Mat-Ab district changes graduation requirements

BY JOSH DAVIDSON
Staff Writer

MATAWAN — The Board of Education has set higher standards for students graduating from Matawan Regional High School.

The board approved revisions to its high school graduation requirements at its Dec. 15 meeting.

The action further defines the district’s terms for passing health, physical education and science, said Robert Rogers, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

"We’re kind of guiding the students into having a wider experience rather than zooming into one particular area," he said.

Previously, 16 combined credits were required in health and physical education for graduation, Rogers said. Now, in order to graduate students will have to pass 12 credits in gym and four in health.

Before the policy change, students could have graduated by passing 16 credits in gym, but none in health, Rogers said. Students took courses from both subjects but only had to pass 16 credits from one, he said.

"It is our opinion that we need to define that our students really need to pass the health courses as well as the physical education courses," he said. "We’re really putting an emphasis on the health curriculum."

The state mandates that students have training in family life, first aid, and drug and alcohol awareness, he said.

Of 15 required science credits, five will now have to be passed in physical science and five in biological science, he said.

"In terms of science, the state simply says students need 15 credits in science," he said. "For future plans in testing [High School Proficiency Assessment] and core curriculum standards the students need to get training in physical and biological science. Before, schedules could have been loaded up with one and have none in the other. We wanted the students to have a better foundation in both physical science and biology."

District administration examines its high school graduation requirements on a yearly basis and every time the state’s obligations for students change, Rogers said.

"Our requirements must meet or exceed the state requirements," he said.