Graduation Requirements Task Force
The State Board of Education has initiated a task force to review the DC Graduation Requirements. SHAPPE is represented there by a number of members. The meetings are open for observation by the public and are held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month starting in September. The timeline for the task force is attached below. To submit comments and copy SHAPPE so we can post them.
Attached below is the full report and copied here are the final recommendations which will come up for a Board vote shortly and then be referred to OSSE. OSSE would submit any policy change on the grad requirements to the SBOE for a vote.
Recommendation One: World Language and Mathematics Mastery Core Principles of the Recommended Changes Members of the task force propose the following adjustments to the mathematics and world language requirements: ● Students may receive credit for a high school math or world language course by demonstrating mastery of the equivalent standards in the course. ○ To receive credit, students must demonstrate a high level of mastery on an Office of the State Superintendent (OSSE)-approved, test or equivalent assessment in math and by achieving an OSSE-approved designation on a world language assessment. ○ These assessments must be offered in testing conditions on published dates by DCPS and each DC public charter school under the supervision of OSSE before the start of each semester and when there are two weeks remaining in the semester. ● These credits count toward the 24.0 required Carnegie Units. ● Students are encouraged to enroll in higher-level math and language courses upon demonstrating mastery. 3 ● Students are not required to complete the seat-time requirement for the Carnegie Unit.
Recommendation Two: Community Service Description Members of the task force propose the following adjustments to the community service requirement: ● All students must complete 50 hours of community service to receive a high school diploma.
Recommendation Three: Members of the task force propose the following adjustments to the graduation requirements, in support of student preparedness: ● Each District student should receive a personalized learning plan (PLP). ● Plans should be offered at 3 times during a student’s education with the following foci: ○ Plan 1: between grades 2-3 (the transition from learning to read to reading to learn) ■ Focused on reading and math benchmarks for grade level, detailing areas for intervention and opportunities. ○ Plan 2: At the end of 5th grade (transition to middle school) ■ Focused on reading and math benchmarks for grade level and preparedness for middle school, detailing areas for intervention and opportunities. ○ Plan 3: At the end of 8th grade (transition to high school) ■ Focused on planning and preparedness for high school, social-emotional, academics, careers, ideally hands-on experience through internships, detailing areas for intervention and opportunities. 6 ● Each plan should include a list of school- and home-based interventions and opportunities parents can make, as well as a list of the school’s interventions. ● Each plan should meet with a team designated by the school (e.g., counselor, teacher) to review the plan; families are integral to the success of these plans. Conversations about the PLPs should include observations about the student’s social-emotional learning (SEL), but given the absence of state SEL standards, the task force felt these standards could not be included in the official PLP. ● PLPs would not supplant IEPs; for students who have IEPs, PLPs would serve as an addendum. ● DCPS would oversee plans for DCPS schools; PCSB would oversee plans for schools that opt to create them. ● State education agencies, City Council, and LEAs will support the success of these plans by: ○ Engaging families and school-based stakeholders in this process and plan, which is critical; families should sign off that they understand the plan and what it means for their child. ○ Ensuring this is a funded mandate. There will be more work for schools where most students need supports. There must be additional support provided to schools for this to be effective. ○ Ensure the District offers real options for students, developed by families in partnership with schools. Will students who don’t meet grade-level standards be held back? How many times? What is the maximum capacity of summer school programs? ○ Implementation should start in school year 2019-20 as a pilot, with an OSSEdirected review of the process and an expansion in August 2020..