BILL REQ. #:  H-3557.1 

Prefiled 1/6/2006. Read first time 01/09/2006.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to high school graduation requirements; amending RCW 28A.230.090; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds compelling evidence that academic standards for high school graduation must be increased. Research is clear that success in postsecondary education is directly related to the rigor of courses taken in high school. Research is also clear that all students, whether or not college-bound, can and do benefit from increased standards and expectations in high school. One national consortium of more than one thousand high schools builds its school improvement effort around a curriculum that requires sustained commitment throughout high school to the core subjects of English and mathematics and also requires students to choose a concentration for depth and exploration.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.230.090 and 2005 c 205 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The state board of education shall establish high school graduation requirements or equivalencies for students.
     (a) Beginning with the graduating class of 2010, minimum high school graduation requirements shall include the equivalent of:
     (i) Four credits of mathematics including algebra II or its equivalent;
     (ii) Four credits of English including reading, writing, and communications; and
     (iii) Four credits in either an academic or a career and technical concentration.
     (b) Any course in Washington state history and government used to fulfill high school graduation requirements shall consider including information on the culture, history, and government of the American Indian peoples who were the first inhabitants of the state.
     (((b))) (c) The certificate of academic achievement requirements under RCW 28A.655.061 or the certificate of individual achievement requirements under RCW 28A.155.045 are required for graduation from a public high school but are not the only requirements for graduation.
     (((c))) (d) Any decision on whether a student has met the state board's high school graduation requirements for a high school and beyond plan shall remain at the local level.
     (2) In recognition of the statutory authority of the state board of education to establish and enforce minimum high school graduation requirements, the state board shall periodically reevaluate the graduation requirements and shall report such findings to the legislature in a timely manner as determined by the state board.
     (3) Pursuant to any requirement for instruction in languages other than English established by the state board of education or a local school district, or both, for purposes of high school graduation, students who receive instruction in American sign language or one or more American Indian languages shall be considered to have satisfied the state or local school district graduation requirement for instruction in one or more languages other than English.
     (4) If requested by the student and his or her family, a student who has completed high school courses before attending high school shall be given high school credit which shall be applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements if:
     (a) The course was taken with high school students, if the academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes, and the student has successfully passed by completing the same course requirements and examinations as the high school students enrolled in the class; or
     (b) The academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes and the course would qualify for high school credit, because the course is similar or equivalent to a course offered at a high school in the district as determined by the school district board of directors.
     (5) Students who have taken and successfully completed high school courses under the circumstances in subsection (4) of this section shall not be required to take an additional competency examination or perform any other additional assignment to receive credit.
     (6) At the college or university level, five quarter or three semester hours equals one high school credit.