High School Graduation Options

“In Education, one size does NOT fit all!”

For many decades great progress has been made to provide more rigorous educational requirements for high school students.  This progress has occurred at both state and local levels.  Citrus County Schools can be very proud that even with the additional high school requirements, the Citrus County high school graduation rate increased from under 75% in 2005 to over 85% in 2010.  That has not come easily for administrators, teachers and, most especially, for students and their families.

What concerns me now are the new “higher” mandated graduation requirements which are a  result of the 2010 Florida Legislative session’s Senate Bill 4: Education Accountability introduced by Florida Senators Thrasher, Wise, Gaetz, Richter, Storms, Peaden, Fasano, Negron, Altman, and Baker.  This Bill created the requirement that “ALL high school graduates must be college eligible in order to get a high school diploma” by requiring that all graduates beginning with the 2013-2014  9th grade class must  pass 10^th grade Reading FCAT, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Biology, Chemistry or Physics; pass another science course that is equally as rigorous as chemistry or physics; and pass at least one online high school course.  This is in addition to the graduation requirements already in place which in essence makes a “Standard High School Diploma” a college ready only track. (see requirements at http://www.fldoe.org/students/pdf/FloridaGradRequirements2011.pdf)  This Bill is now law in Florida and has begun being phased in as the new graduation requirements for this year’s 2011-2012 9th grade class must take and pass the EOC tests for Algebra I, Geometry, and Biology. 

Proponents of this more rigorous high school standard diploma will say that our state does have other diploma options.  They will cite the diplomas offered for College Prep, Career Prep, IB, G.E.D., and Special Diplomas as examples.   While in theory that is correct, in reality, and this is important to understand, Special diplomas are NOT an equivalent diploma and do not provide for a student to attend a Florida college (previously known as community colleges), technical center, or registered apprenticeship programs.  Again, under the new graduation requirements approved under SB4, in order for a student to attend a technical center or register for an apprenticeship program or Florida college, they will be required to pass 10th grade Reading FCAT, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Biology, Chemistry or Physics, and pass another science course that is equally as rigorous as chemistry or physics and pass at least one online high school course. This is in addition to the graduation requirements already in place.

While job creation is important for our state, it is equally important for us to have quality trained skilled workers and professionals ready to fill those jobs.  Our legislators must provide or create a career/vocational high school diploma option which is the equivalent of a “Standard diploma” for students who are not going directly into college or a university right out of high school.  Some of these students may go into a vocational school while others may enlist in the armed services. (Note: Few enlistment offices are accepting G.E.D. for entrance into the military.) Still others may want, or need, to begin working in a job.

While I believe “higher education” is important, I also believe that we MUST provide more than a “one size graduation requirement” for high school students in Florida.  Our great country’s success was not founded on simply having “highly educated young people”; we have been successful largely because we are great at fostering entrepreneurship.

Comments Off on Problem: High School Graduation Options
Filed under: News & Updates