WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Kansas students are preparing to head back to class in a few weeks, and high school freshmen have new graduation requirements.
The class of 2028 is the first class that will have these new requirements, which are meant to help prepare students for life after high school.
Instead of four English Language Arts credits, students will need three and a half, with an extra half credit focusing on “Communication,” which could include speech, debate, forensics and journalism.
The Marion High School principal says students need to be prepared with communication skills and technology they’ll use after school.
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“I think we as educators have thought since we’ve given kids cell phones and iPads and technology at a young age, they know how to do it,” Principal Donald Raymer said. “We just assume that is it. And then they get to their junior, senior year and they realize, ‘oh, we really don’t know that.’”
Students will also need a “STEM” elective to prepare more teens for the workforce. Three units of science, which include physical, biological, and earth and space science concepts shall include at least one unit as a laboratory course.
Three units of mathematics, including algebraic and geometric concepts.
“We know that there’s a lot of STEM-related occupations in Kansas, and so we want our courses to reflect what our priorities are as we think about employability skills and those areas that our kids are interested in,” Kansas State Department of Education Commissioner Ben Proctor said.
The KSDE also requiring at least two post-secondary assessments that could include getting a certain score on the ACT or SAT, 40 hours of community service or being part of a school sport or activity.
A USD 259 representative says it gives students options on how they earn those credits.
“Instead of it just being about math, science, social studies and English, those are still a part of it,” USD 259 Executive Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction Holly Ingram said. “But now also amplifying both sides that you’re both academically- and career-prepared when you leave Wichita Public Schools.”
Students still need at least 21 credits to graduate, which did not change from previous years.
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