School districts girding for new graduation requirements

Spokane-area school districts are already starting to think about the class of 2019 – this year’s eighth-graders – and worrying about their graduation requirements.

The students are scheduled to be the first class required to take 24 credits to graduate from high school, and several area districts are asking the state for more time to plan.

“We need at least one more year to communicate new graduation requirements to parents and fully advertise the ways students can meet these requirements through the high school and beyond plan,” said Mead School District Assistant Superintendent Ken Russell during a recent school board meeting.

The district needs to determine how to accommodate a third year of science, a second year of art and two years of world language, he added. Most school districts require 21 to 23 credits for high school graduation; the increase to 24 credits will mean hiring more faculty, creating additional classroom space and developing new curriculum.

Mead is in good company. The Washington Board of Education already has granted waivers to 10 school districts for at least one year, including Seattle and Kennewick schools.

Cheney School District is asking for a waiver, and Central Valley School District officials this week discussed delaying the requirement.

“Retrofitting the school to accommodate lab science space will be challenging,” said Melanie Rose, Central Valley’s spokeswoman. “The delay would give us time to figure that out.”

The new requirement also means students will have to take a full schedule of classes every high school semester. There will be no wiggle room, Russell said.

If a student fails more than one credited class, he or she will have to plan to make it up outside the standard school schedule. Districts need time to communicate that effectively.

Spokane Public Schools’ administration plans to move forward with the new requirement, said Steven Gering, the district’s chief academic officer. A final decision will be up to the school board.

This year’s eighth-graders are choosing their classes right now, Gering said. He points out that the new requirement doesn’t really alter what they will take their freshman year because they will need those courses in any case.