Graduating at Legacy
Graduation requirements set by the Colorado Department of Education focus on two areas: Credits/Coursework and College & Career Readiness (CCR) Demonstrations. For simplicity, we often refer to these as the 23 & ME -- 23 credits in various content areas and CCR in Mathematics and English.
Graduation Requirements
23 (Credits/Coursework)
Students traditionally take 6.0 credits every school year. By passing all of the courses they take, students will exceed the 23.0 required for graduation. School counselors work with students to ensure that they are registered for the classes appropriate for their grade level, interests, and the graduation requirements.
4.0 Credits of English
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Year-long course required for all 9-12th graders
3.0 Credits of Mathematics
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Year-long course required for all 9-11th graders
3.0 Credits of Social Studies (1.0 U.S. History; 0.5 Government)
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Year-long course required for all 9-11th graders
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All students take one semester of Government
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All students take two semesters of US History
3.0 Credits of Science (2.0 lab-based credits)
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Year-long course required for all 9-11th graders
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All 9th graders take a year-long biology course and all 10th graders take a year-long chemistry course. This meets the lab-based requirement.
1.0 Credits of Physical Education (0.5 Healthy Choices)
- There are no PE waivers for students in Adams 12 -- all must take health and one gym class.
2.0 Credits of Fine & Practical Arts
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Includes courses in Art, Business/Marketing & Technology, Family & Consumer Sciences, Music, World Languages, and FutureForward
7.0 Credits of Electives
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A few courses are elective-specific (e.g. Student Government, L2k). However, most students will meet elective requirements with overfill from other content areas like Fine & Practical Arts and Physical Education.
For a list of all classes currently available at Legacy, please see the 2025-26 Course Selection Guide.
ME (CCR Standards)
Students must demonstrate college and career readiness in Mathematics and English by achieving a minimum score or grade in at least ONE menu option. This is not required to be the same for both subjects. Please see the CDE Graduation Guidelines Fact Sheet for a full list of menu options available to Colorado students.
SAT - Of all the different options available to students, the SAT is the one option that all Legacy students will attempt in April of their junior year. Students need to score at least a 480 in Mathematics and 470 in English to meet the benchmark requirements. The PSAT 9, PSAT 10, and PSAT can be predictors of how a student might score on the SAT.
ACT WorkKeys - A three part exam that assesses knowledge in the areas of computer skills, mathematics, and literacy. This is currently the one exam that is offered in both English and Spanish.
Advanced Placement (AP) - Scoring at least a 2 on an AP exam can meet the requirement for English or Math. These exams must be taken before senior year to count toward CCR graduation requirements. Classes available at Legacy for non-seniors are...
English: European History, Human Geography, Language & Composition, Literature & Composition, Psychology, US Government & Politics, US History
Math: Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Computer Science A, Computer Science Principles, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Physics C: Mechanics, Pre-Calculus, Statistics
ASVAB - a three-hour exam that is offered twice each school year at Legacy (usually in November and February). Students who score at least a 31 on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) meet requirements for both English and Math.
Concurrent Enrollment (CE) / Industry Certificate - Several classes at Legacy and FutureForward offer classes that fit these categories.
District Capstone - a semester-long course offered to junior and senior students devised around passion-project learning. Students demonstrate investigative, leadership, inquiry, collaboration and communication skills through the process of exploring their Identity and Belonging, Global Citizenship, School Success, and Post-Secondary Readiness.
Other Available Options Not Directly Offered to Legacy Students - Accuplacer, ACT, International Baccalaureate (IB)
Students must register for the Accuplacer or ACT exams independently. IB exams are only available to students attending IB schools.
College & University Recommendations / Requirements
Some of the key differences that colleges and universities may recommend or require are noted below. This is not an all exhaustive list, but is important to consider if you are planning to go to a college or university after high school -- especially if you have a particular program, school, or state in mind. For Colorado in-state schools, you should review the Higher Education Admission Recommendations (HEAR).
Math
Some institutions may ask for four years of Math. This typically includes courses above or equivalent to Algebra I / Integrated Math I.
World Language
Colleges and universities may require one to three years of a single World Language (Princeton's Requirements ask for four). This refers to the level of language. For example, a freshman who completes Spanish III meets the three-year benchmark.
Visual/Performing Arts
Some states and institutions require one year of a Performing or Visual Art. These include traditional art classes and music. California Public Universities and the University of Minnesota are just a couple of examples with this requirement.
Science
Although it is less common for institutions to require four years of Science (like the University System of Georgia), some programs and schools do require or encourage a full year of Physics (like MIT or CU Boulder College of Engineering & Applied Science).
Other Examples
Every school is different and can set their own academic requirements, so it's smart to look into each school's unique requirements. For example, the Air Force Academy requires a full credit of Computer Science. Never assume you will meet all of the requirements for a school without planning to do so!