N.J. toughens high school graduation requirements

by Sue Epstein/The Star-Ledger/6-18-09

CAMDEN -- The state Board of Education adopted tougher new high school graduation requirements today that aim to prepare all New Jersey students for jobs or college in the 21st century economy.

Under the new requirements, which will be phased in between now and 2016, every high school student will have to take three years of more rigorous math courses; three years of lab science; and a half-year of "economics and financial literacy."

Three years in the making, the new rules will also require students to take up to seven course ending exams in specific subject areas -- although the state has yet to determine whether students will need to pass all seven to graduate.

The requirements were adopted unanimously by the board during a meeting in which it also approved revised core curriculum content standards for students in grades K-12.

The "secondary education redesign" plan for high schools was developed with the support of Gov. Jon Corzine. The state board received input from educators, business leaders, parents and others.

Board members acknowledged today the job was arduous.

"This has been a difficult task," board member Ronald Butcher said. "To those who are happy with what we're doing, great. To those who are not, work with us to make it work."

While many students in some New Jersey districts, particularly the wealthier suburbs, are already taking the level of courses that will now be required, some advocates have expressed concern the tougher standards will lower graduation rates in poor urban districts.

Education Commissioner Lucille Davy rejected the idea some students would be unableto keep up.

"I reject the notion there are students for whom this is unattainable," she said today.

The measure is a "big change" for school districts and students, and if state officials find the new requirements are being imposed too quickly, "we'll come back and work to fix it," she said.

The new high school rules require 120 credits for graduation -- up from 110 -- and an infusion of "21st century skills" across all content areas. Three years of math will be phased in for students, starting with Algebra 1 for current high school freshmen. Geometry will be added for the 2010-2011 ninth-grade class and "a third year of math that builds upon these two courses" will be required for the incoming freshman class of 2012-13.

Three years of lab science are also now required, starting with biology for current freshmen. A second year of science -- either chemistry, physics or environmental science, will be added for the incoming freshmen of 2010-11; and a third lab science course will be required for the class that begins high school in 2012-13.

The incoming freshmen of 2010-11 must also take a half-year of economics and financial literacy under the new requirements.

The state is also piloting a program in which all high school students will have "personalized learning plans" that spell out their educational goals.

Some education advocates have opposed the new requirements.

"Basically this seems like an unfunded mandate: Higher graduation standards and not any (new) resources to meet them, especially in places where they have struggled to meet existing standards," said Stan Karp director of the Secondary Reform Project at the Education Law Center, which advocates on behalf of the state's poorest districts. "If we're going to raise standards we're also going to have to raise our investment in kids and the schools."

Davy and State Board of Education President Josephine Hernandez said there are still many questions, such as recruiting teachers and making sure they get the professional development needed to teach the new courses.

In terms of funding, however, Davy said the new requirements should be implemented with the "very generous resources" already in place for New Jersey schools, and that districts will also be eligible to seek money through the federal stimulus package.

The state also is expected to make changes to its alternate high school graduation test, which many students, especially in poorer districts, use as a route to graduation. The test will be given during a shorter period of time, and scored by teachers on a regional basis, state officials said.

That test is expected to change again in the future, when the state moves to the new series of course-ending tests.