December 13, 2005

LANSING - The State Board of Education unanimously approved today a set of increased state high school graduation requirements for all Michigan students.

Four years of math and English language arts and three years of science are among the requirements; as well as three credits of social studies, two credits of world languages, and one credit each of health/physical education and visual and performing arts. Currently, only one semester of civics is required for high school graduation under state law.

“This change was absolutely necessary,” said State Board of Education President Kathleen N. Straus. “With the evolving economy and global pressures on what education and skills students will need for the jobs of today and tomorrow, we needed to act now.

“What we’ve done here today is so very important for the future of the State of Michigan,” Straus added, “not just for the students, but for the future of the entire state.”

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, who has advocated for a rigorous mandated state curriculum, joined the Board in the afternoon and personally thanked the members for their leadership in this endeavor.

“I appreciate the leadership of every member of this Board who has insisted, and felt, and known that we very much need to up the ante on our expectations of young people in this global economy,” Granholm told the State Board.

“Thank you for believing in our kids. Thank you for really painting a future for Michigan that is much more promising than when you began your efforts this morning. I, as Governor, am utterly grateful to you on behalf of our children, and on behalf of the parents, who are grateful to you for requiring a certain core curriculum, and a core curriculum that really dovetails with the economy,” Granholm said.

Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth Director David Hollister, in his leadership role with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Council of Labor and Economic Growth, and the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors, also addressed the Board. In supporting the new requirements, Hollister explained that a rigorous curriculum and workforce development are the keys to the state’s economic growth. He called the Board’s action as being critical to the future of Michigan.

The State Board’s requirements mirror those presented in November by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Flanagan, with the addition of the two credits of world languages, and the expectation that technology, including assistive technology devices and services, will be infused in the delivery of the new requirements.

The requirements include what is being called the Michigan Merit Curriculum that combines a core list of rigorous academic classes, along with a list of 21st Century skill sets that will be integrated and taught in all courses.

The Michigan Merit Core of academic courses in the State Board’s plan include:

• four credits of English language arts;
• one credits each of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and an additional math class in the senior year;
• one credit each of Biology; Physics or Chemistry; and one additional year of science;
• three credits of social science, which must include a semester of civics and a semester of economics and one credit each of world and U.S. history, which includes geography;
• two credits of world languages;
• one credit of health/physical education; and
• one credit of visual and performing arts.

The State Board also requires that all high school students take the Michigan Merit Exam, or the alternate MI-ACCESS assessment for students with severe disabilities; and that all students complete at least one on-line credit or non-credit course or learning experience, in order to graduate.

“This is a great balance that creates flexibility for school districts,” said State Board member Reginald Turner. “It gets us where we should be today and challenges us to think more of where we need to get to tomorrow.”

By this action, the State Board exercised its state Constitutional role of leadership, general supervision, general planning and coordination of all public education. The Board went on to further its partnership with the Executive and Legislative branches of state government by adding in its Resolution an encouragement for the Governor and Legislature to enact complementary legislation.

Governor Granholm has called for the adoption of a state mandated curriculum for all high school students, arguing that Michigan’s economy will suffer if the state does not have a highly-educated workforce. She appointed last year The Cherry Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth, which called for higher academic standards to prepare students for greater success in their post-secondary education, and to meet the Governor’s goal of doubling the number of college graduates in Michigan.

The Michigan Merit Curriculum would begin with the freshman class next year, if any necessary legislation is passed and enacted by March 1, 2006. If legislation is not enacted by that time, the requirements would begin with the following freshman class.

While the State Board’s plan would instill rigor into high school graduation requirements, it also provides some flexibility in the form of district phase-in of the curriculum and student modification provisions in limited circumstances after their junior year.

The basis of the recommendations was collected by a research task force of education experts commissioned to study the issues and investigate the best practices of five other states that have implemented high school graduation requirements.