Office of Support Services Sid Salazar, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent

1. Board of Education Action Items Based on the Recommendations from theCareer Ready and College Preparatory Task Force Office of Support Services Sid Salazar, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent San Diego Unified School District March 29, 2011

2. Proposed Changes to Graduation Requirements 1. Align SDUSD graduation requirements with UC/CSU “a-g” subject requirements • May have budget impact by 2016 or later 2. Add career readiness graduation requirements • May have budget impact after 2016

3. Proposed Changes to Graduation Requirements 3. Increase required graduation credits from 44 to 48* • No budget impact expected 4. Require new graduation requirements for the Class of 2016 • May have budget impact by 2016 or later *Alternative means of graduation remain in place as prescribed by Education Code.

4. Proposed Changes to Graduation Requirements 5. Encourage extra support for students earning “Ds” and “Fs” • May have budget impact by 2011-12 or later

5. Why Is This Important for Students, Families, and San Diego? • An estimated 75% of jobs in California will require some postsecondary education by 2020* • Approximately 38% will require some formal career preparation or certification after high school (e.g., automotive tech., medical assistant, electrician, engineering tech., etc.) • “…27% of people with post-secondary licenses or certificates—credentials short of an associate’s degree—earn more than the average bachelor’s degree recipient.” • Approximately 37% will require a Bachelor’s degree* * Data from “Preparing for the Future,” a report from the Education Consortium of San Diego County, based on information from the Public Policy Institute of California **From the Harvard Study, “Pathways to Prosperity Project,” February 2011

6. Why Is This Important for Students, Families, and San Diego? • Currently 7 of 10 jobs in San Diego require some form of formal education beyond high school* • Graduates should be prepared to be economically successful in the 21st Century * Data from “Preparing for the Future,” a report from the Education Consortium of San Diego County, based on information from the Public Policy Institute of California.

7. Advantages of Change • Modification will fulfill the Board of Education’s Mission Statement • Graduates will be better prepared for career and college and have more postsecondary options • Disparity of career and college readiness among ethnic groups and school sites will be reduced

8. Challenges of Change • Potential costs for implementation may be incurred: • Professional development for staff • Outreach to parents and community • Additional staff/materials for world language, visual and performing arts, mathematics, career readiness courses, and support classes

9. Rationale • Will allow SDUSD, as a large urban district, to pioneer the alignment of high school graduation requirements with the Common Core State Standards (career and college prep) • Will address the economic, workforce and family needs of the San Diego region • Will give students more opportunities for career and college success after high school • Will provide better equity, enrollment and success in career readiness and college preparedness for underserved students

10. Rationale (cont.) • Will prepare students to become civically engaged citizens of the community • Will minimize budget impact if phased in over time • Allows for more and better student, parent and community outreach and communication • Allows for better implementation planning • Allows for professional development to occur

11. Board Action Items 1. Align SDUSD graduation requirements with UC/CSU “a-g” subject requirements 2. Add career readiness graduation requirements 3. Increase required graduation credits from 44 to 48 4. Require new graduation requirements for the Class of 2016 5. Encourage extra support for students earning “Ds” and “Fs”