- State Board Adopts College and Career Ready Diploma
- Seattle Wins Federal Teacher Incentive Fund Grant
State Board Adopts College and Career Ready Diploma
On Sept. 17, the State Board of Education (SBE) made a landmark decision regarding Washington’s graduation requirements. Following two years of discussions, by a vote of 12-1, the SBE provisionally adopted a 24-credit, college and career-ready high school diploma to be fully funded and implemented for the Class of 2016.
While the diploma is still subject to formal adoption by the legislature during the 2011 legislative session, the Board’s work demonstrates a strong consensus that current requirements for a high school diploma are not sufficiently preparing students for college and careers.
The proposed 24-credit “Career and College Ready High School Graduation Requirements” automatically enrolls all 8th grade students in a course of study that meets the minimum college enrollment requirements set by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. Students, however, may opt-out of a series of elective credits depending on the student’s High School and Beyond Plan. Not subject to opt-out are the following “CORE” credits that every student must take and pass in order to receive a high school diploma:
• English, 4 credits
• Math, 3 credits
• Science (2-labs), 3 credits
• Social Studies, 3 credits
• Art, 1 credit
• Occupational Education, 1 credit
• Health, 0.5 credit
In addition, to the SBE’s adoption of the new graduation requirements, the Board made other laudable votes at their last meeting, including:
• Moving from an hour-based credit definition to a content and knowledge-based definition; and
• Allowing for students to fulfill two high school requirements with only one course (this applies only to Career-Technical Education courses and all students will still be required to earn 24-credits in order to receive a diploma).
Partnership for Learning strongly applauds the Board’s decision. We will continue to support a formal adoption and encourage a speedy implementation timeline during the upcoming 2011 legislative session.
More information on the new graduation requirements can be found at the State Board of Education’s website.
Seattle Wins Federal Teacher Incentive Fund Grant
Last week, the Department of Education announced Seattle Public Schools as one of 62 winners from 27 states to win federal funding through the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF). The TIF grant program seeks to strengthen the education profession by rewarding excellence, attracting teachers and principals to high-need and hard to staff areas, and providing all teachers and principals with the feedback and support they need to succeed.
Seattle will receive $12.5 million to help pay for a number of the groundbreaking reforms included in the new teachers’ contract that was approved earlier this month. Specifically, the grant will allow Seattle schools to reward high-performing teachers (as measured by the district’s new evaluation system) and ensure the students who need the most help are taught by the very best.
Seattle’s success in securing federal funds signifies that the hard work done by the district and the Seattle Education Association to develop a new teacher’s contract was well worth the time and effort. The grant proves that through collaboration and commitment to the success of all students, the good work happening in Washington districts can be recognized and rewarded.
To learn more about Seattle’s TIF Grant, including Partnership for Learning’s perspective on the grant, please read this Seattle Times article.