Show Low High School leaders propose new "next steps" graduation requirement to boost college and career readiness

Principal Ben Marchant presented a proposal on Dec. 9 to add a "next steps" readiness requirement to Sholo High School's graduation requirements, saying the change would require graduates to meet either a college-readiness option or a career-readiness option in addition to existing credit requirements.

The proposal aims to raise the district's minimum expectation so that every student is prepared for postsecondary education or a career pathway. Under the proposal, the college-readiness option would be met by either two sequential foreign-language credits (the university entrance pattern) or two dual-enrollment college credits in math, English, science or social studies. The career-readiness option would be met by completion of two credits in the same CTE or NAVIT program (a concentrator), or by achieving the Arizona diploma seal of fine arts proficiency (four arts courses, a 3.0 GPA in those courses, about 80 hours of additional practice/engagement and a capstone project).

Marchant told the board that the district already offers a broad set of opportunities that would let most students meet the new requirement: 12 CTE programs, 12 NAVIT programs (24 combined), eight fine-arts programs, White Mountain Works internships, and expanded dual‑and‑concurrent enrollment through the district’s partnership with Mesa Pacific College (MPC) and the talent lab. He said the district’s College and Career Readiness Indicator (CCRI) score is now 16.3 out of 20 and that 88 percent of recent graduates scored on at least one CCRI measure; about 12 percent did not. He reported his staff examined that 12 percent and found many were special-education students, early graduates or students who simply had not completed a second year in a program.

Board members asked detailed operational questions about how the requirement would be implemented, how counselors would advise students and whether it could increase dropout risk. Marchant said the district’s intent is to "push but not push out": exceptions would be available for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and for students who enroll in the district in 11th or 12th grade and do not have adequate time or compatible coursework to meet the requirement. He proposed phasing the requirement in beginning with the incoming freshman class to allow time for scheduling, staff preparation and for creating any new state-aligned fine-arts seal programming.

Board discussion also covered practical details: how two credits are typically scheduled (two year-long half-credit courses), whether dual-enrollment foreign-language sequences could be completed in one year via talent classes, and the availability of CTE sampling so students would not be forced to commit prematurely. Several board members asked Marchant to provide additional data showing whether the requirement is likely to reduce or increase dropout rates; Marchant offered to deliver a breakdown of the 21 graduates from the prior year who would not have met the proposed requirement.

The board did not vote on the proposal; they asked staff to return with additional information and scheduled a work session in January to continue the discussion so the board could consider formal action in a subsequent meeting. Marchant said the goal is to adopt no later than February if additional questions are addressed.

Why this matters: The proposal would place a new minimum standard on all graduates and reshape counseling, scheduling and program delivery. It ties graduation more explicitly to state-recognized college- and career-readiness measures and could affect curriculum planning, staffing and district reporting if adopted.

What’s next: Staff will provide requested data (including the detailed breakdown of students who did not meet readiness measures last year) and Marchant will attend a January work session for further questions before the board considers adoption in a future regular meeting.