During the recent session of the Texas Legislature, House Bill 3 was passed which included new graduation requirements. Letters from the Texas Education Agency state that typically new graduation requirements take effect with the incoming freshman class, however, the flexibility in the new HB 3 graduation requirements impacts all high school students beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.

The changes in the Recommended High School Program are shown on this chart. They do not impact the number of credits needed to graduate but eliminate some required courses. To provide students flexibility in selecting enrichment electives, this legislation states that students will no longer be required to take Health or Technology Applications and will only have to take 1 credit of Physical Education instead of 1.5 credits. This allows for 6 elective credits compared to 3.5 previously.

In order to graduate under the Minimum High School Program, students need permission and it must be agreed to in writing and signed by the student, the student’s parent and a school counselor or administrator.

This late change creates challenges. Due to the fact that schedules have been set since spring and high schools are staffed based on these schedules, FISD will not be able to accommodate student schedule changes based on these new requirements.

Health, Technology Applications and Physical Education still count as required state electives. District and campus procedures for routine schedule changes will remain the same. The Board of Trustees will consider adopting a resolution in regard to maintaining the current graduation requirements for this year at its August 10 meeting.

You may contact your school for more information or look to this area of the Texas Education Agency Website http://www.tea.state.tx.us/graduation.aspx