Justin TIBBITT - Staff Reporter
Arizona High School students can now have the opportunity to graduate high school in only two years. The students can now walk with the senior class on graduation night at the end of their sophomore year. They will not earn a regular diploma like the rest of the students, but will, instead, earn a different one called the “Grand Canyon Diploma.”
High school students who choose this route can take difficult exams for their core classes. If they pass all tests, they will be able to graduate at the end of sophomore year. However the “Grand Canyon Diploma” is not meant to prepare students for four-year colleges. The diploma is meant for those students who want to start work or get a jumpstart on a career. If those students still want to go to college, they can enter a community college or a vocational school.
The “Grand Canyon Diploma” will exempt students from taking the required AIMS testing that is taken during the sophomore year. This fact, alone, has advantages senior Nick Kelly thinks. He said, “The students who earn this diploma will love the fact that they will get late start and a day off when the rest of their sophomore classmates will be taking the AIMS.”
The “Move on When Ready Bill” (HB 2731) is awaiting the State Senate’s approval right now. Legislators and educators want to make sure the bill will advance students to the next grade only when they are academically ready. People think the bill will raise the graduation rate in Arizona by 70%, which is a significant amount. While some people are patently opposed to this idea, junior Kayton Wilson thinks this is a good step for some students. She said, “More students will stay in school [if they] know they only have to spend their freshman and sophomore years before being able to graduate.”
The tests students will have to take in order to pass are difficult, but are intended for all students not just for those that are advanced. If the bill is passed, high schools could put the “Grand Canyon Diploma” idea into their curriculum as soon as the 2012-2013 school year. The first graduating class with this diploma could be as early as 2014. The students who use this diploma to try and speed through high school will have the opportunity to test if this bill will be a big success or something that needs more time to improve.
There are eight other states that are offering the same kind of diploma as the “Grand Canyon Diploma.” Junior Tyler Carmean is glad that although Arizona is ranked almost last in education, “it is cool that Arizona is now offering students the “Grand Canyon Diploma” just like other states have. It will be interesting how voters feel about this new bill and if they decide to pass it or not.”
For students who do end up graduating with this bill, there will be worry about getting accepted into community colleges right after graduating. Community colleges will be required to accept students who have secured this diploma. Junior Caleb Brown thinks that this, at least is a good idea. He said, “It is a good thing that the Community Colleges are required to accept the students so none of them are left out and have nowhere to go after high school.”
This whole plan does not come without worries. One is whether students will be allowed to participate in sports of clubs if they choose this route. The answer is yes as students are always encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities.
There are concerns associated with the bill including how to develop the examination, how to develop the program of study, where the money will come from for a new program, and the fact that the bill is ambiguous about the curriculum and course of study.
More information can be found at http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/hb2731p.pdf.
I love how one student thinks the only advantage to the bill is that some sophomores won’t have to come to school on AIMS day. Wow, that’s a reason to enact a law! Oh and this little tidbit is FASCINATING, “Legislators and educators want to make sure the bill will advance students to the next grade only when they are academically ready.” We don’t advance students to the next grade only when they are ready now – why would we if they are going to finish in two years?