Mich. House OKs high school graduation changes

6/6/2013

LANSING, Mich.  — The Michigan House has approved mostly minor changes in high school graduation requirements to give more flexibility to students to pursue career and technical education.

The Michigan Merit Curriculum was signed into law in 2006 and made the state’s graduation requirements among the toughest in the country. Lawmakers have since sparred over whether the rules provide enough flexibility for students not planning to attend a four-year college.

Students now have to take 2 years of a foreign language in high school to graduate. They could count foreign-language classes taken in grade school under a bill approved 81-26, and fulfill the requirement in a state-approved career and vocational education program.

Students also could have more options with Algebra II and gym requirements under legislation headed to the Senate.