Michigan High School Graduation Requirements

1. Michigan High School Graduation Requirements July 2006

2. Why…Economic Survival • Our students face both national and international competition • Research shows students are not prepared to succeed in college or workplace • Courses like Algebra II are new gateway to higher paying jobs • Michigan’s economic recovery is tied to a well-educated workforce

3. Strong math and science backgrounds Creative problem solvers Effective communicators Leadership qualities Flexibility - ability to adapt Why…Employers Want

4. College-ready is Work-ready “…we know that the skills expected for college are also the skills needed to enter today’s workforce. So whether students plan further education or work after high school graduation, they need to graduate college-ready.” On Course for Success ACT

5. History of High School Requirements • Cherry Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth • Year long study of resources, districts and best practices • State Board of Education action • Extraordinary partnership between Executive and Legislative branches

6. History of High School Requirements • Legislation signed by Governor Granholm on April 20, 2006 created a set of rigorous high school requirements • State graduation requirements go from worst to first in nation • New requirements effective Class of 2011 except for Languages other than English (LOTE) 2016

7. Successful High School Programs • High expectations • Rigorous requirements • Academic studies applied to real-world problems and projects • Challenging career/technical studies • Work-based learning opportunities

8. School Environment • Teachers working together • Students actively engaged • Productive senior year • Guidance • Support structures High Schools That Work, Southern Regional Education Board June 2005

9. Our Charge • Come together to help ALL students meet the content expectations to be work or college-ready • Create a vision of implementation for high school redesign • Identify curricular content and effective instructional practices that lead to increased student engagement

10. Collaboration is the Key Our Partners • Higher Education • Local District Staff • ISD and RESA Consultants • Career and Technical Educators • Special Education and Support Staff • Content and Curriculum Consultants • Professional Organizations • Others

11. Overview of Michigan Merit Curriculum 2011 Requirements (2006 8th grade class) • 4 English Language Arts • 4 Mathematics (1 in senior year) • 3 Science • 3 Social Studies • 1 Physical Education/Health • 1 Visual, Performing, and Applied Arts • On-line course/experience 2016 Requirements (2006 3rd grade class) • 2 credits/experience in Languages other than English

12. Courageous Leadership • “By enacting the Michigan Merit Curriculum, the Michigan Legislature and Governor Granholm…the State Board of Education and the Department of Education have catapulted Michigan from the state that demanded among the least…to one of the states that demands the most. • Enacting Michigan Merit Curriculum required political leadership and courage. Implementing it well will require the skill and dedication of Michigan’s educators, a challenge they are surely up to.” • Michael Cohen • President and CEO of Achieve, Inc.

13. High School Course/Credit Content Expectations Overview

14. What Was MDE’s Charge? • Create a set of subject matter content expectations and guidelines that will ensure rigorous learning for all students in high school so as to meet the requirements of the Michigan Merit Curriculum • Convene committees that represent the highest levels of expertise • Align expectations to national and international standards • Submit work for public and national reviews • Publish documents that are useful to teachers, parents, students, and the community

15. Michigan Merit Curriculum • The Michigan Merit Curriculum represents the credits required for graduation in specific subject areas and learning experiences • Course/Credit Content Expectations for: • English Language Arts • Mathematics • Science • Social Studies • Subject Area/Learning Experience Guidelines for: • Visual, Performing, and Applied Arts (VPAA) • Physical Education/Health • Online Learning • Languages other than English (LOTE)

16. Who Was Involved? • Academic Work Groups • Chaired by Higher Education • Other representative members • Local and Intermediate School Districts • Professional Organizations • Career & Technical Education • Review Committees • Web Review • National Review • Achieve, Inc. – ELA and Mathematics • Council of State Science Supervisors • North American Council for Online Learning

17. What Was Developed? • High School Content Expectations (HSCE) • The “universe” of recommended content during a 4 year high school experience • Course/Credit Content Expectations (CCE) • Specific course/credit content requirements derived from the “universe” of the HSCE

18. Course/Credit Content Expectations • Build on and extend • Michigan K-8 Grade Level Content Expectations and the K-8 Educational Experience • Michigan Curriculum Framework • Career and Employability Skills Standards and Benchmarks

19. Course/Credit Content Expectations • Are aligned with national standards and recommendations from: • American Diploma Project (ADP) and Achieve, Inc., • National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association • National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) • College Board (SAT) • National Assessment Evaluation Program (NAEP) and National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) • American College Testing Program (ACT)

20. Course/Credit Guidelines • The Course/Credit Guidelines (CCG) • Provide high schools with general curricular content and processes • Local school districts will assign credits based on their course/credit offerings that are aligned to the Course/Credit Guidelines • Guidelines are aligned to Michigan Curriculum Framework, Career and Technical Education Standards, and/or other program area guidelines

21. English Language Arts • Required: 4 credits • Credit content is defined by units • 4 model units per credit (year) • Anchor texts narrative/informational • Organized by Big Ideas • Increasing levels of complexity and sophistication • Emphasis on Reading, Writing, and Informational Text • Suggested literature

22. Mathematics • Required: 4 Credits • Credit content is developed for: • Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, Statistics, and Integrated Mathematics • Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II are required • Senior year of math is required – to be selected from district or online options, and/or dual enrollment • Sequence is not mandated • Legislation lists examples, list not exclusive • Integrated math allowed

23. Science • Required: 3 Credits • Credit content is developed for: • Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics • Biology required of everyone • Choice of Physics or Chemistry • 3rd credit to be selected from district or online options, and/or dual enrollment • Legislation encourages 4th credit • Sequence not mandated

