The addition of an extra year of social studies and the
inclusion of a computer literacy requirement are the major issues
in the School District
’s realignment of its high school graduation requirements
beginning with the freshmen class next fall.
The addition of an extra year of social studies and the inclusion of a computer literacy requirement are the major issues in the School District’s realignment of its high school graduation requirements beginning with the freshmen class next fall.
The Secondary Task Force has been meeting for three years to design a recommendation to the School Board for possible changes. During the board’s Oct. 20 meeting, members of the task force presented options. Reports from the Social Studies Task Force and the Secondary Steering Committee were also presented.
The board will vote on the recommendations during the Nov. 17 regular meeting. The requirements were last updated in April 1994.
Other issues the Secondary Task Force recommended to be included in the graduation requirements are that students must pass the high school exit exam; student classification will be based on credits, not “seat time;” band and Associated Student Body (ASB) should be offered so that students would not be restricted from taking a full academic schedule; all ninth, 10th and 11th grade students will take six classes; and all 12th grade students will take a minimum of five classes.
The recommended classifications by credits are: 0-39, freshman; 40-99, sophomore; 100-159, junior; and 160-completion, senior.
Trustee Del Foster said he believes the additional year of social studies is important.
“The point is that we are looking at raising the bar for our students, not lowering it,” he said. “We are moving towards a more academic-based curriculum.”
The Secondary Task Force recommends 40 English credits, 30 social studies credits, 30 math credits (including Algebra I), 20 science credits (10 physical and 10 life science), 20 physical education credits, 20 credits in applied art, foreign language, visual and performing art (10 applied art and 10 in foreign language or visual and performing art), 10 UC college entrance elective credits and 50 additional credits of students’ choice.
The Secondary Steering Committee recommends 40 English credits, 30 social studies credits, 30 math credits (including Algebra I), 20 science credits (10 physical and 10 life science), 20 physical education credits, 20 credits in applied art, foreign language, visual and performing art (10 applied art and 10 in foreign language or visual and performing art) and 60 additional credits of students’ choice.
The Social Studies Task Force recommendations are the same as the Secondary Steering Committee’s, with the exception of 40 social studies credits instead of 30 and 50 students’ choice credits instead of 60.
