GREENVILLE, N.C (WNCT) — North Carolina lawmakers are in the process of passing legislation that allows high school students to graduate in three years instead of the traditional four years.
Starting in the 2024-2025 school year the new law requires the state board of education to create a three-year plan course guide for students.
The credit requirement is now lowered from the usual 28 credits necessary to now giving students the ability to graduate with just 22. Students who opt to graduate early would be required to take a sequence of courses to achieve 16 credits of core classes. Crystal Dixon, who is the assistant superintendent of Pamlico County Schools, says that with a short term to complete core requirements, students will have minimal room for mistakes.
“First and foremost it’s going to require them to decide very early in their academic career,” she said.
“They’re going to have to go ahead and choose this path. And if they do, they’re going to have to be very intentional about their coursework. And there’s really no room for error if they’re planning on graduating in three years.”
With the change in credit requirement, this means schools will have to provide extra courses in order for students to graduate on time. Dixon fears that schools across the state will be struggling to keep up with the course load.
“You know we’ve thought a lot about how this will impact us as far as scheduling is concerned,” she said.
“Staffing is a huge issue across not only our state but across the nation. And when we’re struggling to staff courses now and we think about having to double up on those courses so that we can offer them to students in the time frame they’re choosing to take them, are we going to be equipped?”
Students who choose to graduate early and pursue a degree, diploma or certificate at a post-secondary institution will be eligible for “early graduate scholarships” as well based on financial need. For now, school districts will have to wait on more answers on corrections to the new law until this April.
