Seattle schools may lower grade-point requirement for graduation, play sports

[The Straight Story]

Seattle schools may lower grade-point requirement for graduation

The Seattle School Board will consider a staff recommendation to roll back the requirement of a C average for students play on sports teams and to graduate from high school.


Seattle Public Schools may do away with a nearly decade-old requirement that all students earn a C average to graduate, and an even-older policy that athletes maintain a C average to play on school teams.

If the School Board approves recommendations endorsed by Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson, as well as most district high-school principals and counselors, a D average will be good enough to earn a high-school diploma. Student athletes would need to pass five of six classes with D grades or better.

District officials understand there are concerns about relaxing standards at a time when everyone from President Obama on down is pushing for higher expectations for U.S. students.

And when surveyed by the district last year, a majority of Seattle parents and students preferred to keep the C-average requirement.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009873682_grades16m.html