By Kristine Thomas
Attention parents – Do you know the requirements for your child to graduate from high school?
Dandy Parsons, vice principal at Silverton High School, and Linda Myers, the elementary principal at Victor Point and Central Howell schools and the director of curriculum and instruction, are encouraging parents to find out.
“Parents need to know now what’s going to be expected of their child to graduate,” Myers said. “It’s too late to tell them before their student starts high school. If a student intends to graduate from Silverton High School, he needs to be on track to do so.”
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo said the Oregon diploma will ensure students have the knowledge and skills to compete in a rapidly changing economy.
“A strong foundation is essential for all students, no matter what their post-high school plans may be,” Castillo said. “Whatever our children dream of becoming, they need to be ready.”
Parsons said the number of credits to graduate is stricter for students in the Silver Falls School District than those required by the state of Oregon. The state requirement is 24 credits while the Silver Falls School District requires 25.
Beginning with the class of 2012 – this year’s freshmen – Oregon requires students to demonstrate proficiency in the essential skills of reading, math, writing and speaking. Students will have multiple options and opportunities to demonstrate their proficiency through:
• The Oregon Statewide Assessments;
• Samples of student work scored by trained teachers; or,
• National standardized assessments such as the SAT or ACT.
Parsons said beginning with the Class of 2012, students must either pass the statewide benchmark exam taken in the 10th grade or demonstrate proficiency through work samples in science, writing and reading to receive a high school diploma.
“Students must also demonstrate proficiency in speaking and meet those essential skills and career-related learning standards highlighted in the diploma requirements,” Parsons said.
“Students will have up through their senior year to meet these requirements.”
Additionally, Parsons said, the state is working to determine what scores a student would need to earn on the SAT or ACT in order to demonstrate proficiency in a subject.
“Of course, it is highly unlikely that a student would perform well enough on the SAT or ACT to demonstrate proficiency and not be able to pass the 10th-grade benchmark,” Parsons said.
While the requirements are the same for each graduating class, the required coursework differs, Myers said.
The Class of 2009, for example, will need 25 credits to graduate including two credits each of math and science, four credits of English and nine electives.
In comparison, the Class of 2012 will need 25 credits to graduate including three credits each of math and science, four credits of English, three credits in the arts, a second language, career or technical education and six electives.
Beginning with the Class of 2014, all three credits of math must be at the Algebra 1 level and above, Myers said.
Parsons said this means if a student starts freshman year with basic math, she must continue with Algebra 1, geometry and Algebra 2 – taking four years of math to graduate.
The new requirements to graduate from high school may mean fewer students graduate with a diploma, Myers said.
For example, if a student in the Class of 2014 takes three credits of math but doesn’t meet the math requirements by completing Algebra 2, he will receive a modified diploma, Myers said.
“A modified diploma means a student won’t be able to apply to a four-year college,” Myers said. “He will still be able to join branches of the military, trade or technical school or a community college. We are working so all doors are open to students.”
One purpose for early release days, Myers said, is for middle-school and high-school math teachers to meet and discuss how to prepare students to achieve the new requirements.
The Silver Falls School District also has recently aligned its middle school math curriculum to meet state requirements.
Parsons and Myers, who both have school-aged children, said it’s important for parents to understand what will be required of their child to graduate and to seek assistance – if needed – to help a child who may be behind grade level.
Myers said parents are pivotal partners in helping their children succeed in school.
“Every parent needs to be critically involved in their child’s education,” Myers said.
To learn more about what will be required of your student to graduate from high school, visit www.getreadyoregon.org.
