River Cities Business Journal: Education

Today's News-Herald

LAKE HAVASU CITY - New, tougher graduation standards adopted by the Arizona State Board of Education Dec. 10 will have little immediate effect on Lake Havasu High School.

New state standards say next year's freshmen must complete a total of 22 credits, rather than the current 20, and three math credits rather than two to graduate.

LHHS already requires 22 total credits and three math credits for graduation, guidance counselor Sarah Skemp said.

“We're lucky for next year because we don't have to make any changes. We already have those requirements for our school,” Skemp said.

Another tier of new requirements will kick in for the following year's freshman, who graduate in 2013. Those students must complete four credits of math - including the equivalent of Algebra 2 - and three of science. Current requirements call for two credits of science.

Those requirements include a “personal curriculum” provision that will allow eligible students to complete alternative math coursework in lieu of Algebra 2.

Skemp said the high school would likely work with the middle schools to start preparing future freshman to face the more rigorous requirements.