboard.org.
 

GCS high school programs serve students with varying disabilities and educational needs. Each eligible student has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, which in collaboration with the child’s parent or guardian, formulates an IEP. The IEP is used to design a program of instruction for each identified student.  These programs include but are not limited to: co-teaching in the regular education classroom,  direct instruction in small group settings, the Occupational Course of Study, and the Extensions to the Common Core. 

Exceptional Children services at the high school level are provided specially designed instruction aligned to the student’s IEP by a highly qualified and licensed EC teacher.  Services at the high school level may be provided via a co-teaching model, pull-out, or resource model. The co-teaching model would typically be utilized in either an ELA or Math class where both the regular education and the EC teacher are present and work collaboratively to provide specially designed instruction for students based on their IEP. In a pull-out or resource model, students are served in the EC classroom where EC teachers provide explicit, direct instruction based on student needs.  Students who require more intensive support can be served through the Occupational Course of Study program or through the Extended Content Standards. These programs lead to differentiated diplomas and certificates.  Please remember that EC services and plans are governed by federal and state laws and certain criteria have to be met for services to be delivered.

Students who transfer from outside Gaston County Schools receive credit for all courses taken in accredited high schools. Currently, GCS does not offer new courses for credit during the summer.  If a GCS student wishes to participate in a special program that carries high school credit, either during the school year or in the summer, he or she must obtain permission from the High School Instruction Department of Gaston County Schools in advance.  Credits earned from an accredited, non-GCS educational institution, outside of the regular school year, will not be included in the calculation of the student’s GPA.

In addition to the traditional “face-to-face” courses, Gaston County students may also take courses available virtually.  Students in online courses complete assignments and all other course requirements via the Internet.  Online learning offers courses that may not be available to students at their home school and may be taken during and/or beyond the traditional school day.  Gaston County Schools offers online courses via two models, 1) Gaston Online (GO!) and 2) The North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS)

*When courses are available face-to-face at a student’s home school, the online version is not an option unless there is a problem with scheduling.

• Gaston Online is an offering of possible online courses developed and taught by Gaston County School’s teachers.  This option offers students the advantage of support and assistance from teachers in their local school system.  In addition to this, GCS maintains local control over course offerings, registration, and the online management system. 
• NCVPS offers online courses through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. NCVPS maintains its own course offerings, registration systems, and online management system. You can learn more at ncvps.org. To enroll in an online course, students and their parents must contact their school counselor to complete a screening form that assesses the student’s potential for success in an online class and an enrollment signature form. Once the forms are completed (with the appropriate signatures) and returned to the school, the counselor may begin the enrollment process upon approval of the Director of Secondary Instruction.

Overview 
College Now, a Career and College Promise Program is an exciting program that offers North Carolina high school students “a clear path to success in college or in a career.” 

The program is designed to prepare students for life after high school by giving them access to an affordable college education and instilling the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a competitive workforce. 

Eligible high school students may participate in the College Now program to earn: 

• Course credit from Gaston College that transfers to all institutions in the University of North Carolina system and to many of the state’s independent colleges and universities; 
• A credential, certificate, or diploma from Gaston College in a technical career field; or 
• A high school diploma and two years of college credit through the Gaston Early College High School, which is housed on the Gaston College campus. 
• College Now is available at no cost to all eligible students who maintain a B grade average. 

College Now Pathways 
College Transfer - Transfer credits toward transfer degrees at 2 or 4-year colleges or universities may be earned. 

Career and Technical Education - Credits toward a certificate, diploma, or degree may be earned.  For more information about College Now opportunities at Gaston College visit their website:  https://www.gaston.edu/college-now/

Highlights

• Students must demonstrate college readiness in English, reading, and mathematics to enroll in college transfer courses offered by Gaston College.
• College Now courses are taught in a variety of modalities.  They may be taught face-to-face at the student’s home school, face-to-face at a Gaston College site, completely online, or a combination of face-to-face and online (hybrid).  Gaston College determines the most appropriate instructional model for all College Now courses.
• Students must progress through their selected pathway in a satisfactory manner and maintain a minimum 2.0-grade point average after completing two college courses.

Course Weights/GPA Scale

• Courses without a (T) designation are not transferable to a four-year college/university.  These courses are on a 4.0 GPA  scale.
• Courses with a (T) are transferable.  Courses with a (T*) are transferable and designated as a Universal General Education Transfer Component.  These courses are weighted on a 5.0 Advanced Placement equivalent GPA scale. 
• The NC Dept. of Public Instruction makes all final decisions about course weights.
• A course must be at least 3 college credit hours to receive high school credit and to count in the GPA calculation.

Course Delivery
Gaston College College Now courses are taught in a variety of ways including face-to-face, hybrid, and/or online.  Students can enroll in any course that is within their chosen pathway regardless of the location.
Course descriptions can be found in the Gaston College course catalog, http://catalog.gaston.edu.