High school students in Greater Clark County Schools now need fewer credits to graduate following a school board decision this week. Officials say the decision will keep the district competitive with its neighbors.
Previously, Greater Clark high school seniors needed 46 credits to graduate. Now they need 40, which is the state minimum. GCCS board president Mark Pavey says this could help a few dozen more students who couldn’t otherwise graduate in Greater Clark schools.“We need to be on a level playing field with other school districts. It just isn’t right to have a student in our district failing when they can go to a neighboring district and be a passing student," he says.By lowering the credits needed to graduate, Greater Clark Schools should also receive better marks for graduation rates on the state’s accountability system, Pavey says. He adds the classes students will drop will be electives.The final board vote was 6 -1, with member Nancy Kraft opposing the measure. She could not be reached for comment.The changes apply to the current graduating class.(Image via Shutterstock)
