Wake lowered its high school graduation requirements. But it wasn’t their call.
Wake County has reduced its high school graduation requirements, but it’s not by choice.
Wake, like a number of other North Carolina school districts, had higher graduation requirements than what’s in North Carolina law. But that changed now that state lawmakers have blocked school districts from requiring more than what the State Board of Education mandates for graduation.
The Wake school board’s policy committee backed a policy change in June that reduces the number of required graduation credits. The updated policy received final approval from the school board on Aug. 20.
“We’ve always had a graduation requirement of 26 credits,” Brian Johnson, Wake’s senior director of high school programs, told the policy committee. “At this time, what the House bill has said is we can no longer as a school board require more than 22 credits.”
Why NC leaders took away waivers
The state board requires high school students to pass 22 credits/courses in various subjects to graduate. But the state historically has granted waivers to school districts that want to add local graduation requirements.
However, state lawmakers removed that waiver option in last year’s state budget. The change was part of a provision requiring school districts to allow high school students to graduate a year early, in three years.
Lawmakers exempted charter schools from the three-year graduation requirement.
The state board adopted new policies in November to reflect the changes, and the N.C. School Boards Association has recommended school districts modify their policies to comply with the new graduation requirements.
State board members have asked lawmakers to amend the law to let school districts keep their local graduation requirements while still offering a three-year graduation option. But lawmakers did not act during this year’s legislative session to address the graduation concerns.
Wake recommends 26 credits
The graduation rule change goes into effect for the 2024-25 school year. The first group of students affected are this fall’s high school juniors.
The new state law required that eighth-graders and high school freshmen and sophomores be notified this school year about the three-year graduation option. Johnson said 134 students have applied so far to complete the rigorous process of completing 22 credits in just three years.
It won’t be as stressful for students who want to complete 22 credits instead of 26 credits now in four years. Students can complete up to 32 credits in four years.
Wake will still encourage students to complete 26 credits over four years.
“The Wake County Board of Education recommends completion of twenty-six (26) units of high school credits over four years in order to earn a diploma,” according to the updated policy. “A four-year high school experience provides students with an opportunity to expand their academic pursuits and interests.”
This story was originally published June 26, 2024 at 11:50 AM.
