Meeting/Adoption Date: Thursday, May 08, 2008

Resolution:
 
WHEREAS, graduation from high school must be the goal for every student in the public schools of Alabama; and

WHEREAS, the Alabama State Board of Education recognizes the correlation between a person’s educational attainment and lifelong earning power; and

WHEREAS, the Alabama State Board of Education further recognizes the need for an increase in the percentage of students graduating from high school each year and for continuous improvement in the quality of high school diploma options in Alabama; and

WHEREAS, in order for Alabama’s economy to continue to grow and for Alabama’s citizens to be prepared to compete for future jobs in Alabama, it is critical that coursework required for high school graduation be relevant and be of high quality and sufficient rigor; and

WHEREAS, the Alabama State Board of Education recognizes the importance of research that shows that students who take more rigorous courses are significantly more likely to succeed in the workplace and in education beyond high school than students who did not take the same rigorous courses; and

WHEREAS, the Alabama State Board of Education supports raising Alabama’s high school graduation rate, lowering Alabama’s high school dropout rate, and ensuring that every student has the multiple options for coursework in high school necessary for success in the workplace and on future education pathways; and

WHEREAS, in addition to expanded access to coursework in Alabama high schools, there should be a variety of student support programs and initiatives available to assist students to remain interested and engaged in their high school classes, such as Graduation Coaches, Credit Recovery, and Academic Flexibility (classroom time, location, and accomplishment that are not dictated by state-mandated preset hours/days for course mastery).

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That in order to improve Alabama’s high school graduation rate, reduce Alabama’s dropout rate, and to better prepare Alabama high school graduates for workplace readiness and additional educational experiences beyond high school, the State Superintendent of Education recommends that the Alabama State Board of Education approve FIRST CHOICE (the Alabama High School Diploma with Advanced Academic Endorsement) for all Alabama students with exit options available to students upon parental/legal guardian request or IEP committee recommendations, effective with the ninth-grade class of 2009-2010 (graduating class of 2012-2013); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That Credit-Based Endorsement, a new endorsement to the Alabama High School Diploma, is approved and shall replace the Alternate Adult High School Diploma effective statewide beginning with the graduating class of 2007-2008 and is a local board of education option; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That approval is granted for local boards of education to determine if they want to implement Credit Recovery and/or Academic Flexibility to assist students in graduating from high school; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That beginning with the ninth-grade class of 2009-2010 (graduating class of 2012-2013), students shall be required to take and receive a passing grade in one on-line/technology enhanced course in either a core course (mathematics, science, social studies, or English) or an elective with waivers being possible for students with a justifiable reason(s); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That any local board of education may implement FIRST CHOICE, Credit Recovery and Academic Flexibility in the summer of 2008 as a local option; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That any local board of education may request of the State Superintendent of Education a one-year delay in implementing any or all aspects of this resolution with ample justification making the effective class and date be the ninth-grade class of 2010-2011 (graduating class of 2013-2014); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Alabama State Board of Education does hereby authorize the State Superintendent of Education to formulate a committee, with each member of the Board having one appointment, to work with the State Department of Education staff and other appointees, to develop guidelines for implementation and communication regarding all aspects of this resolution, with an initial report to be made to the Alabama State Board of Education by the September 2008 work session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That in order to better prepare students to be successful in new Alabama High School Diploma options, the Alabama State Board of Education does hereby announce the creation of a Middle School Initiative, with each Board member having one appointment, to work with State Department of Education staff and other appointees to create a framework for success in middle school by all students and to make an initial report on the plan to the Alabama State Board of Education by November 2008.

Done this 8th day of May 2008