PROPOSED GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS ALLOW FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education is looking to fine tune what courses are required to earn a high school diploma. A committee of teachers, counselors, administrators, parents, students and residents each year studies the district's graduation requirements.

The recommendation on the table is to keep the graduation requirement at a total of 23 but lower physical education to 1.5 from 2 credits. In turn, the elective requirements would increase to 7.5 from 7 units.

Changing graduation requirements is a serious matter. Students must plan their course work so much earlier these days to put them on the right track for college or post-high school education. The state and district also have pushed the importance of technical education.

But with all the different college requirements and career pathways, students must be allowed some flexibility to meet their varied needs. High schools must also react to colleges and universities increasing requirements for English, math and science.

Raising the number of electives will allow much needed flexibility for students.

Physical education is important. But these classes can be taken as an elective. Although P.E. requirements could drop to 1.5 units, the district still requires a half unit of health to graduate. Before last year, health was included in the physical education curriculum.

The state requires a minimum of 22 credits for graduation. Cape Central High School has long required 23. Other school districts mandate 24 units.

Minimum is a key word in this discussion. The majority of Cape Central students graduate with more than the minimum 23 units.

While increasing the credits may push many students to a higher level, it may also leave others behind. If students see they can't keep pace with the required courses, more may drop out. More than 7 percent of students already drop out each year in the Cape Girardeau Public Schools. As such, a change in the number of requirements should be weighed very carefully.

This change in the electives seems preferable at this point in time over an overall change in the number of credits.