New Graduation Requirements Make First Passage

The Woonsocket School Committee unanimously approved first passage of a new grade and credit system for high school students which would lower the mark for passing from 70 to 60 and require completion of 20 rather than 26 courses.

If the plan is approved at the committee's next regular meeting, it will take effect immediately, impacting seniors slotted for 2011 graduation.

Committeewoman Linda Majewski has been working with a curriculum committee to develop the recommended changes. "We have students dropping out right now with 23 credits, when in reality if they were in another community, they would have graduated already,"  Majewski said.

WED originally adopted the 26 credit system, the highest in the state,  to accompany block scheduling which allowed students a total of 32 opportunities to meet graduation requirements. Finance auditors recommended that Woonsocket eliminate block scheduling as a cost saving measure to balance their 2010 budget.

"The issue comes into play with the seven period versus six period day," said Majewski. The committee has estimated that changing to a six period day will save the education department $782,803 but will only afford Woonsocket students with 24 opportunities to earn course credit.

One student, Kristen Treganowan, a junior at Woonsocket High School, spoke out against a six period day telling committee members, "If Woonsocket chooses to go to a six period day, there is a good chance schedules will be limited and electives will be cut. When schedules and electives are cut, so is diversity, so is talent, and so is opportunity."

In addition to concerns about general elective opportunities, parents expressed fears that the new schedule would not allow room for enough language courses. Most four year colleges require three years of a foreign language, effectively leaving even less space for courses such as band and art for the college-bound.

Cumberland currently has six period day and while Majewski emphasized the need for some planning and individualization to make a new schedule work, other school systems in the state have demonstrated the changes as a valid method to cut costs. 

Although the need for a six versus seven period day is still being debated by the department's finance subcommittee, the 20 course and lower grade requirements are likely to help more than 30 students graduate this year, raising the city's graduation rate from 63% to 70%.

"This recommendation is to align our graduation requirements with the new graduation requirements provided by RIDE," explained Superintendent Robert Gerardi.

Majewski disputed the notion that the WED would be merely be lowering the bar for graduation. "I think you have to look at it as leveling the playing field," she said, adding that students would still have to pass the NECAP (New England Common Assessment Program) with at least a 2 and create their own portfolio in order to graduate.