Updating Graduation Requirements

 

Anthony Hazell

Bay Ridge Prep

ahazell@bayridgeprep.org

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

Bay Ridge Prep would like to introduce more 21st Century Skills into its requirements for graduation.  This is happening as a result of reviewing current requirements and finding that colleges and the workforce require more than just the traditional education being offered at many schools.  Although Bay Ridge Prep has normally gone above and beyond New York State requirements, the school administration wants to ensure that graduates are leaving the institution with a firm grasp of skills required to continue learning and working in the 21st Century. 

 

Bay Ridge Prep school officials often look for differing opinions before creating policies.  Opinions on policy matters sometimes come from a group of administrators, faculty, parents, and board members.  Sometimes, students are also asked for input on new policies so that that entire school community has a voice in policies that might affect everyone on campus.  Our school is in the process of deciding what enhancements will be made in our new requirements for graduation and is looking for student input on this policy change. 

 

 

TASK:  Working in groups:

 

·         Student groups will submit the following:

 

o   One written report of at least 3 pages describing your proposed enhancements to the school’s graduation requirements.  This should be worked on by the group and one person should be assigned to edit and put it into one voice.  The written report should have citations following the APA StyleGuide.  Click here for a link to the APA StyleGuide.

 

o   One PowerPoint or Prezi presentation to use in the presentation to administration and faculty.  One person should be assigned to format this.

 

o   One oral presentation that summarizes the written report and visual presentation (PowerPoint or Prezi).  One or two people can give the oral presentation but the notes for it should be worked on by the entire group.

 

 

PROCESS/RESOURCES:

 

·         Your class will be split into three groups.

·         Each group is responsible for proposing new requirements that you feel is necessary to prepare for college and life as well as suggesting which existing requirements might need modification. 

·         Help our school create a more engaging and demanding curriculum that still meets and goes beyond New York State standards for graduation.

·         Identify two to three 21st Century skills that our school could offer more instruction on and will better prepare students for college and the workforce.

·         Each group will then make a presentation to a small group of faculty and administrations.

 

·         Use the PPA steps to help analyze and develop a solution to enhancing our school’s graduation requirements.

o   1)  Identify the problem. 

§  Worksheet:  http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet1.doc

 

o   2)  Gather the evidence.

§  Worksheet:  http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet2.doc

 

o   3) Identify the causes

§  Worksheet:  http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.doc

 

o   4)  What are the existing policies?

§  Worksheet:  http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet4.doc

 

o   5) Develop policies to correct the problem.

§  Worksheet:  http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet5.doc

 

o   6) What is the best policy to correct the problem?

§  Worksheet:  http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet6.doc

 

·         Student groups will start by looking at current New York State graduation requirements for high school students.  Consult the student handbook for these requirements or view them online by clicking here for the New York State graduation requirements.  Groups should also review the New York State Learning Standards by clicking here.

 

·         Student groups will then look at the additional graduation requirements from Bay Ridge Prep.  Consult the student handbook for these requirements. 

 

·         Student groups should each choose two alumni, two faculty members, and two administration officials to interview about how they feel the current requirements help students post-graduation.

 

·         Student groups should compare New York State/Bay Ridge Prep standards to that of other states or schools.  Some resources include:

 

o   California High School Graduation Requirements

o   New Jersey High School Graduation Requirements

o   Massachusetts High School Graduation Requirements

 

·         Students can also look at other New York City independent/private schools’ graduation requirements for reference.  These can be found by going to those schools’ websites or performing a simple web search on Google or Bing for terms like “[Insert School Name] graduation requirements”.

 

 

 

EVALUATION:

 

Groups will be evaluated on the following:

 

CRITERIA

4

3

2

1

Research

Shows an excellent understanding of existing requirements and used the required number of sources.

Shows a good understanding of existing requirements and used almost all the required number of sources.

Shows some understanding of existing requirements and used some of the required number of sources.

Needs additional research and use of sources.

Organization

Very good organization

Good organization

Fair organization

Needs organizational improvement

Content

Content is excellent and very concise.

Content is good and concise. 

Content is fair and could be more concise. 

Content needs improvement.

Presentation

Presentation is well done and clearly expresses the group’s points.

Presentation good and expresses the group’s points.

Presentation is fair and expresses some of the group’s points.

Presentation needs improvement to better express group’s points.

 

 

CONCLUSION:

With the conclusion of your group project, each group member will have made an important contribution to the school’s goal of enhancing its graduation requirements.  Each student will have had a part in helping us to better prepare current and future students for college and life.  In addition, each student will have succeeded in working together in a group and making a formal proposal on policy change – a skill that will be very useful in college and in the workforce!

 

STANDARDS:

New York State English Language Arts Standard 1:

Language for Information and Understanding


New York State English Language Arts Standard 2:

Language for Literary Response and Expression

 

New York State English Language Arts Standard 4:

Language for Social Interaction

 

New York State Math, Science & Technology Standard 5:

Technology

 

New York State Math, Science & Technology Standard 7:

Interdisciplinary Problem Solving