Background and History

Colorado is the last state to align graduation expectations for all students.

The state’s graduation guidelines have been in development since 2007. They reflect Colorado’s updated expectations for students and educators, and were informed by considerable input from stakeholders - a process that included nearly 50 in-person stakeholder meetings across the state and in-depth conversations with nearly all of Colorado’s 178 superintendents. Here is who weighed in:

Timeline

The Graduation Guidelines Council, a representative group of educators and community members established in statute, met beginning in June of 2012 to draft and refine requirements for high school graduation. The state board of education adopted the menu of college and career ready demonstrations in May 2013.

In fall 2013, CDE convened seven work groups to inform the implementation of graduation requirements. More than 300 educators, business and industry leaders, parents and students from across the state joined these work groups to identify implementation recommendations, best practices, tools and resources.

On October 30, 2016, More than 300 schools and districts gathered for an interactive workshop: “Strategies for implementing graduation guidelines that lead to deeper learning and provide pathways to postsecondary and workforce success for each student.”

Find it Now:

• Constituency Outreach
• Advisory Council and Meetings Held
• Work Groups
• Contact Alena Barczak for access to archives about Graduation Guidelines.

Life beyond high school is different from what it used to be.

Life beyond high school is different from what it used to be. Most jobs require education beyond high school. Colorado graduation guidelines provide a road map to help students and their families plan for success after high school. The graduation guidelines take effect with ninth-graders in fall 2017.

Most jobs in Colorado will require additional training or education beyond high school.

• Jobs that require training beyond high school are growing three times as fast as jobs that require only a high school diploma.
• By 2020, three out of four jobs in Colorado will require education or training beyond high school. That adds up to 3 million jobs.
• Already, Colorado employers cannot find enough workers to fill jobs in some manufacturing, health, technology, and science-based industries. They say that students are not prepared to be successful in thousands of available jobs in our state.
• Additionally, nearly 40 percent of students who enter college are unprepared for college-level work.

Each local school board has the authority to establish local high school graduation requirements that meet or exceed the Colorado Graduation Guidelines.

Local high school graduation policies:

• Align with:
  • Colorado Academic Standards
  • Colorado Career and Technical Education Standards
  • Colorado English Language Proficiency Standards
  • Postsecondary and workforce readiness definition
• Include a course on the civil government of the U.S. (Civics) which students must complete satisfactorily, C.R.S. 22-1-1-4(3)(a).
• Allow students multiple, equally rigorous and valued pathways to demonstrate competency of the knowledge and skills necessary for postsecondary education and meaningful careers.
• Complete student demonstrations of:
  • Completion of Individual Career and Academic Plans (ICAP)
  • Proficiency in 21st Century Skills (embedded in Colorado Academic Standards)
  • Academic proficiency in four subjects—English, math, science, and social studies—using options local school boards and districts select from the approved Colorado menu of college and career-ready demonstrations.
• Recognize and acknowledge the importance of education in world languages, comprehensive health, physical education, music, dance, performing arts, visual arts, and career and technical education in strengthening students’ learning in other subjects and supporting their ability to succeed in the 21st century.
• Permit students longer or shorter time periods to earn their diploma.
• Districts have the authority to adapt the competency demonstrations necessary to earn a standard high school diploma to accommodate for students with the following exceptionalities: students with disabilities, English learners, and gifted students.

Communication Tools in the Graduation Guidelines Engagement Toolkit:

Graduation Guidelines Resources on the CDE Website:

• Menu of Options
• Timeline
• Promising Practices
• Resources