Release Date:
VANCOUVER, Wash. – The Washington State Board of Education will ask the Legislature to eliminate the biology end-of-course test as a high school graduation requirement. After hearing extensive public comment from parents and practitioners, the Board unanimously voted to make the recommendation at its meeting Friday in Vancouver.
"It’s time to focus our work on implementing Next Generation Science Standards and giving students exposure to a broad array of science content,” said Isabel Munoz-Colon, Chair of the Board. "Focusing on biology often comes at the expense of a broad STEM-based science curriculum for our students.”
The Class of 2015 is the first class required to pass the biology test or an approved alternative to earn a high school diploma under Washington state law.
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Contact: Ben Rarick, SBE Executive Director, (360) 725-6027
About the State Board of Education: The State Board of Education provides advocacy and strategic oversight of public education. The board is comprised of 16 members: five are elected by school board directors, seven are appointed by the Governor, two serve as student representatives, and one serves as a private school representative. The Superintendent of Public Instruction is also a member.