50% of Ohio High School Seniors Might Not Graduate

Back in 2014 Ohio lawmakers changed the requirements that a high school senior would need to graduate — nixing the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) for a series of three different paths:

• Earn 18 out of 35 end-of-course exam points
• Receive a “remediation-free” score on an entrance exam for college
• Prove readiness for entering into the workforce by obtaining industry credentials

This change is being put to the test after school administrators, and teachers have scheduled a protest rally on Nov. 15th at the Statehouse. Their main reason? Half the 2018 seniors may not graduate because they simply don’t hit any of those requirements.

“It’s important to get this right, and not graduating in some cases 50 percent of students is not acceptable,” said Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering to The Dispatch.

The Board of Education and the State Department will be discussing the whole thing in a meeting on Nov. 14th-15th — right when the teachers are protesting. Despite expected changes to relax the graduating standards, legislation may need to come into play.

What do you think is more important? Getting an hard earned education or receiving an easy diploma?

To learn more about this complicated issue, read The Dispatch’s coverage here.

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