How high school graduation requirements are related to students' knowledge in math and science

What is it about?

States set minimum requirements for graduating from high school, but few students appear to be affected by these requirements. Many students exceed the requirements, while others took courses that did not affect achievement. Still, some students appeared to be influenced to have improved results. This study is based on comparing students' high school transcripts with their test scores in math and science in the national NAEP study.

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Why is it important?

Setting strict requirements for graduation seems a natural way to influence student achievement. However, schools often offer a sufficient cafeteria of choices so that many students technically meet the requirements without actually advancing in level. This is especially true when the requirements are defined in terms of the number of years of instruction in math or science, rather than requiring students to take specific courses or pass competency tests.