PHEW - ARI'S GLAD HE GRADUATES THIS YEAR!!!

Graduation requirements for Gilbert high school students are about to get tougher.

The governing board that oversees Gilbert Public Schools voted 4-1 Tuesday to increase graduation requirements over the next five years above the increases imposed by the Arizona Board of Education. Gilbert's board clerk, Van Dunham, opposed the move.

Starting in 2013, a Gilbert schools senior will have to have completed 24 credit hours - slightly more than the state's upcoming requirement of 22 which also goes into effect that year.
The Arizona Board of Education recently decided to increase requirements for math, social studies and science credit hours, so students must earn three hours in each of those subjects.

On Tuesday, though, the Gilbert governing board went a step above and decided as part of its vote that seniors graduating in 2013 and thereafter will have to finish four hours in each of those science and math areas.

Board member Thad Stump said, "From my perspective, if we don't really reach for the gold ring, we're never going to get there."

Member Elaine Morrison agreed. "I don't think I'm that interested in keeping our students at the minimum."

Dunham argued that raising the bar for students will mean some who already struggle with passing courses will have to fight even harder to graduate. To students with learning impairments that interfere with their success, this sends a discouraging message, he warned.

"I don't want to cut out anyone," Dunham said. "We can leave it at 22."

His own son, now 30, fought hard to overcome learning disabilities that interfered with concentration and reading. He took various classes over and over so that he could pass and earn credit. It took his son three extra years to finish high school and earn his diploma, Dunham said.

Without it, his son believes he wouldn't be working.

"I would hope that we could go ahead and meet the state standard," Dunham pleaded.

Some principals at the meeting also raised misgivings.

Gilbert High School Principal Charlie Santa Cruz said that with higher standards, the board needs to ensure that district managers will give principals and their teachers as much leeway and flexibility possible to offer services such as tutoring and other aids so that every student fulfills the requirements.