The Whole Child

YES

Thanks for taking the time to Grade Your School and Community with our web-based tool.

Congratulations! We're delighted your district offers students many ways to meet graduation requirements. Implementing flexible graduation requirements at the state level allows for local innovation with course credits and assessments.

New Question:

How does your district use data to help each student meet these requirements?

Planning for the success of each student takes significant effort and starts early in a student's academic journey. For instance, at Bronx Preparatory School in New York, acceptance to a four year college is a graduation requirement (attendance, is, of course, a family decision). Students in 5th through 12th grade are referred to as "scholars" and homerooms are identified by the names of colleges and universities (e.g., "Will the scholars of Howard University please report to the gym for the assembly?"). These and other strategies "normalize success," according to staff members, so that students who will often be the first in their family to graduate high school and attend college understand from the first day of school that failure is not an option and the staff are completely committed to their success.

The American School Counselor Association, a whole child partner, offers tip sheets to help families get involved in college and career planning as well. Visit the "parents and public" section of their Web site for back to school tips and articles for families.

Thank you for taking a stand to support the whole child in your school or district! Please e-mail us at wholechild@ascd.org if we can further support your efforts.

NO

Thanks for taking the time to Grade Your School and Community with our web-based tool.

We're sorry to hear that your school does not offer students multiple ways to show they have met graduation requirements. Flexible graduation requirements allow for local innovation with course credits and assessment. For example, personalized learning plans, individualized programs that maximize each students potential, keep each student actively engaged in learning and connected to the school and broader community.

Your state board of education's Web site is a good place to check high school graduation requirements. Each state board of education is responsible for establishing the minimum state high school graduation requirements, while local districts are responsible for the courses and curriculum to meet the state graduation requirements. Innovations can and should occur at both the state and local level. You can compare your state's requirements with other states by visiting http://www.ecs.org/ecsmain.asp?page=/html/issuesK12.asp.

For example, Rhode Island has implemented a diploma system that allows assessments that measure how well students use knowledge, skills, and competencies to solve real-world tasks and problems. Each student has a portfolio that documents educational performance over time. Students must demonstrate a skill set in six main areas: communicating (reading, writing, speaking); problem solving; critical thinking; research; personal and social responsibility; and interpersonal interactions.

Encourage leaders at the local and state levels to consider offering multiple ways for students to meet graduation requirements.

Thank you for taking a stand to support the whole child in your school or district! Please e-mail us at wholechild@ascd.org if we can further support your efforts.

I DON'T KNOW

Thanks for taking the time to Grade Your School and Community with our web-based tool.

Your state board of education's Web site is a good place to check high school graduation requirements. Each state board of education is responsible for establishing the minimum state high school graduation requirements, while local districts are generally responsible for the courses and curriculum to meet the state graduation requirements. Your next step should be to check your school district's Web site to find our how students in your district demonstrate their achievement. Innovations can and should occur both at the state and local level. You can compare your state's requirements with other states by visiting http://www.ecs.org/ecsmain.asp?page=/html/issuesK12.asp.

Thank you for taking a stand to support the whole child in your school or district! Please e-mail us at wholechild@ascd.org if we can further support your efforts.