Middle Level Credit

The State of Idaho has middle level requirements for Idaho public schools with the purpose of improving rigor, relevance, and relationships in the middle grades; ensuring every Idaho student is prepared to be successful in high school and beyond.

Learn more about middle level requirements such as the middle level credit system, career pathway plans, instruction requirements and more.


No later than the end of grade eight (8) each student shall develop a parent-approved student career pathway plan for their high school and post-high school options. The career pathway plan shall be developed by students with the assistance of parents or guardians, and with advice and recommendation from school personnel. It shall be reviewed annually. The plan should include, at minimum, a list of courses and learning activities in which the student will engage while working toward graduation standards.

NextSteps.idaho.gov has prepared helpful resources for the career pathway plan.

Each LEA's middle level credit system must include the following minimum requirements no later than 7th grade. The local educational agency may establish requirements beyond these minimums:

  1. A school district must implement a credit system no later than grade seven (7) that includes components that address the credit requirements, credit recovery, alternate mechanisms and attendance. The school district may establish credit requirements beyond the state minimum. The credit system shall require a student to attain a portion of the total credits attempted in each area in which credits are attempted except for areas in which instruction is less than a school year before the student will be eligible for promotion to the next grade level.
  2. A student who does not meet the minim requirements of the credit system shall be given an opportunity to recover credits or complete an alternate mechanism in order to become eligible for promotion to next grade level.
  3. A school district may establish an alternate mechanism to determine eligibility for grade level promotion. The alternate mechanism shall require a student to demonstrate proficiency of the appropriate content standards. All locally established mechanisms used to demonstrate proficiency will be forwarded to the Idaho Department of Education. Alternate mechanisms must be re-submitted to the Department when changes are made to the mechanism.
  4. Attendance shall be an element included in the credit system, alternate mechanism or both.

For consideration a student must have met the grade eight (8) mathematics standards before the student shall be permitted to enter grade nine (9).

*Students using an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) may establish alternate requirement or accommodations in accordance with the Disabilities Education Improvement Act and be eligible for promotion to the next grade level.

*Limited English Proficient (LEP) students may have alternate requirements or accommodations to credit requirements as deemed necessary for the student to become eligible for promotion to the next grade level.

Course instruction requirements for Middle Schools and Junior Highs include:

  • Career exploration (grade 7 or 8 student must complete one course)
  • Health (wellness)
  • Physical Education (fitness)
  • Computational thinking and digital literacy

School required offerings include:

  • Fine and Performing Arts
  • Career Technical Education
  • An Advisory Period (middle school only, encouraged in junior high school)

Students can potentially earn high school credit while in middle school or junior high.

A student will have met high school content and credit area requirements for any high school course if the requirements below are met:

  1. The student completes such course with a grade of C or higher before entering grade nine (9).
  2. The course meets the same content standards that are required in high school for the same course.
  3. The course is taught by a teacher properly certified to each high school content and who meets the federal definition of highly qualified for the course being taught.

The student shall be given a grade for the successful completion of that course and such grade and the number of credit hours assigned to the course shall be transferred to the student's high school transcript. Notwithstanding this requirement, the student's parent or guardian shall be notified in advance when credits are going to be transcribed and may elect to not have the credits and grade transferred to the student's high school transcript. Courses taken in middle school appearing in the student's high school transcript, shall count for the purpose of high school graduation.

*Students using Advanced Opportunities funding for middle school courses need to meet the above consideration as they are required be transcribed to the high school transcript. Electing to use Advanced Opportunities funds is agreeing to high school transcription requirements.

**Student must complete the required number of credits in all high school core subjects as identified in Idaho Administrative Rule 08.02.03.105.01.c. through 105.01.h. except as provided in 105.01.d.iii.


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