§5026. High school core curriculum requirements; TOPS-Tech

            A. To be eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter, the student shall have successfully completed the core curriculum requirements of R.S. 17:5025 or the core curriculum defined as follows:

            (1) English - Four Units

            (a) English I.

            (b) English II.

            (c) Two or more units from the following: English III, English IV, AP or IB English courses, Business English, Technical Writing, or comparable Louisiana Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional teams as approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

            (2) Math - Four Units

            (a) Algebra I, Algebra I Part One and Algebra I Part Two, or an applied or hybrid algebra course (one unit), and Geometry or an applied Geometry course (one unit).

            (b) Financial Literacy (one unit).

            (c) One or more units from the following: Algebra II, Math Essentials, Business Math, Algebra III, Advanced Math - Functions and Statistics, Advanced Math - Pre-Calculus, Pre-Calculus, or comparable Louisiana Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional teams as approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Integrated Mathematics I, II, and III may be substituted for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, and shall equal three mathematics credits.

            (3) Science - Two Units

            (a) Biology.

            (b) One unit from the following: Chemistry I, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Agriscience I and Agriscience II (both for one unit), Physical Science, Physics, or AP or IB science courses.

            (4) Social Studies - Two Units

            (a) One unit from the following: U.S. History, AP U.S. History, or IB U.S. History.

            (b) One unit from the following: Civics, Government, AP U.S. Government and Politics: Comparative, or AP U.S. Government and Politics: United States.

            (5) At least nine credits in Jump Start course sequences, workplace experiences, and credentials. A student shall complete a regionally designed series of Career and Technical Education Jump Start coursework and workplace-based learning experiences leading to a statewide or regional Jump Start credential. This shall include courses and workplace experiences specific to the credential, courses related to foundational career skills requirements in Jump Start, and other courses, including career electives, that the Jump Start regional team determines are appropriate for the career major.

            B. For a student graduating during or prior to the 2001-2002 school year, to be eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter, the student shall have successfully completed a core curriculum requirements of Subsection A of this Section or of R.S. 17:5025.3 or the core curriculum defined as follows:

            (1) English I, II, III, and IV (four units, or substitute one unit of Business English for English IV).

            (2) Algebra I (one unit) or Applied Algebra 1A and 1B (two units) and Algebra II (one unit).

            (3) Geometry or Applied Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, or comparable Advanced Mathematics (one unit).

            (4) Biology (one unit).

            (5) Chemistry or Applied Physics (one unit).

            (6) Earth Science, Environmental Science, Agriscience I and II (both for one unit), Physical Science, Biology II, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, or Physics for Technology (one unit).

            (7) American History (one unit).

            (8) World History, Western Civilization, or World Geography (one unit).

            (9) Civics and Free Enterprise (one unit combined) or Civics (one unit, nonpublic).

            (10) Fine Arts Survey or any approved vocational course in the areas of Agriscience, Business Education, Family and Consumer Science, Health Occupations, Marketing Education, Technology Education, or Trade and Industrial Education (one unit); or substitute two units of performance courses in music, dance, or theater; or substitute two units of visual art courses; or substitute two units of studio art courses; or substitute one unit as an elective from among the other subjects listed in this core curriculum.

            (11) Foreign Language (one unit for students graduating from high school during the 1996-1997 school year or the 1997-1998 school year; two units in a single language for students graduating from high school during the 1998-1999 school year and thereafter) or Technical Writing, Speech I, or Speech II (two units).

            (12) Computer Science, Computer Literacy, or Business Computer Applications (one-half unit; or substitute at least one-half unit of an elective course related to computers that is approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; or substitute at least one-half unit as an elective from among the other subjects listed in this core curriculum).

            C. For a student graduating after the 2001-2002 school year but prior to the 2017-2018 school year to be eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter, the student shall have successfully completed the core curriculum requirements of R.S. 17:5025 or 5025.3 or the core curriculum defined as follows:

            (1) English I, II, III, and IV (four units, or substitute one unit of Business English for English IV).

            (2) Algebra I (one unit); or both Algebra I, Part 1 and Algebra I, Part 2; or both Applied Mathematics I and Applied Mathematics II.

            (3) Geometry, Applied Mathematics III, Algebra II, Financial Mathematics, Advanced Mathematics I, Advanced Mathematics II, Discrete Mathematics, or Probability and Statistics (two units). Integrated Mathematics I, II, and III may be substituted for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, and shall be considered the equivalent of the three required math units.

            (4) Biology (one unit).

            (5) Earth Science, Environmental Science, Agriscience I and II (both for one unit), Physical Science, Integrated Science, Biology II, Chemistry or Applied Chemistry, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, or Physics for Technology (two units).

            (6) American History (one unit).

            (7) World History, Western Civilization, or World Geography (one unit).

