• The Missouri Option Program

    The Missouri Option Program is designed to serve students who lack the credits necessary to graduate with their class and are at risk of leaving school without a high school diploma. The program specifically targets students who are 17 to 20 years of age and are at least one year behind their cohort group or, for other significant reasons identified in the local Missouri Option Program plan, are unable to complete their diploma with their cohort group.  Graduation through the Missouri Option Program is not dependent on Carnegie credit attainment (the normal credit system).  It is a competency-based program approved by the State Board of Education that utilizes a high school equivalency exam as mastery for graduation purposes. The HiSET®is the exam sanctioned by the state for the Missouri Option program.  It is developed and distributed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).  Missouri Option students who successfully pass the exam and complete all other program requirements are eligible to receive a high school diploma.

    MO Option Graduation Requirements

    Coursework

    Students must earn the following credits either prior to entering the program or through E2020:

    • ½  American Government credit

    • ½ Personal Finance credit

    • ½ Health credit (complete 30 minutes of CPR instruction)

    Students must pass the following tests either prior to entering the program or once all other credits listed above are completed:

    • Missouri Constitution test

    • US Constitution test

    • Citizenship test

    • Algebra 1 EOC

    • American Government EOC

    • Biology EOC

    • English II EOC

    • College and Career Readiness test

    HiSET (formally known as the GED)

    Students will be required to take and pass the HiSET exam.  The HiSET exam will be used as the exit exam for the program.  Below is a breakdown of the 5 subtests that make up the HiSET exam.

    • Language Arts - Reading

      • 50 multiple choice questions

      • 65 minutes

    • Language Arts - Writing (two parts)

      • Part I is an essay

      • Part II has 60 multiple choice questions

      • 120 total minutes shared between both parts

    • Math

      • 55 multiple choice questions

      • 90 minutes

    • Science

      • 60 multiple choice questions

      • 80 minutes

    • Social studies

      • 60 multiple choice questions

      • 70 minutes


    Attendance Requirements

    • Students must maintain 95% attendance to remain in the program.

    • Students are required to attend 15 hours of in-seat instruction.  Students may attend one of two sessions:

      • AM Session:  8:40 - 11:27 (breakfast and lunch provided)

      • PM Session:  12:54 - 3:40 (lunch provided)

    • Students are required to provide proof of employment, volunteer work, community service or internship of a minimum of 15 hours per week.

      • Students can complete a  timesheet with a supervisor's signature verifying hours of volunteer, community service, or employment 

      • Students can turn in pay stubs verifying employment

      • Students can provide E2020 session log hours showing study time for HiSet

      • Students can attend additional class hours prepping for HiSet

    Program Completion

    • Once students have completed all components of the program (coursework and HiSET) are no longer required to attend the MO Options class.  Students that are 17 must continue to provide documentation for work, volunteer or community service hours.  This is approximately 30 hours after a week upon completion of the program until the student turns 18 OR the graduation cohort’s last day.  

    • Students are allowed to walk at their cohort’s graduation ceremony.

     
Last Modified on August 17, 2023