AISD Changes Graduation Requirements

In a bold move Monday night, Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees approved changes to graduation requirements for high school students.

This comes after Texas lawmakers signed a bill into law in the 2009 legislative session that allows more flexibility in graduation requirements a student must meet.

No longer required by the state are classes in health and technology, and the number of credits for physical education (PE) classes were sized down.  But AISD board members maintained the health and physical education requirements, while making technology classes optional.  In a statement released to ACS, the district cited benefits of this move to be continued learning "in the critical areas of health and fitness; and gain some flexibility in course credit."  The district promised parents upset over the change they would do more to teach technology skills before the Grade 8 technology proficiency exam.

This will affect students entering high school as freshman with the 2010-2011 school year.  The district says students will have enough time to make their class decisions, and principals will also have time to make sure their campuses are staffed with the appropriate number of teachers in light of the coursework requirement change.