Washington students deserve a diploma for the 21st century. But right now, too many kids are graduating from high school unprepared for college or a career.
Sign the petition now to help ensure every student graduates ready for college or a career.
The current Washington diploma is out of date, missing basic credits in science and other subjects that colleges and employers consider critical to success.
That's why we're asking our legislators to green-light a new diploma that better prepares students for the 21st century.
The College and Career Ready Diploma is about more than just credits. It's a foundation of knowledge and skills that students need to be successful after high school, regardless of their path.
On one hand, our state prides itself for an innovative, entrepreneurial and intellectual spirit. But on the other hand, only 4 in 10 graduating seniors meet the basic admissions requirements to get into a public university in Washington. And only 6 in 10 graduating seniors are considered "qualified applicants" by Washington employers.
Our outdated diploma is costly for both students and taxpayers. When students have to re-take basic subjects, they are paying college tuition to learn skills they should have mastered in high school, while the state spends tens of millions of dollars to subsidize remedial education.
Let's fix this. Let’s live up to our reputation.
As Washington continues to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in education, we should be giving more value to all our students, including stronger academic supports, partnerships with businesses and non-profits, and expanded learning opportunities to make sure every student has the tools they need to meet the goal of graduating ready for college and a career.