Resolution to Approve the Washington FutureReady State Graduation Requirement Framework

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WHEREAS, it is Washington State’s obligation to provide students with an education that prepares them with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and citizenship, and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner; and

WHEREAS, the world our students live in is constantly changing, so what students need to know is evolving rapidly; and

WHEREAS, students, families, educators, and other stakeholders have consistently expressed that Washington’s current graduation requirements have become increasingly complex and should better support meaningful learning, real-world skill development, and individualized preparation for life after high school; and

WHEREAS, more than one in four 10th and 12th graders believe their schoolwork is seldom or never meaningful, and more than one in three believe what they learn in school is only slightly important or not important for later in life (Healthy Youth Survey, 2025); and

WHEREAS, Over the past decade, Washington has made progress in increasing high school graduation rates by 6% between 2015 and 2024. However, direct-to-college enrollment has fallen by 10% over that same period(OSPI Report Card and Education Research & Data Center High School Graduate Outcomes Dashboard, Accessed on August 5, 2026). Washington's direct-to-college rate over the last 20 years, from 2004 to 2024, ranks among the nation's lowest, even as labor market research continues to highlight increasing demand for postsecondary credentials according to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems(NCHEMS, Accessed on August 5, 2026); and

WHEREAS, the State Board of Education’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan lays out a vision for authentic community engagement that centers students, families, and communities in the co-development of education policies, particularly those whose voices have historically been underrepresented in statewide decision-making; and

WHEREAS, the State Board of Education is responsible, per RCW 28A.305.130 and RCW 28A.230.090 for establishing and periodically reviewing graduation requirements; and

WHEREAS, the Board convened the FutureReady Task Force — a statewide group representing students, families, educators, employers, higher education, community organizations, and policymakers — to collaboratively evaluate Washington’s graduation requirements and develop recommendations for updates; and

WHEREAS, over the course of two years the Board gathered and considered the voices of hundreds of community members by facilitating community listening sessions and engaging in formal and informal consultation with Tribes; and

WHEREAS, through this collaborative process the FutureReady Task Force and State Board of Education developed a shared vision that graduation requirements should:

Uphold high expectations that keep multiple postsecondary options open as students’ goals evolve; and

Support the development of essential skills – such as critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and collaboration – as they master core academic knowledge and the ability to use them effectively in a variety of real-world contexts; and

Recognize that readiness for success in today’s world extends beyond core academic skills and also includes social-emotional growth, well-being, and life skills, which are essential to navigating life’s opportunities and challenges; and

Create space for meaningful student choice and empower students to define success for themselves with support from educators, families, and their communities; and

Pair flexibility with thoughtful structure and guidance to help students make informed decisions and keep future options open. This balance ensures all students have equitable access to opportunities and aren’t unintentionally limited by their early choices; and

Allow students to demonstrate readiness for graduation through multiple measures – a combination of culturally relevant assessments, coursework, and applied learning experiences – that provide a fuller picture of what they know and can do, and reflect the range of skills, knowledge, and experiences that matter for success beyond high school; and

WHEREAS, the State Board of Education recognizes that implementation of graduation requirement changes that have a fiscal impact are contingent upon legislative authorization and funding as provided in RCW 28A.230.090(3)(c).

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The State Board of Education adopts the FutureReady graduation requirement framework to amend and supersede the career and college-ready graduation requirement framework adopted by Board resolution on January 9, 2014.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Board of Education recognizes that K-12 students would benefit from increased opportunities to engage in relevant, authentic, real-world learning opportunities, through interdisciplinary courses, CTE course equivalencies, and increased opportunities for earning competency credit; the Board will encourage both the Legislature and school districts to facilitate such flexibility; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the graduation framework shall include the following elements:

BE IT FURTHERED RESOLVED that while districts are already required to offer a program to help students meet minimum admission requirements and to pursue career or other opportunities, the State Board of Education commits to working with partners to improve student access to equitable opportunities across the state as new graduation requirements are implemented.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Board of Education will enact additional, no-cost policies, as determined by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, to create more flexibility for districts to help students meet the graduation requirements.

Establish statewide minimum policies related to providing students equitable access to credit earning opportunities that all districts would need to follow for providing competency-based credit to students, establishing criteria for students to be excused from the fitness portion of the physical education requirement when engaged in an alternative physical activity, and providing credit to recognize multilingual learners’ native language proficiency.

Revise the current “two for one” policy for CTE course equivalencies to enable students to earn two or more credits when they take a CTE-equivalent course that allows an individual student to meet learning standards in two or more subject areas. This would make state laws more consistent across all subjects, as students currently can earn two credits for one course that allows an individual student to meet learning standards in two academic subject areas.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is the State Board of Education’s intention to request legislation to enact the following changes:

• Remove high school graduation pathways (RCW 28A.230.710) as a requirement to earn a diploma immediately.
• Provide resources to develop a model curriculum and professional learning resources to support implementation of the new Financial Education, Life Skills, and High School and Beyond Plan requirement for a Class of 2032 requirement.
• Amend the required Financial Aid Advising Day statutes (RCW 28A.300.815 and RCW 28A.230.310) to require districts to provide instruction on completion of the state or federal financial aid forms as a required activity related to the current High School and Beyond Plan requirement to provide students with information on Financial Aid for a Class of 2032 requirement.
• Amend RCW 28A.230.010 to include a requirement that districts offer at least one CTE course sequence that meets the requirements in RCW 28A.700.030.
• Add a requirement for districts that instruction on technology and media literacy shall be provided at all grade levels in an interdisciplinary way through English Language Arts, science, the social studies, and other appropriate areas.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is the State Board of Education’s intention, after the 2027 legislative session, to put those policy changes that are not subject to legislation and with no state fiscal impact, as determined by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, into effect for the graduating class of 2032.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board will assess the efficacy of the graduation policy over time through measuring college, career, and civic readiness as part of its comprehensive educational system health framework.

Mary Fertakis, Chair
Adopted August 13, 2026