School District to Update Graduation Requirements
Albany County School District No.1 officials will update the county’s graduation requirements in order to comply with proposed changes to Chapter 31 of the Wyoming statute.
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Accountability John Weigel said the Wyoming State Board of Education recently put out a new Chapter 31 graduation requirements for public comment. He said all Wyoming school districts will have to review and revise their current graduation policies to meet the new Wyoming Department of Education rules and regulations.
“The biggest change is the removal of tiered diplomas,” Weigel said. “Local school boards will have to decide how to incorporate the nine content standards into required courses to receive a standard high school diploma.”
The current tiered diploma system recognizes student achievement in nine areas – mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, foreign language physical education, health, physical education, career and vocational education and fine and performing arts.
Weigel said aside from the removal of the tiered diploma system, districts will also be required to have an assessment system which measures skills and concepts which will be embedded in required courses.
Weigel said a committee will review proposed Chapter 31 rules, state statues and Wyoming content standards to develop an overarching policy.
“The district committee will decide on the graduation requirements and when they will be implemented,” Weigel said “The current class of eighth grade students could be the first class to graduate within the new requirements. If the policy takes more time this spring, the students who would be affected by the new changes would be out current seventh grade students.”
Richardson says the committee will develop a graduation policy that will produce a well-rounded student with skills and knowledge to be ready for college, a career and life.