Mission Viejo : New Standards Studied for Awarding High School Diploma

School officials are studying several proposals for stricter high school graduation requirements, including a minimum grade-point average of C-minus. The Saddleback Valley Unified School District Board of Education directed district officials to consider several alternatives and come back with recommendations March 26.

The proposals follow the establishment of minimum grade standards for students involved in extracurricular activities such as athletics, band and cheerleading, said Donald A. Ames, deputy superintendent.

The class of 1989 would be the first affected by the revised criteria. Students now may graduate with a D average.

Ames said the alternatives include limiting the number of Ds a student can receive and still graduate, omitting freshman-year grades from the cumulative grade-point average, and allowing students to drop the grades earned in their worst semester. “The main recommendation (to be considered), however, is the C-minus, 1.75 GPA standard,” he said.

In a related item, district trustees last week considered increasing the number of required classes in mathematics, foreign language, fine arts and the social and physical sciences.

The board is scheduled to act on the course-increase proposal at its March 26 meeting.