SEATTLE (AP) — After much debate, the Washington State Board of Education has voted to increase state high school graduation requirements, beginning with the class of 2016.
The new requirements add one year of English and half a year of social studies. But they will only affect about 20 percent of the state’s school districts, because many districts have already increased their requirements. Among those affected are three of the largest districts, Seattle, Everett and Tacoma.
Because of concern by school districts, the board also approved a plan to give them until 2018 to adopt the new graduation requirements if the local school board applies for and is granted a waiver.
