BUSINESS COMMUNITY

Our students need your help.

Beginning with the class of 2008, all Rhode Island public school students must successfully complete a rigorous diploma process that demonstrates their proficiency in core content knowledge and applied learning skills prior to graduation. Additionally, all public schools must employ a variety of support structures to help students complete the process.

This new Rhode Island High School Diploma System can succeed with support from the Rhode Island business community. Students must apply their learning skills before graduation; what better place to demonstrate their knowledge than at your business?

Helping high school seniors meet their diploma requirements not only benefits the students, but also helps to establish a stronger pool of workers for Rhode Island business. Your support is instrumental in transforming Rhode Island's high school seniors into successful adults who are ready to tackle the real world. Click here for a list of the new diploma requirements, and click here to learn why they were developed.

How can your business become involved?

There are a number of ways for your business to contribute to improving the quality of Rhode Island's high school graduates:

• Become a mentor/provide internships at your company.
• Being a mentor can be a very rewarding experience for you and a valuable learning experience for the student. "Real world" experience via an internship is a great tool for our students to apply what they're learning and to help them gather important information to guide them with their decisions after graduation. Many school districts have added a service requirement for their students, while others look to internships to mentor/internship opportunities as part of senior project experiences or as part of other level requirements. They are also a terrific way for your business to evaluate the local talent pool and expose your operation to potential future employees.
• Become a judge for high school senior exhibition and graduation portfolios.
• This can be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. In fact, Governor Carcieri has served as a judge. Our seniors present bodies of work that capture their final year's worth of learning to a review panel, which evaluates their efforts. It usually is a one-day, time commitment, or whatever fits into your schedule.
• Be a sponsor of our outreach program.
• For over a year, we've been working to raise awareness of the new high school diploma system among various groups in Rhode Island. This takes time and money. Please let us know if you'd be willing to underwrite one of our efforts (for instance, continuing to upgrade this Web site).

Interested in helping?

Please send us your contact information to:
Roy Seitsinger
Director of Middle & High School Redesign
Rhode Island Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
255 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903
p 401.222.846,
roy.seitsinger@ride.ri.gov

How and when were the new diploma requirements developed?

2000

The Board of Regents, RIDE (Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education), and state-level partners evaluated the state's graduation requirements and high school standards. Schools were evaluated based on information from standardized tests, classroom assessments, and projects that demonstrated applied learning. The Board concluded:

• Many students fell below grade level in reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Significant differences existed in what students knew and could do.
• Schools were not meeting students' individual needs.
• Rhode Island high schools did not adequately prepare students to meet the demands of college and work, and did not prepare them to be contributing members of society.

2003

Regents' high school regulations established the foundation for the new diploma system.

2007

New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) developed the new standardized test to evaluate students on a broader range of content.

June 2008

Rhode Island high schools graduate the first class to benefit from the implementation of the state's high school diploma system.

September 2008

Board of Regents amends the Secondary School Regulations so as to add greater clarity regarding the graduation requirements, extend the force of the regulations to middle schools, provide increased support to students by requiring Individual Learning Plans for all students and Personal Literacy Plans and mathematics support for students performing below grade level, and increasing the significance of state tests as one of the graduation requirements. Beginning with the Class of 2012, students will have to achieve a score of "partially proficient" or better on the English and mathematics tests.

What are the Rhode Island High School Diploma System requirements?
To earn his or her high school diploma, each student must:

• demonstrate proficiency in six core areas by applying skills and knowledge at a rigorous level. The six areas are English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and technology.
• successfully complete two of the four following performance-based diploma assessments: exhibition, comprehensive course assessments, graduation portfolio, and certificate of initial mastery. Each assessment is designed around the student's own interests or passions. (This varies depending on the school district; see your child's high school's website to see what is required there.)
• successfully complete a minimum of 20 courses, including four years of English, four years of mathematics (the fourth year may be a mathematics-related course), three years of science, and three years of history or social studies.
• participate in statewide assessments, which are based on the New England Common Assessment Program.
• attain a score of "partially proficient" or better on the English and mathematics assessments (beginning with the Class of 2012). Students will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency by retaking the state tests, passing other tests, or submitting other evidence of proficiency.

Why was this new system put into place?

The new high school diploma system was developed in response to concerns from colleges and employers that high school graduates — even those who performed well in courses and on tests — were not always well prepared for college and work. To succeed after high school, students must think creatively, solve problems, work in groups, speak in public, and apply what they have learned in real-world situations. The mission of the diploma system is to ensure that all students can compete in academic and employment settings, and can contribute to society.