No More D’s for the Class of 2017
Posted on October 12, 2013 by Azniv Derdzakyan in News
New A-G requirements will affect future students graduation status
By Azniv Derdzakyan
Chronicle Reporter
Graduation requirements and college admission “A-G” requirements, which were passed by LAUSD a year ago and take effect as of this year starting with the freshmen.
“Some people are so worried about it, in reality its not adding much to the basic diploma, just a few classes. Nothing is beyond any student. They need opportunities for a better life,” said Assistant Principal Craig Alessi.
College counselor Heather Brown supports the new requirements. “To be college ready, to be college prepared, students should take math,english,science, and history every semester until they graduate,” she said. Students should “always do more than the bare minimum,” Brown said.
The minimum credits needed for the class of 2016 is 210, whereas the classes of 2014 and 2015 can only graduate with 230 credits. Classes of 2014 – 2016 could graduate with a D or higher, but the class of 2017 has to graduate with a C or better. The new requirements include the A-G curriculum (15 college prep classes) health, and physical education.
“The district’s most important goal is to have students graduate from LAUSD,college ready and prepared for careers,” Superintendent John Deasy told the Huffington Post.
The classes of 2016 and 2017 require 30 credits (three years) for math and 20 credits (2 years) for world languages to graduate high school. However, the classes of 2014 and 2015 require 20 credits for math and no languages for high school graduation.
“It is challenging us freshmen to graduate,” said SAS freshman Edgar A. Castro. LAUSD made the requirements for high school graduation and university similar so that they could accordingly be considered for admission.
