Resource: Rethinking High School Graduation Requirements
A Strategic Imperative for State Policy Leaders
High school graduation requirements serve as both a signal of readiness and a lever for opening access and opportunity to social and economic mobility.
Historically, the value of a diploma was intended to demonstrate student readiness for postsecondary education, military service, and civic participation; however, mounting evidence suggests significant gaps, with many students and subgroups not seamlessly transitioning to success. State policymakers have a critical role to play in setting the right requirements to ensure that students leave high school ready to succeed in college and career.
This brief lays out principles for state policymakers to consider when revising their high school graduation requirements, examines the current landscape, lifts up trailblazing states, and offers considerations for supporting the shift from policy to implementation.
