- Olathe Public Schools
- Updated Graduation Requirements
Class of 2028 Graduation Requirement Changes
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Changes will impact our 2023-24 eighth grade students as they begin high school in the fall of 2024. The Learning Services Division continues to monitor ongoing guidance from the Kansas State Department of Education regarding specific details. All KSDE updates can be found on their Graduation Requirements Taskforce webpage.
Changes to Support the KSDE Class of 2028 and Beyond Graduation Requirements
- High school credit awarded for Spanish I and French I in eighth grade.
- This would take effect for the 2024-25 school year.
- Contributors involved include world language coordinator, middle school and high school administration, district and Learning Services leadership, world language building leaders, school counseling and college and career readiness coordinator.
- All standards and curriculum are the same for Spanish I and French I, whether taught in eighth grade or high school.
- Transition from the class rank to cum laude system.
- Class rank will remain in effect through the class of 2027.
- Cum laude includes three levels of recognition: summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude.
- Contributors involved include high school administration, high school counselors, district and Learning Services leadership, school counseling and college and career readiness coordinator.
- High school credit awarded for Spanish I and French I in eighth grade.
Graduation Requirement Changes and Impacts
Current State Requirement | Class of 2028 Requirement | Impact for Olathe |
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4 units of English Language Arts | Communications (4): 3.5 English Language Arts, .5 Communications | Recommendation to maintain 4.0 ELA credits for graduation in addition to the new .5 Communications requirement to keep all post-secondary paths open. District leaders will continue to collaborate with Learning Services and building staff on specific courses that meet KSDE expectations for these two requirements. |
3 units of history and government, 1 unit of fine arts | Society and Humanities (4): 3 social studies, 1 fine arts | No change |
3 units of science and 3 units of math | STEM (7): 3 math, 3 science, 1 STEM elective | While math and science remain the same, the additional 1.0 STEM elective will encompass many of our previously categorized technology classes along with additional courses that meet approved KSDE expectations. |
1 unit of physical education and 6 units of electives | Employability and life skills (6): .5 credit each of physical education, health, financial literacy; 4.5 credits individual plan of study / elective choices | This will impact physical education as our current practice is to embed health into physical education. Students will now take a semester of health and a semester of physical education that will be transcribed separately. |
New | Two postsecondary audits required from either category: academic asset or career and real-world asset | Olathe staff have partnered with neighboring districts to discuss how we will merge our current expectations with Market Value Assets and Postsecondary Assets. Olathe remains committed to our Strategic Plan Bold Goal for Market Value Assets. |
New | Completion of FAFSA prior to graduation | Olathe will continue to strengthen our FAFSA programming while providing an avenue for all families to engage in a manner that best meets their needs as we attend to documentation required by KSDE. |