Dr. Sarah Pelangka of KnowIEPs explains that there are state- and district-mandated requirements for graduating with a diploma, and then there are the A-G requirements, which are courses (or a required period of time studying a required subject) needed to meet the minimum admission criteria set by schools in the University of California and California State University systems. For example, A-G requirements include Algebra 1 plus Intermediate Algebra, versus just Algebra 1.
According to a report commissioned by the Sacramento County Office of Education, many districts, or Local Education Agencies (LEAs), “choose to adopt the University of California and California State University coursework requirements for freshman admissions — known as the ‘A–G courses’ — in addition to the state minimum requirements to ensure that all students graduate ready to enter a four-year college.” According to a 2017 survey from the Public Policy Institute of California, 51 percent of LEAs required students to complete the A–G courses to receive a high school diploma, including some of the state’s largest LEAs and LEAs with significant numbers of high-need students.
For more, see this article.
