Alabama State Board of Education adopts high school graduation requir…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) — The Alabama Board of Education has passed a resolution concerning new graduation requirements that will impact the class of 2028.

Currently, Alabama students aren’t as ready as they could be for life after high school. The graduation rate last year was 92%, but the college and career readiness rate was 76%.

Gov. Kay Ivey hopes this plan will change that.

“There is nothing more important that we can do than to make sure our students graduate ready for the next step,” Gov. Ivey told the board during the meeting on November 10.

Under the new requirements, students will have to complete at least one of several options indicating they’re ready for college or a career.

The indicators include:

• Earning a benchmark score in any subject area on the ACT college entrance exam
• Earning a qualifying score of three or higher on an advanced placement exam
• Earning a qualifying score of four or higher on an international baccalaureate exam
• Earning college credit while in high school
• Earning a silver or gold level on the ACT Work Keys exam
• Completing an in-school youth apprenticeship program
• Earning a career technical industry credential listed on the compendium of valuable credentials of the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways
• Being accepted into the military before graduation
• Attaining career and technical education completer status
• Any additional college and career readiness indicator approved by the State Board of Education.

The resolution passed with a vote of 5-2.

The governor said since the rule doesn’t take effect until 2028, it gives the state time to work with the school districts “to expand access to a variety of college and career readiness indicators to meet the interests of every student.”

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) — The Alabama Board of Education has passed a resolution concerning new graduation requirements that will impact the class of 2028.

Currently, Alabama students aren’t as ready as they could be for life after high school. The graduation rate last year was 92%, but the college and career readiness rate was 76%.

Gov. Kay Ivey hopes this plan will change that.

“There is nothing more important that we can do than to make sure our students graduate ready for the next step,” Gov. Ivey told the board during the meeting on November 10.

Under the new requirements, students will have to complete at least one of several options indicating they’re ready for college or a career.

The indicators include:

• Earning a benchmark score in any subject area on the ACT college entrance exam
• Earning a qualifying score of three or higher on an advanced placement exam
• Earning a qualifying score of four or higher on an international baccalaureate exam
• Earning college credit while in high school
• Earning a silver or gold level on the ACT Work Keys exam
• Completing an in-school youth apprenticeship program
• Earning a career technical industry credential listed on the compendium of valuable credentials of the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways
• Being accepted into the military before graduation
• Attaining career and technical education completer status
• Any additional college and career readiness indicator approved by the State Board of Education.

The resolution passed with a vote of 5-2.

The governor said since the rule doesn’t take effect until 2028, it gives the state time to work with the school districts “to expand access to a variety of college and career readiness indicators to meet the interests of every student.”