            (8) Civics and Free Enterprise (one unit combined) or Civics (one unit, nonpublic).

            (9) Remaining core courses shall be selected from one of the following options:

            (a) OPTION 1, consisting of four units as follows:

            (i) Fine Arts Survey (one unit) or drafting (one unit) or substitute two units of performance courses in music, dance, or theater; or substitute two units of visual art courses; or substitute two units of studio art courses; or a course from the career and technical program of studies that is approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; or substitute one unit as an elective from among the other subjects listed in this core curriculum.

            (ii) Foreign Language, Technical Writing, Speech I, or Speech II (two units).

            (iii) One unit from the secondary computer education program of studies that is approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

            (b) OPTION 2, consisting of six units required as a concentration under the career options law, R.S. 17:183.1 et seq., as follows:

            (i) At least four units in a career major comprised of a sequence of related specialty courses.

            (ii) At least two units in related or technical fields, including credit in a basic computer course.

            D. For a student graduating during or after the 2017-2018 school year but prior to the 2026-2027 school year, to be eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter, the student shall have successfully completed the core curriculum requirements of R.S. 17:5025 or the core curriculum defined as follows:

            (1) English - Four Units

            (a) English I.

            (b) English II.

            (c) Two or more units from the following: English III, English IV, AP or IB English courses, Business English, Technical Writing, or comparable Louisiana Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional teams as approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

            (2) Math - Four Units

            (a) Algebra I (one unit); or both Algebra I, Part 1 and Algebra I, Part 2; or an applied or hybrid algebra course.

            (b) Three or more units from the following: Geometry, Algebra II, Math Essentials, Financial Literacy, Business Math, Algebra III, Advanced Math - Functions and Statistics, Advanced Math - Pre-Calculus, Pre-calculus, or comparable Louisiana Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional teams as approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Integrated Mathematics I, II, and III may be substituted for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, and shall equal three mathematics credits.

            (3) Science - Two Units

            (a) Biology.

            (b) One unit from the following: Chemistry I, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Agriscience I and Agriscience II (both for one unit), Physical Science, Physics, or AP or IB science courses.

            (4) Social Studies - Two Units

            (a) One unit from the following: U.S. History, AP U.S. History, or IB U.S. History.

            (b) One unit from the following: Civics, Government, AP U.S. Government and Politics: Comparative, or AP U.S. Government and Politics: United States.

            (5) At least nine credits in Jump Start course sequences, workplace experiences, and credentials. A student shall complete a regionally designed series of Career and Technical Education Jump Start coursework and workplace-based learning experiences leading to a statewide or regional Jump Start credential. This shall include courses and workplace experiences specific to the credential, courses related to foundational career skills requirements in Jump Start, and other courses, including career electives, that the Jump Start regional team determines are appropriate for the career major.

            E. For a student graduating during the 2026-2027 school year to be eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter, the student shall have successfully completed the core curriculum requirements of R.S. 17:5025 or the core curriculum defined as follows:

            (1) English - Four Units

            (a) English I.

            (b) English II.

            (c) Two or more units from the following: English III, English IV, AP or IB English courses, Business English, Technical Writing, or comparable Louisiana Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional teams as approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

            (2) Math - Four Units

            (a) Algebra I; both Algebra I, Part One and Algebra I, Part Two, or an applied or hybrid algebra course (one unit) and Geometry or an applied Geometry course (one unit).

            (b) Two or more units from the following: Algebra II, Math Essentials, Financial Literacy, Business Math, Algebra III, Advanced Math - Functions and Statistics, Advanced Math - Pre-Calculus, Pre-Calculus, or comparable Louisiana Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional teams as approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Integrated Mathematics I, II, and III may be substituted for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, and shall equal three mathematics credits.

            (3) Science - Two Units

            (a) Biology.

            (b) One unit from the following: Chemistry I, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Agriscience I and Agriscience II (both for one unit), Physical Science, Physics, or AP or IB science courses.

            (4) Social Studies - Two Units

            (a) One unit from the following: U.S. History, AP U.S. History, or IB U.S. History.

            (b) One unit from the following: Civics, Government, AP U.S. Government and Politics: Comparative, or AP U.S. Government and Politics: United States.

            (5) At least nine credits in Jump Start course sequences, workplace experiences, and credentials. A student shall complete a regionally designed series of Career and Technical Education Jump Start coursework and workplace-based learning experiences leading to a statewide or regional Jump Start credential. This shall include courses and workplace experiences specific to the credential, courses related to foundational career skills requirements in Jump Start, and other courses, including career electives, that the Jump Start regional team determines are appropriate for the career major.

            Acts 2015, No. 227, §1; Acts 2015, No. 403, §3; Acts 2018, No. 671, §1, eff. June 1, 2018; Acts 2022, No. 447, §1; Acts 2023, No. 267, §1.