“The purpose of the diploma is to declare that a student is ready for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and citizenship, and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner. The diploma represents a balance between the personalized education needs of each student and society’s needs, and reflects, at its core, the state’s basic education goals.”
Source:
Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. (2013). ESEA flexibility request. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/policy/eseaflex/approved-requests/warequestamended022713.pdf
- Student achievement status on state tests
- Student growth on state tests
- Additional graduation rates (five or more years
- Participation in advanced course work, including AP or IB classes or dual enrollment
- Career preparedness performance, including earning credentials or certificates, performance on WorkKeys, and grades in career and technical education courses
Dual Enrollment and Articulation
Washington state policy allows students to earn dual credit for academic or CTE postsecondary courses taken at their high school, a postsecondary institution, or virtually. Postsecondary institutions in the state are required to accept dual-enrollment credits (ECS, 2015).
Early College High School
The Center for Native Education and Gateway to College National Network have partnered with institutions of higher education to provide 10 Early College High School programs as part of the Early College High School Initiative (ECHSI). More information about schools participating in ECHSI is available at the ECHSI website (Jobs for the Future, n.d.).
Citations:
Education Commission of the States. (2015). Dual enrollment – all state profiles. Retrieved from http://ecs.force.com/mbdata/mbprofallRT?Rep=DE14A
Jobs for the Future. (n.d.). Schools. Retrieved from http://www.jff.org/initiatives/early-college-designs/schools
Washington has adopted the National Career Clusters Model and is implementing all 16 Career Clusters.
Washington maintains standards and programs of study in each of the 16 Career Clusters. The state currently is developing statewide programs of study within four Career Clusters, specifically:
- Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
- Health Science
- Information Technology
- Manufacturing
Citations:
National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium. (n.d.). Washington [Interactive map of state CTE profiles]. Retrieved from http://careertech.org/Washington
In Washington, the High School and Beyond Plan gets all students thinking about their future and how to get the most out of high school, so that they are ready to pursue their adult lives, no matter what direction they plan to take. Ideally, students write their plan in 8th or 9th grade and then continue to revise it throughout high school to accommodate changing interests or goals. Washington's High School and Beyond Plan is mandated by the state. It includes all students in Grades 8–12.
Citation:
U.S. Department of Labor. (2013). Individualized learning plans across the U.S. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/odep/ilp/map/#MO
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High School and College Alignment |
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Subject |
High School Graduation Requirements |
College Admission Requirements |
|
English Credits: |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
Mathematics Credits: |
3.0 |
3.0 (including Algebra II or higher) |
|
Social Studies Credits: |
3.0 (including U.S. history and Washington State History and Government) |
3.0 (including U.S. history and Washington State History and Government) |
|
Science Credits: |
2.0 (including one course with laboratory experience) |
2.0 (including one course with laboratory experience) |
|
Foreign Language Credits: |
None specified (N/S) |
2.0 (in same language) |
|
Arts Credits: |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
Additional Credits: |
7.5 (health and fitness [1.0], occupational education [1.0], and electives [5.5]) |
N/S |
|
Total Credits: |
20.0 |
15.0 |
|
Tests: |
High School Proficiency Exam |
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or ACT® |
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Source: |
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Notes: |
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Washington is currently developing a Early Warning System. The level at which Early Warning System data will be reported and who will be able to access the data is not publicly available.
Citations:
State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. (n.d.). Data governance: Objectives of data improvement system. Retrieved from http://www.k12.wa.us/K12DataGovernance/Objectives.aspx
State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. (n.d.). Secondary education: Check & Connect, A comprehensive student engagement intervention. Retrieved from http://www.k12.wa.us/SecondaryEducation/CheckConnect.aspx
