High School Reform Efforts Topic Of National Report

Arkansas high schools were recognized in a report Wednesday released by Achieve as being among the first in the nation to require a rigorous course of study for high school graduation. Last year, only Arkansas and Texas "required students to take the courses considered to represent a rigorous college- and work-ready curriculum in order to graduate," the release stated, adding that six other states have raised their graduation requirements to that level since then. "We know through research that the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the workplace right after high school are now no different than those required to do well in college," said Dr. Ken James, Commissioner of the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). "In Arkansas, beginning with those who entered the seventh grade last year, students are required to complete our Smart Core curriculum unless the parents sign an opt out form. This means that they will have completed four math courses including algebra I, geometry and algebra II before graduation. Likewise, they will have four years of grade-level English classes." The course requirements are one aspect of the high school reform that is taking place in Arkansas. Of the others that are included in the Achieve, Inc., study, Arkansas is actively engaged in pursuing: •