High schoolers in Oregon won’t need to demonstrate basic competency in reading, writing or math in order to graduate for at least five more years.
According to education officials, such requirements are unnecessary and disproportionately “harm” students of color.
“At some point, our diploma is going to end up looking a lot more like a participation prize than an actual certificate that shows that someone actually is prepared to go pursue their best future,” former Oregon gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan said.
The essential skills requirement has been on pause since COVID began, and last week the Oregon State Board of Education voted unanimously to continue suspending the graduation requirement through the 2027-2028 school year.
Under the requirement, 11th graders had to demonstrate competency in essential subjects through a standardized test or work samples and students who failed to meet expectations were required to take extra math and writing classes in their senior year.
According to the Oregonian, board members said the standards harmed marginalized students because higher rates of students of color, students with disabilities and students learning English as a second language ended up having to take the extra step to prove they deserved a diploma.
From Fox News:
Hundreds of people submitted public comments opposing the move and urging the board to reinstate the standards. Many of the comments were generated from a call to action from Drazan's advocacy group, A New Direction Oregon. Board Chair Guadalupe Martinez Zapata previously described the opposition as a "campaign of misinformation" and "artistic quality mental acrobatics."
