Utah diploma rules will really add up

The Utah Board of Education is officially one step away from raising high school graduation requirements for the Class of 2011 and beyond to four years of English and three years each of math and science.

The big task now: Determine what classes will count toward that extra year's worth of classes in each subject.

"This is huge," board member Teresa Theurer, who leads the board's curriculum committee, said Thursday. "It's huge for schools, it's huge for released time, it's huge for districts to find additional math and science teachers. We've got to find a way to deal with that."

The board unanimously passed a rule that codifies an earlier vote to raise graduation requirements following stayed legislative efforts to that effect. The action was a "second reading" vote — a final vote is expected in August.

The rule also sets up criteria for which courses can count for English, math and science requirements, and requires students pass or demonstrate competency in at least geometry or applied math II —a step above the current elementary algebra requirement. Students can take up to two years to pass a single math class if they need the extra help.

A committee is working to create a statewide list of approved classes, though districts can seek state school board permission to add to it, Theurer said.

The board also vowed to examine allowing students opportunities to follow a career path of study and a "default" curriculum for others.

The state board for years has kicked around the idea of boosting graduation requirements, but it backed off in the wake of community outcry about lost opportunities in the electives and fears that the arts would go by the wayside. Theurer said those community concerns remain.

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