Texas hands out one diploma, but the rules behind it have three moving parts that trip up almost every family: a base credit count, an endorsement nearly everyone has to pick, and five state tests you have to pass. Sort those out and the rest is just reading your own district's course catalog.
Here is the short version. The state floor is 22 credits under the Foundation High School Program. In practice almost every student graduates with 26, because an endorsement is the default and it adds four credits. And separate from credits, you have to pass five STAAR end-of-course exams. Here is each piece with the real numbers.
The foundation plan and the 22-credit floor
Every public school student in Texas graduates under the Foundation High School Program, the plan the state adopted in 2014. The bare minimum is 22 credits:
- English: 4 credits, English I through IV
- Mathematics: 3 credits, including Algebra I and Geometry
- Science: 3 credits, including Biology
- Social studies: 3 credits, covering U.S. history, world history or geography, a half credit of government, and a half credit of economics (for students who entered ninth grade before 2026-27; see below)
- Languages other than English: 2 credits in the same language, though computer science courses can substitute
- Physical education: 1 credit
- Fine arts: 1 credit
- Electives: 5 credits
New for this year's ninth graders. Under House Bill 27, which the Legislature passed in 2025, students who started ninth grade in the 2026-27 school year or later take a half credit of personal financial literacy instead of the half credit of economics. Economics becomes a full-credit course that these students can choose as their third social studies credit, alongside world geography or world history, according to a Texas Education Agency letter to districts dated September 17, 2026. The State Board of Education adopted the matching rule changes in June 2026. Until a new Applied Personal Financial Literacy course reaches classrooms in 2028-29, the existing Personal Financial Literacy and Personal Financial Literacy and Economics courses meet the requirement, TEA said. Students who entered ninth grade before 2026-27 stay under the old social studies rules.
That 22-credit list is the smallest thing Texas will accept. Almost no one stops there, and the reason is the endorsement.
Why almost everyone graduates with 26 credits
When a student enters ninth grade, they choose an endorsement, a themed track of extra coursework. Picking one raises the requirement from 22 credits to 26, adding a fourth year of math and science plus a coherent sequence of courses in the chosen area. There are five to pick from: STEM, Business and Industry, Public Services, Arts and Humanities, and Multidisciplinary Studies.
The endorsement is not really optional for most students. A student can drop it and graduate on the 22-credit foundation plan alone, but only after finishing sophomore year, and only after a counseling meeting and a form signed by a parent. Left alone, the default is 26 credits with an endorsement, so that is the number to plan around.
Sitting on top of the endorsement is the Distinguished Level of Achievement, and this is the one college-bound families should not miss. A student earns it by completing the foundation program with an endorsement and taking Algebra II as one of their math credits. The payoff is admission. Only students who graduate with Distinguished are eligible for automatic top 10% admission to Texas public universities, the rule that guarantees a spot for students in the top slice of their class. Skip Algebra II and a student can still graduate, still walk, and lose that guarantee. Texas also stacks Performance Acknowledgments on the diploma for things like dual credit, AP or IB scores, and bilingualism, but those are extras, not the load-bearing piece.
The five STAAR exams you have to pass
Credits are only half the diploma. Separate from coursework, a Texas student has to pass five STAAR end-of-course exams: English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. history. The tests are given several times a year, and students who do not pass on the first try get repeated retakes.
There is a release valve for students who clear their classes but keep missing a test. A student who has passed the course but failed up to two of the five exams can still graduate through an Individual Graduation Committee, a panel of teachers, administrators, and the parent that reviews the student's overall work. Beyond these five exams, there is no other test a Texas student must pass to get a diploma. If you are coming from a state with a single statewide exit exam, that is the main difference.
The three steps
First, get your own district's course catalog, because districts spell out exactly which courses satisfy each requirement and sometimes add a local wrinkle. Second, pick the endorsement early and, if a Texas public university is the goal, lock in Algebra II so your child graduates Distinguished and keeps the top 10% option open. Third, keep a running list of the five STAAR exams and check them off as they are passed, so a missing test does not surface in the spring of senior year. For how Texas compares with the rest of the country, our companion piece on high school graduation requirements by state lays out where each state sets its floor, and what is changing about high school graduation in 2026 and 2027 covers the new course mandates rolling in nationally.
Data note: credit and exam figures reflect the Texas Education Agency's Foundation High School Program and STAAR requirements, updated for TEA's September 17, 2026, guidance on House Bill 27. Districts set requirements at or above the state minimum, so confirm the specifics with your own district's course catalog.
Sources
Texas Education Agency: Foundation High School Program
Texas Education Agency: Graduation Toolkit
Texas Education Agency: Updates to High School Social Studies and Personal Financial Literacy Graduation Requirements (September 17, 2026)
State comparison figures from allk12's analysis of state graduation rules, 2026.
