US News
Ohio narrows high school career credentials required for graduation
State education officials cut approved certificates from 164 to 70 after criticism that low-demand courses were used as shortcuts to earn diplomas.
The short version
- The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce reduced its approved list of standalone graduation credentials from 164 to 70, removing low-demand options in retail sales and emergency management.
- The state restricted lesser secondary credentials from over 700 to 126, requiring students to complete 21 specific pre-determined bundles across five key industries.
- The changes apply to incoming high school freshmen starting this fall, raising concerns that high school graduation rates could drop as schools adjust to the stricter standards.
Key facts
- The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce reduced the number of standalone career credentials that qualify students for graduation from 164 to 70.[Associated Press]
- Ohio cut a secondary list of lesser credentials from over 700 to 126, grouping them into 21 predefined bundles across five fields: agriculture, business, construction, health care, and manufacturing.[Associated Press]
- The updated graduation rules take effect beginning with high school freshmen entering in the fall.[Associated Press]
- In 2023, approximately 9,000 Ohio students earned RISE UP retail sales credentials that were sought by employers for three jobs statewide that year, while over 4,000 earned emergency management credentials sought for fewer than 300 jobs.[Associated Press]
- Nonprofit Ohio Excels helped establish evaluation criteria for credentials based on wage data, job placement rates, field growth, and college credit alignment.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The extent to which the tighter credential rules will lower high school graduation rates remains uncertain, as state officials and major urban school districts declined to provide specific estimates.[Associated Press]
- It is unknown which additional credentials might be added to the state's list later as school districts and industry groups submit applications.[Associated Press]