24. Social Studies • Required: 3 credits • Credit content is being developed for: • U.S. History and Geography, Civics, Economics, and World History and Geography • 1 credit in U.S. History and Geography • .5 credit in Civics • .5 credit in Economics • 1 credit in World History and Geography • Anticipated approval and dissemination 2007

25. Visual, Performing, and Applied Arts • Required: 1 credit • Guidelines are developed for: • Visual, Performing, and Applied Arts • The goal is to provide students with experience in the entire artistic/creative process • Guidelines focus on artistic/creative processes rather than defining set of courses that meet guidelines • Credit assignment is up to local school district

26. Physical Education/Health • Required: 1 credit • Guidelines are being developed for: • Physical Education • Health • Credit assignment is up to local school district • .5 credit in Physical Education • .5 credit in Health • Physical Education and Health requirements may be met in other course/credit areas that meet the established guidelines

27. Online Requirement • Requirement: No credit assigned • Guidelines are developed for “online learning experience”: • Credit or non-credit course or learning experience OR… • District has integrated online learning into each credit area required for graduation • MDE identifies basic level of technology and internet access for requirement to be in effect

28. Languages Other Than English • Required: • 2 credits in high school OR.. • Course work or other learning experiences prior to/during high school • American Sign Language (ASL) and Heritage Languages qualify toward LOTE requirement • Requirement may be met on-line

29. Timeline for Course/Credit Content Expectations and Guidelines • Science High School Content Expectations will be presented to the State Board for approval, September 12, 2006 • Course/Credit Content Expectations and Guidelines will be made available on the MDE website in August: • English Language Arts: Units for 9th and 10th grades • Mathematics: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, Statistics • Science: Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics • Visual, Performing, and Applied Arts • Online Experience

30. Timeline for Course/Credit Content Expectations and Guidelines • Course/Credit Content Expectations and Guidelines projected for 2007 • Social Studies: U.S. History and Geography, Economics, Civics, World History and Geography • Languages other than English (LOTE): Guidelines for credit and experience

31. Performance Matters What’s New Meet or exceed content expectations Perform and demonstrate competency Assign credit based on meeting expectations What We Know • Currently • Pass or fail • Seat time • Individual courses

32. Courses vs. Credits Student earns credit by: • Successfully completing the learning expectations in the Course/Credit Content Expectations for the credit area • Successful completion to be determined, in part, by state or local district assessments • “Testing out” allowed based on earning qualifying score on state or local assessments

33. Courses vs. Credits,cont’d. • Graduation requirements intended to be standards/competency-based • Requirements do not imply courses, seat time, Carnegie Units • Legislation says districts may offer credits through “alternate methods” (e.g. Humanities, CTE, Industrial Technology, Voc-Ed, or combination)

34. Courses vs. Credits,cont’d. • Credit requirement can be met in variety of ways and in other courses • Career Technical Education • Community based learning • Independent study/project work • High school credit may be earned for high school level courses taken prior to high school

35. Courses vs. Credits,cont’d. • Legislation does not prohibit student satisfying credit requirements through: • Dual enrollment • Advanced Placement • International Baccalaureate • Other “early college” experiences or programs

36. Michigan Merit Curriculum Assessments • By April 2009 the MDE must develop or select and approve assessments to measure achievement in at least the required credit areas of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies by: • End-of-course exams • Possible incremental (semester) assessments • Legislation authorizes local district to institute as graduation requirement • Legislation authorizes local districts to add additional requirements to the Michigan Merit Curriculum

37. Personal Curriculum • Graduation requirements may be modified through the “Personal Curriculum” • Developed by team comprised of: the student, parent/guardian, high school counselor or staff member designated by principal • No age or grade level legislated • Should incorporate as much of graduation requirements as practicable • Shall include measurable goals and evaluation

38. Personal Curriculum,cont’d. • Aligned with student’s Educational Development Plan (EDP from 7th grade) • Final plan must be approved by parents and district superintendent • Parents must communicate with teachers once each quarter to assess progress

39. Personal Curriculum

40. Personal Curriculum

41. Personal Curriculum

42. Sample Student Schedule - Career Technical Education Emphasis Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Period 1 English 9 English 10 English 11 English 12 Period 2 Algebra I Geometry Algebra II Math-Related Period 3 World History US History Gov/Econ Science Period 4 Biology Chemistry Period 5 Health/PE Visual, Performing, and Applied (VPAA) Period 6 LOTE LOTE CTE CTE LOTE: Languages other than English

43. Sample Student Schedule -Instrumental Music Emphasis

44. 7 Period Day

45. 4x4 Block A/B Block First Semester or A Schedule Second Semester or B Schedule

46. Trimester Schedule

47. Special Education • All graduation requirements apply • Student’s IEP supports the student to achieve graduation • The IEP must identify the appropriate supports to successfully complete the Michigan Merit Curriculum or through a Personal Curriculum

48. Support for Students At Risk Students at risk of failure or dropping out • District must provide parents information on tutoring, support, counseling services that are available, such as: • 31A programs/services • Services required through NCLB (if school receives Title 1 funds) • Other school/district-based services

49. District Modification • District must make available opportunities to meet all graduation requirements by beginning of 2007-08 school year (when next year’s 8th graders enter 9th grade) • If not available in the district itself, other arrangements such as: • Co-op agreements with neighboring district(s) • Online options • Dual enrollment • Distance learning • If district still cannot provide required opportunities, may apply for approval of phase-in plan • MDE to develop guidelines • Phase-in, no permanent waivers

50. Specialty Schools • State Superintendent may designate up to 15 “Specialty Schools” • Exempt from the 4 ELA credits • Exempt from the 3 Social Studies credits • Must require 4 credits of Science, with no modification • No modification of Math credits