States Must Strengthen High School Graduation Requirements
Authors Laura Jimenez and Kira Orange Jones discuss why states should follow Louisiana's lead in creating high school graduation requirements that match coursework required for college eligibility.
Media Contact
Government Affairs
If states want to make it easier for students to reach the middle class, they should follow Louisiana’s lead when it comes to the expectations for earning a high school diploma.
As a recent report by the Center for American Progress shows, Louisiana is one of just four states where the coursework requirements to graduate high school match the coursework required to for college eligibility. What’s more, Louisiana is one of only two states where the coursework requirements include high-level science and math, three years of study in social science, and two years of a single foreign language — the same coursework that most public universities require.
The above excerpt was originally published in RealClearEducation. Click here to view the full article.
The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here. American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.
Authors

Laura Jimenez
Former Director, Standards and Accountability
