The Floridian high school experience is always rapidly changing, and when you’re presented with a list of classes to take, it can be hard to identify what you need. Here’s a simplified breakdown of the graduation requirements to be aware of when choosing your classes.

Florida Governor Ron Desantis passed a bill into law this summer that requires all high school students graduating after 2026 to take a personal finance class. This legislation was unanimously passed by the House of Representatives, as these finance skills are essential to the success of graduating students. According to Ms. Oswald, one of the counselors at OCSA, “Personal Finance is new for the ninth and tenth grade cohort. I know many students are good about checking on their requirements in Focus, but that’s the one thing that doesn’t show up in Focus just yet.” Ninth and tenth graders should be sure not to overlook or forget about the course and enroll in person or online if they haven’t already.

But there are many aspects of the high school experience that have stayed the same, like the required English, math, science, and history classes. And taking two foreign language credits, while not technically a requirement, can save students time and money later on because then they won’t have to take foreign language courses in college. Be sure to take these classes in-person or via FLVS prior to graduation.

In addition to academic requirements, volunteering or work hours are also important to consider for those looking at scholarships. Bright Futures, one of the most popular scholarships for Florida high school students, requires 100 hours of volunteer work, paid work, or a combination of the two. Don’t forget that before you start your hours, you must have the community service packet (available on the OCSA Website) signed by your guidance counselor for those hours to qualify for Bright Futures.

All in all, it important to stay informed about what you need to achieve your academic goals. Make sure to check your resources to stay aware of what you need to succeed in and make graduation as stress-free as possible.