Discipline violations and their appropriate consequences are clearly laid out in the new Natchez-Adams School District Student Handbook and Code of Conduct.

Big changes in the disciplinary category are one of several revisions made to this year’s handbook, which is being distributed at all summer orientations and will be discussed in class during the first week of school.

Previously district discipline standards were based on the discipline ladder. Students moved up the ladder rungs with each code breaking offense, but punishments were not directly outlined in the handbook.

The new system includes six classes of behavior standards and outlines what offenses fall under each class. Consequences are also numbered to correspond with offenses and broken down into actions taken by teachers and actions to be handled by administrators.

&uot;It takes the guess work out of it,&uot; said Charlotte Franklin, assessment and professional development coordinator for the district. &uot;We are hoping it will be easier for everybody to understand.&uot;

The other major change involves the number of Carnegie units required for graduation. This year’s ninth graders will have to earn 24 credits to graduate, up from 22 from last year.

The 2005-2006 ninth graders will have to earn 25 units.

The required classes, determined by the state, include a change in the math requirements.

Formerly students had to take Algebra I and geometry to graduate. Geometry is no longer required, but a math above the Algebra I level is.

Algebra I is still required.

Students below 10th grade no longer have to take the Functional Literacy Exam that used to be a graduation requirement. Subject Area Tests, in Algebra I, Biology I, English II and U.S. History will now serve as the sole exit exams.

A new policy at the high school also requires seniors who do not need a full class load to complete their requirements either attend in the morning or in the afternoon.

Previously students could schedule classes throughout the day and come and go.

Any senior with a modified schedule must take four classes per day, either periods one through four or periods four through seven.