San Benito High School District trustees this week approved new graduation requirements for the freshmen class of 2016-17 that include courses mandated for admission to California State University or University of California schools.
Students can opt out of these requirements—with parental consent—and select a “career and college pathway” that includes a three-year career technical education pathway.
Superintendent John Perales added that a student may choose from a variety of options after high school and attend a four-year university, community college, trade school or join the Armed Forces.
“Whichever path a student may choose, the key is that they have options their senior year and are well prepared academically,” said Perales in the announcement. “I believe these graduation requirements will increase the learning rigor of all students and help our students reach their dreams.”
Of the graduating class last year, 42 percent took the courses they needed—called A-G requirements—to attend state colleges.
Students may, with a five-year plan and parent agreement, complete the College and Career Pathway, which drops foreign language classes and includes a three-year career technical education pathway. Parents of students choosing this pathway must sign a waiver recognizing that their child may not qualify for direct entrance to a CSU or U.C.
Students meeting the prior graduation requirements were already close to meeting the A-G requirements, Cindi Krokower, the director of educational services, told the Free Lance.
“When we started looking at this, it was just remarkable how close we were,” Krokower said.
To meet the A-G requirements, students will be required to complete more foreign language courses and three years of math classes including Algebra II.
“We know we must provide our students with additional support to help them meet these new requirements,” said Perales in the press release. “I always use the lens of my own children and these are my expectations for them—these must be the expectations for all of our children.”
