The Salt Lake City School District (SLCSD) Board convened on June 17, 2025, to discuss a new graduation pathway involving the General Educational Development (GED) test. The meeting focused on the implementation of this program, which aims to provide an alternative route for students to meet graduation requirements.

The discussion began with an overview of the program's structure. Students must still complete all 24 units required for graduation, including digital studies, financial literacy, career and technical education (CTE), physical education (PE), and elective classes. The GED pathway specifically targets students who are juniors or seniors and have met a ninth-grade reading requirement. Participation in this program is voluntary and requires parental consent, with a conference held at the school to ensure all parties agree on the decision.

A significant aspect of the program is the testing process. Students are required to take a practice test before attempting the official GED test. Horizonte is in the process of becoming an official testing center, with applications submitted and contract negotiations ongoing with Pearson, the testing service provider. The costs associated with the tests were also discussed, with the official GED test priced at $36 per content area and the practice test at $8 per content area. The board acknowledged that these fees were not included in the current fee schedule, prompting plans to collaborate with schools and foundations to cover these costs for the upcoming school year.

The board expressed uncertainty regarding the number of students who would opt for this pathway, recognizing it is tailored for a specific demographic. However, the benefits of completing the GED include being counted as a graduate, the ability to participate in home school graduation ceremonies, and the potential for college credit recognition based on GED scores.

The meeting concluded with a call for questions and further discussion. Board members were encouraged to consider the implications of this new pathway and the necessity for board approval to move forward with the application to the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). The board aims to finalize preparations over the summer to ensure the program is ready for implementation in the fall.