Alignment

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Alissa Muller, Director of Policy

Statutory Charge | Survey | Round II Listening Sessions | Round I Listening Sessions

Alignment of Graduation Requirements with the Washington Profile of a Graduate

The State Board of Education has been directed by the Legislature to submit recommendations about aligning graduation requirements with the Washington Profile of a Graduate. The recommendations are intended to support expanding opportunities for mastery-based learning while ensuring consistent requirements for earning a high school diploma regardless of the student’s learning model. Download a copy of the report, submitted to the legislature in January 2023.

Help the Board examine:

Learn more about the alignment project

 

  • potential changes to subject area, credit, and non-credit requirements
  • how the components of the diploma (high school and beyond plan, credit requirements, and graduation pathway option) can work together better as a system to signal a student’s readiness for success after high school

We want to learn more about:

  • How to better incorporate Profile skills that are not adequately addressed in the current graduation requirements (e.g., financial education, disability awareness, ethnic studies)
  • Clarifying the purpose and role of each component of the diploma
  • Shifting the focus from credits to learning standards and promoting more ways for students to demonstrate mastery

Download the explanatory two-pager (este folleto está disponible en español.) describing this project.

Round II: Listening Session - Draft Recommendations on Alignment

The session will be led by Alissa Muller, Director of the Mastery-based Collaborative, and Linda Drake, Director of Career- and College-readiness Initiatives. Watch this short video that explains more about the draft recommendations.

Round I: Listening Sessions

The April 2022 sessions were led by Alissa Muller, Director of the Mastery-based Collaborative, and Linda Drake, Director of Career- and College-readiness Initiatives, participants heard a brief presentation on graduation requirements, and gave feedback on graduation in Washington state. The May student session was facilitated by student Board members McKenna Roberts and Pavan Venkatakrishnan. Students shared their experiences with graduation requirements and hopes for them moving forward.

A survey and additional comment opportunities will be shared moving forward!

Statutory Charge

The State Board of Education may submit recommendations to align graduation requirements under RCW 28A.230.090 and 28A.655.250 with the profile of a graduate. In developing the recommendations, the state board of education shall consider:

Profile of a Graduate

 

Profile of a Graduate

 

  • Whether changes to the core subject area requirements, flexible credits, and noncredit requirements should be made and what those changes should be;
  • The relationship between credits and core subject area requirements; and
  • How the following components of the high school diploma work together as a system of graduation requirements designed to declare that a student is ready for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and civic engagement and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner: The high school and beyond plan and the credit and subject area graduation requirements under RCW 28A.230.090 and the graduation pathway options under RCW 28A.655.250. (SSB 5249)

Resources