|
|
The Coweta County Board of Education
adopted new state graduation requirements for next year’s 9th
graders, and made changes to world language requirements for
next year’s 10th, 11th and 12th graders.
The school board adopted the state of Georgia’s new basic
requirements for earning a high school diploma, which will go
into effect with next year’s freshman high school class.
Under the new requirements – which will start with the class of
2012 – all students will meet the same basic graduation
requirements and high schools will only issue one diploma,
rather than the long-standing practice of issuing College
Preparatory or Technical/Career Preparatory diplomas.
Next year’s sophomores, juniors and seniors will still earn
credit toward either a college or career preparatory diploma, or
both.
The Board, however, also voted to require only two foreign
language courses for students who are working toward a College
Preparatory diploma. Students graduating in the classes of 2009,
2010 or 2011, will have to take a minimum of two classes of the
same foreign language to earn a College Preparatory diploma,
rather than three in the same language, which the board had
adopted several years ago as a local requirement.
The school board voted unanimously for the changes at its
February 12 meeting. The new graduation rules do not affect his
year’s seniors (graduating in May, 2008).
Board members said that the new world language rules for the
next three years of graduating classes will give those students
greater flexibility while still meeting the language
requirements of colleges and universities.
Students can still take more than two world language classes as
elective courses, and may wish to do so to improve their college
competitiveness.
Taking extra foreign languages counts toward a foreign language
endorsement on their diploma (which is earned by taking four
courses in one language, or three courses in one language and
two in another). It may also help students earn a College
Preparatory diploma “with distinction” (which is earned when a
student has an overall 80 GPA with two additional core courses,
including foreign languages). The extra academic rigor shown in
successfully completing three or more foreign languages also
generally improves student’s chances when applying for college.
The new high school foreign language requirements will also
change middle school language courses. Middle school students
are now allowed to earn one Carnegie unit in a foreign language
over two years of middle school study. Next years eighth graders
who started that course this year will be allowed to finish and
earn the early unit of foreign languages, but the middle school
will begin phasing out the high school credit courses in
languages next year.
Middle schools will still offer foreign languages taught by
certified teachers, but the courses will be taught as
exploratory classes rather than for-credit classes.
The new single diploma for 2012 graduates will be a
significant change for Georgia high school students.
The diploma requirements for Coweta County high schools are
based on the block schedule system. Under that system, students
can earn 32 Carnegie units towards graduation in a typical four
years of study (two semesters per year, four complete Carnegie
units of possible earned credit per semester).
To earn a diploma through 2011, Coweta County students must
successfully complete the minimum number of subjects classes
required by a diploma type, must successfully complete 28 units
in all, and must pass all five sections of the Georgia High
School Graduation Test.
The minimum graduation requirements for next year’s 10th, 11th
and 12th grade Coweta County high school students are:
College Preparatory Diploma
English 4 units
Mathematics 4 units (Algebra I and higher)
Social Studies 4 units
Science 3 units
World Language (same language) 2 units
Fine Arts/Computer/Technical/JROTC 1 unit
1 Health and Fitness 1 unit
Total 19 units – Students need 28 units total to graduate
or
Technical/Career Preparatory Diploma
English 4 units
Mathematics 3 units
Social Studies 4 units
Science 3 units
Fine Arts, Computer/Technical/JROTC/World Language 1 unit
Health and Fitness 1 unit
Career/Technical/Agricultural courses 4 units (3 in one area)
Total 20 units - Students need 28 in total to graduate
To get to 28 units, students may take course electives of any
type. Under Coweta’s 32 blocks, up to 12 or 13 elective courses
are available in a typical four years of high school. That
allows students the flexibility to take advantage of courses at
the Central Educational Center, fine arts, additional Advanced
Placement courses or other offerings.
Since career/technical and college diplomas have many similar
requirements, students often earn both diploma types by meeting
both requirements through their elective courses. Counselors
often encouraged students to meet dual diploma requirements to
better plan for future career and education paths.
For next year’s 9th grade Coweta County high school students
there will be only one set of graduation requirements. The
minimum graduation requirements are:
2012 High School Diploma
English 4 units
Mathematics 4 units (Math 1 – IV or higher, including AP
courses)
Social Studies 4 units
Science 4 units
World Language/ CTAE/Fine Arts 3 units
Health and Fitness 1 unit
Total 20 units - Students need 28 in total to graduate
Wayne Outlaw, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum in Coweta
County Schools, said that the 2012 graduation requirements will
give students greater flexibility in their course of study,
while requiring all graduates to meet the same academic
requirements.
“The good part of a one-diploma system is that all students have
the same rigorous program of study,” said Outlaw.
The caution schools have to impress upon students and parents is
that careful planning of student’s high school courses is going
to be necessary, he said.
For example, colleges require two or more courses in the same
foreign language for admittance. The 2012 diploma leaves foreign
language classes as one of several options. Students will have
to choose the classes based on their future expectations.
“Students and parents will have to plan carefully and work with
counselors to make sure that their course of study meets the
requirements of the schools they may apply for after graduation,
or the career goals that they will pursue,” said Outlaw.
|
|