South Dakota’s current graduation requirements date back nearly a decade. Recently, education stakeholders from across South Dakota have come together to discuss whether these requirements continue to meet the needs of our youth, our employers and our communities. Through these conversations, a proposal to revise graduation requirements was developed.

The proposal combines opportunities for rigor, student engagement and flexibility, in order to build a foundation for success. The proposal was developed to provide students with multiple opportunities to meet their postsecondary and career goals within a framework of general high school graduation requirements.

Learn more about the proposed state graduation requirements by visiting the Proposed High School Graduation Requirements (2018) webpage.  

What are the next steps?
In the months ahead, educators are encouraged to engage in the statewide conversation about the proposal. A first reading of the proposal is scheduled for the May 8 Board of Education Standards meeting. The official public comment period is expected to open around the middle of June and run through mid-July, with a public hearing before the Board of Education Standards on July 16.

In the meantime, you are invited to become familiar with the proposal. Unofficial feedback can be sent via the email link on the webpage mentioned above.