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District 88 reviews graduation-flexibility proposals, seeks to expand PE exemptions
Summary
District 88 curriculum staff outlined graduation-flexibility options tied to career pathways and recommended expanding PE waivers — including adding the Renegades hockey program — to reduce barriers to graduation and support students pursuing apprenticeships or intensive extracurricular commitments.
District 88 curriculum and instruction staff reviewed proposed graduation-flexibility measures at the February board meeting, describing how substitutions and exemptions would support career pathways and reduce barriers to graduation. Staff said the district’s three-year science requirement could allow a capstone career-pathway course to substitute for the third year of science when that course is directly related to the pathway.
On technical education and apprenticeships, staff said students age 16 or older participating in registered apprenticeships could satisfy one or more high school course requirements when those experiences are related to graduation requirements.
The presentation focused most heavily on physical education exemptions. Under current procedures, students may be exempted from daily PE if they need a course for college admission, need a course to graduate on time, are enrolled in ROTC, or participate in interscholastic/extracurricular athletics or marching band during the season. Curriculum staff reported approximately 225 Willowbrook students and 57 Addison Trail students currently use marching-band or athletic PE exemptions.
Staff also asked the board to add the Renegades hockey program — which competes in the Illinois Suburban High School Hockey League and includes students from Addison Trail, Fenton, Montini, Timothy Christian and Willowbrook — to the list of interscholastic/extracurricular activities eligible for PE exemption. The presenter framed the change as a way to "reduce barriers to graduation and into those college and career experiences."
No formal policy vote was taken; staff said the matter would be addressed through administrative procedure and they presented the information to the board for feedback and awareness.
