Most states land between 20 and 24 credits, but the number on your child's transcript is set by the district, not the state, and the two are rarely the same. Here is what a credit actually is, what states require, and why the district number is the one that counts.
Kate Carter
California sets a course-based state minimum to earn a diploma, but your district almost certainly requires more, and the A-G pattern for UC and CSU is a separate thing entirely. Here is what the state actually mandates, what is changing this decade, and how to read your own district's rules.
Kate Carter
Graduating high school in the US comes down to credits, a required course mix, and a shrinking list of exit exams. Here is how the pieces fit together, what varies by state, and the newer requirements that older siblings never had to meet.
Kate Carter
