Seattle Schools Community Forum: Middle School Families - You Need to Agitate for McCleary

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Middle School Families - You Need to Agitate for McCleary:

Middle School Families - You Need to Agitate for McCleary

 You need to agitate for McCleary because it was the legislature who mandated the 24-credit graduation requirement...with no funding to back it up. 


From SPS:

Dear SPS middle school family,

We are sharing information with you about a change that is likely to affect your middle school student when he or she is in high school – and we are encouraging your input.

The state has increased the number of credits students need to graduate from 20 to 24. In Seattle Public Schools, students currently are required to earn 21.In Seattle, the new 24-credit requirement will take effect with the graduating class of 2021, this year’s seventh-graders. 

The requirement creates challenges for Seattle Public Schools because most of our high schools offer a six-period school day. That means students with typical schedules may earn a maximum of 24 credits over four years. While many of our students do earn 24 credits, the new requirement leaves no room to recover credit for students who may fail a course or want to access additional courses.

We are working now to examine our high school schedules and other systems to determine how best to serve our students. Potential changes could impact all current middle schoolers during their high school years.

How you may participate:

1. Request to join the 24-Credit Task Force. Direct participation on the task force allows you to help determine and shape the best approaches for students. You may remember that we invited parents/guardians to join this task force last year, but we are seeking more parent/guardian volunteers in the final stages. To request to join,please click here to complete our form.
   The task force has two meetings currently scheduled (3-8 p.m. Feb. 23 and March 1), and will likely meet a couple times more in March.  
2. Provide feedback on options. When the task force has narrowed the
3. preliminary recommendations, likely in March, we will provide an online tool for family feedback, and we anticipate holding regional community meetings. We will follow up with specifics in a later email.

Thank you for your interest.

Shauna Heath
Executive Director for Curriculum, Assessment & Instruction
Seattle Public Schools

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Middle School Families - You Need to Agitate for McCleary: