Small Town News

New requirements meeting future graduates

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New requirements handed down by the North Dakota legislature are greeting future North Dakota graduates. While this year's seniors are exempt from the new standards, students expecting to graduate as soon as 2011 are affected.

Currently, high school students are required to take and pass two math and two science classes. Beginning next year, students will be required to add an additional math class and science class to their cumulative records.

Assistant State Superintendent Gary Gronberg said the new classes will better prepare students for post graduation.

"The requirements for graduation are being ramped up to prepare graduates for global competition," Gronberg said. "We'll continue to look at content standards to.not only prepare students for college but also to prepare students for the world of work."

Mt. Pleasant High School Principal, Randy Loing, said the school will offer applied mathematics and applied biology/chemistry. Loing said the applied mathematics course has an emphasis on students ability to apply functional mathematics to solve problems in the world of work while the biology/chemistry course will better prepare students to enter either chemistry courses, biology courses or vocational career options.

"I think it's a positive to increase our math and science requirements but our biggest concern is implementing those changes and how they'll affect this year's junior class," Rolla Superintendent. Brian Palmer said.

All total, students will need 22 credits to graduate. The biggest difference will be in how many electives students can take. Under the new format, the number of required electives will drop from seven to five in Rolla. Some of the electives mentioned by Palmer include music, physical education, agriculture courses and family consumer science.

St. John High School Principal, Nathen Jensen, said he favors the change.

"I think it's good to put some rigor in our classes and I like the new requirements," Jensen said. "Scheduling is always a concern but we still offer up to seven electives so 1 think our students can still pick from a variety of courses."

Rolette High School PrinciaL, Jared Blikre, said the changes will challenge his district.

"The changes themselves are good but I think they should have waited another year," said Blikre. "In a smaller school such as ours we don't have that many elective science and math classes."

Blikre said he did not know what additional science and math classes will be added.

"We're still waiting from DPI (Department of Public Instruction) for approval. We'll have to come up with some modified sciences like horticulture and environmental classes."

Despite the challenges, Blikre said he was certain the school will meet the new requirements.

"I think it was pushed through too soon but we'll make it work and we'll get the necessary electives."

On the flip side. Dunseith High School Principal Pat Brenden said the Dunseith School District is "in pretty good shape."

"None of these changes are having a real big impact on us," said Brenden. "We're trying to stay ahead of the game and right now I think we're where we need to be."

Brenden said the three maths and three sciences are already a requirement to graduate from Dunseith. In addition, the school requires three history classes to graduate.

Some of the classes offered which Brenden mentioned included physics, chemistry and wildlife management.

"We started putting things in place two years ago when the board increased the graduation requirements and everything has worked out fine," Brenden said.

When the N.D. Legislature increased the minimum graduation requirements last spring, it also put in place funding for scholarships to add incentive for'student achievement.

Students have the option to apply for either a N.D. Career and Technical Education Scholarship or a N.D. Academic Scholarship.

In order to be eligible for either scholarship, several requirements have to be met. Some of those requirements' are: graduate from a high school in North Dakota or from a high school in a bordering state.

Obtain a grade of at least aC in each class required.

Obtain a cumulative grade point average of at least a B.

Receive a composite score of at least a 24 on the ACT.

Deadline to apply for the scholarship is June 1, with application forms available at area schools.

Students can receive $750 per semester up to $1,500 each year, for four years, totaling $6,000.



Copyright 2009 Turtle Mountain Star, Rolla, North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2010 Turtle Mountain Star Rolla, North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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