June-18-2009 High School Gets More Demanding

After three years of planning and preparing, on June 17, 2009, the New Jersey State Board of Education adopted revised high school graduation requirements that reflect new demands and expectations from employers and colleges and universities. The new requirements for graduating high school include the teaching of new, 21st century skills across all different subjects. Here are the new requirements:

• Three years of mathematics, including algebra I, effective with the 2008-09 ninth-grade class; geometry, beginning with the 2010-11 ninth grade class; and a third year of math that builds upon these two courses, beginning with incoming freshmen in 2012-13;
• Three years of lab science, including biology, effective with the 2008-09 ninth grade class; a choice among chemistry, physics or environmental science, beginning with incoming freshmen in 2010-11; and a third inquiry-based lab or technical science, beginning with incoming freshmen in 2012-13; and
• One half-year of economics and financial literacy, beginning with incoming freshmen in 2010-11.

For more information about New Jersey’s plans to transform secondary education, visit: http://www.state.nj.us/education/ser/.