This document provides information about earning high school credit at Twin Rivers Middle School for the 2017-2018 school year. It explains that 23 Carnegie units are required to graduate high school and that students have the opportunity to earn 24 credits over 4 years. It lists 8 courses offered at TRMS that provide Carnegie unit credit if passed, including requirements like End of Course tests. Earning credits in middle school allows students more flexibility in their high school course schedule and opportunities to take advanced classes. Parents must submit a waiver by May 22nd to accept or decline the credit for each class their child is enrolled in.

1. E A R N I N G H I G H S C H O O L C R E D I T AT T W I N R I V E R S
M S
2 0 1 7 - 1 8
CARNEGIE UNITS

2. WHAT ARE CARNEGIE UNITS?
•Carnegie units are the credits
awarded for successful completion of
high school courses.
•23 Carnegie Units must be earned
as credits in order to graduate from
high school.
•A student has the opportunity to earn
24 credits over 4 years.

3. WHAT COURSES AT TRMS EARN
CARNEGIE UNIT CREDIT?
Eight Classes At TRMS Are Eligible for Carnegie Units:
• High School Physical Science
• Biology
• ACC Algebra 1
• Algebra I
• Spanish I
• Food, Nutrition, & Wellness
• Marketing Principles
• Intro to Digital Technology

4. END OF COURSE TEST (EOC)
• Three of the courses require an EOC (End of Course Test):
HS Physical Science, ACC Alg I, and Alg I.
• The EOC is cumulative for the entire year and counts 20%
of the spring semester grade.
• If your student elects to take the Carnegie Unit Credit, both
semester grades (not yearly average) will be used to
determine credit earned. If the student successfully passes
both semesters a 'P' will be placed on the transcript and
not a grade.
• A 'P' will equal 1.0 unit of credit earned.
• The EOC score will appear on the high school transcript.

5. WHY EARN CARNEGIE CREDITS IN
MIDDLE SCHOOL?
• The GCPS expectation is that all students will be
enrolled in a Language Arts, Math, and Science class all
four years of high school.
• Earning Carnegie Unit credit at the middle school level
creates opportunities for students to take
• Electives that might not otherwise be available to them due to
time/schedule constraints
• Advanced Placement (AP) courses
• Dual Enrollment (College) courses while still in high school

6. WHY EARN CARNEGIE CREDITS IN
MIDDLE SCHOOL?
• Courses that earn high school Carnegie units in middle
school will not be used in the GPA calculation for high
school in areas such as those for determining
• Class rank
• Valedictorian status
• Honor graduate status
• Some scholarship considerations, etc.
• Courses that earn high school Carnegie units in middle
school will not be used in GPA calculations for the
HOPE scholarship according to Georgia Student
Finance Commission rules for HOPE.

7. WAIVER PROCESS
• Parents will receive in May a letter and waiver form for each
Carnegie Unit Course in which their child is enrolled, asking
them to either accept or a decline the Carnegie Unit Credit
opportunity!
• This signed waiver is due to the teacher of each Carnegie
Unit Course by May 22, 2018—the day before the last day
of school!
• No confirmed/received response from a parent defaults to
a “NO” for accepting the Carnegie Unit Credit!
• Your decision is non-rescindable once the letter has been
signed and submitted. If no letter is submitted, that decision
(to decline by omission of a response) is final as well. There
is no changing your mind—ever….not even early in your
child’s high school career!

8. IT’S UP TO YOU….
• You know your child best, so it’s up to you to determine
the best option for your son or daughter.
• For many, this is the perfect opportunity to earn Carnegie
Units and get a “jump start” on ensuring all high school
credits are earned for on-time graduation. And with the
great semester and EOC grades your son or daughter
may have earned, it would be a fantastic “start” to the
high school transcript!
• It’s really up to you!

9. FINAL DECISIONS
• No matter what your decision is, we need to receive your
waiver. If we do NOT receive your waiver and signature
for each high school course in which your child is
enrolled here at TRMS, your son or daughter will NOT
receive any Carnegie Unit credits.
By Default……
• No returned form = no credit (per GCPS)!

10. TO WHOM DO I DIRECT MY
QUESTIONS?
• If you have a question, please contact your child’s
teacher of record for that particular class or Mrs. Decker,
Assistant Principal for 8th Grade.
• If you have questions as to what the proposed high
school schedule means for future class sequencing,
please contact Mountain View High School.

11. DECISIONS, DECISIONS!
When is the best time to make the decision about whether or not
your child is going to accept the Carnegie Unit credit or not?
• The best time to make your decision is as soon as you know your
child’s final grade for semester two! Remember, you already know
semester one’s grade for the Carnegie Unit course, so you know
part of what will be used to determine your child’s yearly average!
• How should you begin to make your decision?
• Look at first semester average, second semester average, and determine if
your child will pass the course, and the EOC exam grade and decide if this is
what you wish to appear on your child’s high school transcript!
• If yes, then accept the credit.
• If no, then decline the credit!
• Either way, turn in the letter with your decision and signature on or before
May 22, 2018!!!

12. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS