District 11 board backs Proposal B for revised high‑school graduation requirements

The Colorado Springs School District 11 board on Wednesday signaled support for “Proposal B,” a revised set of high‑school graduation requirements developed through a district design‑thinking lab and a school‑based task force. Board members said the district will move forward with the proposal as staff refine course coding, counselor training and communications ahead of a planned roll‑out for freshmen in 2025.

The proposals were drafted by a 23‑member task force of school‑based and central‑office staff that used design‑lab methods, co‑created a “how might we” statement and reduced four initial prototypes to a single recommended model. Staff presented two main options labeled A and B (a third “C” was discussed as a compromise), with differences in how many credits are required for core academic categories and how many are reserved as flexible “continuous learner” or pathway credits.

Why it matters: The changes affect the total number of credits students must complete (staff explained the district’s block schedule increases opportunities to earn credits) and how the district aligns graduation requirements with Colorado academic standards, higher‑education admission recommendations and career‑pathway planning. Board members repeatedly stressed that the proposals aim to preserve or…