For more than a decade the Bellevue School District’s high school graduation requirements, which total 23.5 credits, have exceeded that of of the state, but after lawmakers passed legislation earlier this year, the board has had to increase those minimums.

Revisions to Policy 2410, also known as graduation requirements, were adopted by the school board in March and in doing so, created an advisory committee to review the potential changes and identify whether the student’s needs were being met.

This week, members of the committee held forums to meet with parents about the potential changes.

John Harrison, executive director of schools, said the overwhelming majority of the proposed changes would go into effect for the class of 2019, next year’s incoming freshman class.

Preliminary recommendations include maintaining the 40 hour community service requirement; eliminating the 2.0 grade point average minimum; reducing physical education and or fitness credit requirements by half of a credit; and increasing science and arts by one credit each.

“We want our students to be able to walk out with the tools necessary to attend a four-year college if they choose to,” Harrison said. “These proposed changes increase the rigor and expectations so our students are college ready.”

However, the shifts and increased credit load won’t be a huge change for Bellevue, he said.

According to Harrison the vast majority of Bellevue School District students graduate high school with far more credits than 24, averaging 30 or more credits, and 93 percent of them with more than four years of high school equivalent math.

“The state finally realized after 15 years that ‘holy smokes’ what Bellevue is doing works and they’re finally catching up to us,” Harrison told the crowd of 30 parents and students during the first listening session, which was held at Tillicum Middle School on Tuesday.

Three additional forums were held at area middle schools for middle school parents to learn what their children may have to face.

Although the state has removed the culminating project as a high school graduation requirement beginning this year, the Bellevue School District culminating project, which includes writing an essay in the student’s junior year English class, and “Project Citizen” in their senior year will remain as its part of the curriculum, Harrison said.

Tillicum eighth-grader Sarah Shank, 13, who attended the meeting with her mother Lisa, said she wasn’t concerned about the proposed changes.

“I really didn’t know any of the graduation requirements before so it’s not like they’re changing for me,” Shank said. “I don’t think I’ll have a problem meeting them.”

hank’s mother said she agreed with the board’s proposed changes and her daughter’s analysis, that the vast majority of students on track for the class of 2019 won’t have a problem meeting any of the new requirements.

Her only criticism, along with several other parents in attendance, was any additional increase to the minimum credit threshold, which could greatly limit students opportunities to take additional electives such as music, theater, or art.

Harrison said there’s been no discussion about increasing the minimum credit requirement beyond the 24 being set by the state.

Final recommendations to the committee are due by Oct. 22. Once compiled, the group will present their findings and suggestion to the school board during the Nov. 4, meeting. A second reading of the proposed changes following the board’s considerations is scheduled for the Nov. 18 meeting.

For more information or to submit a question, comment or suggestion, email harrisonj@bsd405.org.

Josh Stilts: 425-453-4290; jstilts@bellevuereporter.com