New graduation requirements: No easy answers
ABERDEEN, S.D. - ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) — New high school graduation requirements will be more rigorous for some students, but more relaxed for others, said Aberdeen Central High School Principal Jason Uttermark.
The new requirements make it more difficult for noncollege-bound students to get a diploma, and take away an incentive for college-bound students to excel, Uttermark said.
The single set of requirements passed in November complies with a law passed in the 2009 legislative session that did away with South Dakota's two-track system of basic and advanced requirements.
Under the former system, students were automatically enrolled in the advanced curriculum designed to prepare students for college unless their parents opted that they take the basic curriculum, which placed less emphasis on higher math and science.
Uttermark said he preferred the former system, which included a standard diploma and an enhanced diploma. It also allowed students who took very challenging curriculum to achieve the distinction of a distinguished diploma on their transcript.
"That's the part that's now missing," he said.
School officials will still work hard to counsel students into taking challenging curriculum, he said. But now without the distinguished distinction, Uttermark said they have one less incentive for kids.
Uttermark said there's a lot of merit behind asking kids to use internal motivation to step up and challenge themselves to excel.
But the tradeoff, he said, is that some kids will get frustrated with school, no matter how hard officials work to counsel them, and the dropout rate could increase slightly.
Here are the requirements, which will apply to the freshman class of 2010, according to information Uttermark presented to the school:
22 total credits are required (no change).
Four credits of language arts: writing, 1.5 credits; literature, 1.5 credits (must include .5 credit of American literature); speech or debate, .5 credit; language arts elective, .5 credit. (No change.)
Three credits of mathematics: algebra I, one credit; geometry, one credit; algebra II, one credit. Student may waive algebra II or geometry, but must take a third math credit. (Previously only algebra I was required.)
Three credits of lab science: biology, one credit; any physical science, one credit; chemistry or physics, one credit. Student may waive chemistry or physics for a different lab science. (Previously any lab sciences were allowed.)
Three credits of social studies: U.S. history, one credit; U.S. government, .5 credit; world history, .5 credit; geography, .5 credit. (No change.) CHS requires an additional .5 credit of civics or sociology.
New requirements starting with the freshman class of 2013: One credit of the following (any combination): an approved career and technical education course of study; a capstone experience or service learning experience; world language.
Other requirements: one credit of fine arts; .5 credit of personal finance or economics; .5 credit of physical education; .5 credit of health or health integration.
Computer science has been dropped as a requirement under the new state graduation requirements.
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