Career & College

DPS Graduation Requirements website

ICAP – What’s your plan?

ICAP lessons are the basic foundation for students in learning and planning their career passions and opportunities and are now a part of graduation requirements. For students to truly graduate career and college ready students must have a set plan that includes career exploration and exposure, knowledge of opportunities and self, and a concrete plan for life after high school! 

9th Grade
  • Graduation: Students will learn about their graduation requirements, options to graduate and how to plan for ongoing success through high school.
  • Goals: Students will learn about the academic and involvement demands of college and scholarships and plan to expand their resume.
  • Academic: Students will learn about high school structures, grade point averages (GPA) and their graduation requirements.
  • Career: Students will explore their career interests again and explore the career and postsecondary options available.
10th Grade
  • Graduation: Students will track their progress towards graduation requirements, learn about their options and how to plan for success throughout their high school years.
  • Career: Students will take a Career Interest Inventory and explore the careers and postsecondary paths as well as the high school opportunities available in your school.
  • Goals: Students will expand their knowledge on and start to compare the career, college and financial aid options available around them.
  • College: Students will learn more about their education options available after high school and how to pay for them, including the DSF scholarship.
11th Grade
  • Graduation: Students will track their progress towards graduation requirements, learn about their options and how to plan for success throughout their high school years.
  • Career: Students will learn about the varied careers they may be interested in and will write and plan towards building their resumes with extracurricular and work opportunities.
  • Goals: Students will expand their knowledge of GPA, test scores and the importance of a strong college essay with all students writing a draft to be worked on further with their teachers.
  • College: Students will learn and further explore their financial aid options including grants, loans and scholarships while starting scholarship applications.
12th Grade
  • Graduation: Students will track their progress towards graduation requirements, learn about their options and how to plan for success throughout their high school years.
  • College: Students will track completion towards college applications, FAFSA or other financial aid applications and scholarships and learn about financial aid letters.
  • Goals: Students will research career expansion opportunities and financial literacy including earning outcomes while updating their resumes.
  • Transitions: Students will track progress towards transitioning to college or the workforce with next steps and survey asking for support.

Concurrent Enrollment

Concurrent enrollment allows students to earn free college credit while still in high school, giving them a head start on their career and college goals. Students gain exposure to the academic challenges of college while in their supportive high school environment or on a college campus, earning college and high school credits simultaneously. Available at all DPS high schools, many concurrent enrollment credits are transferable to a two- or four-year degree program. Research shows providing college-level work while in high school helps prepare students for postsecondary success, particularly those historically underserved in higher education. 

By earning transferable college credits while still in high school, students save both time and money and ease the transition to college. Through concurrent enrollment, students are exposed to the rigors of college at an earlier age, better preparing them for postsecondary success. With the ICAP process, concurrent enrollment allows students to take courses that are of personal interest to them. Additionally, students who participate in concurrent enrollment are eligible to apply for ASCENT.

ASCENT

ASCENT is a 5th year high school program allowing students to attend college full-time for one year after high school for free. Students attend a participating technical, community, or 4 year college the year following graduation from high school. 

Passed into law in 2009, ASCENT increases the number of postsecondary degrees earned by Colorado students by expanding the pathways from high school to career & college. The program gives students a head start in earning a certificate, associate’s, or bachelor’s degree…all while saving time and money.  The DPS ASCENT team provides participating students with critical wrap-around advising services to support the critical transition from high school to college. Students with at least 12 credit hours of college coursework by graduation may be eligible for the ASCENT program. 

Edgenuity

Edgenuity is the online platform Denver Public Schools utilizes to assist students remediate coursework and get back on track to graduate! If you are interested in learning more please contact the School Counselor, Mr. Christensen.