• Pasco School District Shifts to 24 Credits
    Questions & Answers for Students and Parents

  • Why 24?

    In 2014, the Washington State Legislature passed a bill changing the state’s high school graduation requirements. Among other changes, these included that Washington state high school students:

    • Be required to earn 24 credits
    • Complete a more extensive High School & Beyond plan to guide course decisions throughout high school, based on a plan of action for after high school
    • Be granted more flexibility to follow a personalized pathway to meet the graduation requirements

    In 2014, Pasco School District was granted a two-year waiver for delayed implementation of the 24 credit requirements. We have been using the extra time to plan how to best meet the needs of our students under these new requirements.

    Beyond credit requirements, what does this mean for my student? 

    Your student will gain:

    • Greater opportunities to personalize their high school experience
    • Opportunities to explore pathways in high school that align with their future career & education goals
    • Greater alignment, if their post-high school goal is to attend a college or university, between their high school credits gained and the College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADRs) needed for admissions

    What is Pasco School District doing to respond to this change? 

    PSD has formed a team of staff, students, parents, and community members to tackle the challenges and opportunities presented by the shift to 24 credits. This team has developed action plans that will implement changes in multiple phases to best meet the needs of our students. For more information and regular updates, visit our website www.psd1.org/Readyfor24.

     

    How does it change my student's graduation requirements?

    Class of 2018, 2019, 2020

    Courses

    Class of 2021 & Beyond

    4

    English

    4

    3

    Math

    3

    2

    Science

    3

    3

    Social Studies

    3

    1

    Career & Technical Education

    1

    1

    Arts

    2 (1 may be PPR credit)

    2

    Health & Fitness

    2

    4

    General Electives

    4

     0

    World Language (or) Personalized Pathway Requirements (PPR)

    2 (both may be PPR credits)

    20

    Total Credits

    24

    What are PPR credits?

    Personalized Pathway Requirements, or PPR credits, allow students to explore opportunities in high school that are related to their education and career goals, expressed in their High School and Beyond plan. These credits may include taking additional career & technical courses, music courses, art courses, etc. that are related to their post-high school goals.