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March 3, 2008

Proposals would toughen graduation requirements

Proposed changes that would make high school graduation requirements more rigorous will be up for discussion this week at two public hearings.

The state Department of Education is proposing three ways to ensure that a high school diploma in Rhode Island genuinely reflects that a student has mastered new material and skills and is ready to graduate:

- Passing a minimum of 20 rigorous courses that align with grade-level expectations developed by the state Department of Education.

- Taking statewide tests given junior year in English and math.

- Completing two out of the following three: a portfolio, a senior project or end-of-course exams.

Public hearings are scheduled for 5 p.m. tomorrow at Toll Gate High School, Warwick; and 5 p.m. Thursday at the Shepard Building, 80 Washington St., Providence.

-- with reports from Journal staff writer Jennifer Jordan

The meetings, set for tomorrow and Thursday, come a week after the release of Rhode Island students' dismal scores in the New England Common Assessment Program.

One of the proposed changes would require that the standardized test scores appear on a student’s official high school transcript, enabling colleges to view the results. Another proposed change would somehow incorporate standardized test scores into a student’s grade.

All of the proposed changes are on the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Web site under Board of Regents/Regents Regulations.

Once the Regents have received feedback and refined the proposal, they plan to vote on the changes this spring.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 4:05 PM | Permalink

March 3, 2008

Proposals would toughen graduation requirements

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