Ruthanne Bexton,
   Director, Elementary
   Programs
Julia Kempkey,
   Director, Secondary
   Programs

In This Issue

 

New Standards.

Common Core State Standards adopted by California in 2010 requiring students to show they have a deeper understanding of the content.

New Direction. 

To ensure all students no matter where they live are college and career ready. The standards are like those being used in other countries so that our students will be able to compete globally.

 

New Scores.  

The new California assessment known as Smarter Balanced or California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), is an online assessment and cannot be accurately compared to prior year's test results because this is a brand new system.

    

Raising the Bar in Novato

NUSD Curriculum & Instruction Newsletter
 
May 13, 2016
WHAT ARE THE UC/CSU COLLEGE 
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS?


At NUSD, we want to provide our parents and students with the information about college entrance requirements. We also heard from parents and students during our Local Control and Accountability meetings and through our survey that they also want more information about this.  While we know not all students will go on to college after high school, we want all of our graduates to have the option to attend college.  To have that option, graduates need to meet the basic University of California and California State University (UC/CSU) college entrance requirements in order to be eligible.  This is known as UC/CSU entrance requirements or eligibility.  It is also often referred to as the A-G requirements.
 
If your child is in Kindergarten through Eighth grade, it's not too early to start thinking (and possibly planning) for high school. Currently all NUSD students have access to completing the college entrance requirements while completing their high school graduation requirements, however only fifty percent of students are completing these UC/CSU entrance requirements upon graduation.  We want our students and families to know what those requirements are so planning can begin before entering the ninth grade.
 
Below is a comparison of NUSD graduation requirements and high school UC/CSU college entrance requirements:
 
Subject Area
NUSD-Current Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements that include UC/CSU requirements
* additional UC/CSU requirements
  1. a.    History/ Social Science
35 Credits (3.5 years)
5 credits - Geography
10 credits - World History
10 credits - U.S.  
5 credits - American Government or
5 credits - Economics
30 Credits (3 years)
10 credits - World History
10 credits - U.S.  
5 credits - American Government or
5 credits - Economics
  1. b.    English
40 credits (4 years)
10 credits - English 9
10 credits - English 10
10 credits - English 11
10 credits - (Senior English)
40 credits (4 years)
*Must be College-prep
  1. c.    Mathematics
20 credits (2 years)
(must include Algebra 1)
 
30 credits (3 years)*
Must include minimum of Algebra, Geometry and Algebra 2
  1. d.    Science
20 credits (2 years)
10 credits physical science
10 credits biological science
20 credits (2 years)
*20 credits earned in UC approved laboratory classes in the area of Biology, Chemistry or Physics
  1. e.    World Language
20 credits (2 years)-flexible
NOTE: May be a combination of World Language, Visual Arts, Performing Arts or Career Technical Education
20 credits (2 years)*
20 credits of the same language
(30 credits recommended)
  1. f.      Visual / Performing Arts
20 credits (2 years)-flexible
NOTE: May be a combination of World Language, Visual Arts, Performing Arts or Career Technical Education
10 credits (1 year)
*must be UC approved course
  1. g.    Electives
60 credits (6 years)
10 Credits (1 year)
*must be UC approved course
(Plus any additional credits needed to reach 220 total credits)
       Physical Education
20 credits (2 years)
20 credits (2 years)
(Not required by UC, but required by State of California)
      Health
5 credits (.5 year)
5 credits (.5 year)
(Not required by UC, but required by NUSD)
      Community Service
40 Hours
40 Hours
(Not required by UC, but required by NUSD)
Total
220 Credits
220 Credits
 
 
The knowledge and skills colleges and employers are demanding of high school graduates are imbedded in the California State Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics.  The implementation of college and career readiness standards and next generation assessments is the first big step towards moving towards a goal of aligning high school policies with the demands of colleges and careers. The call for wide-open access to the college preparatory curriculum is now being sounded from podiums and classrooms across the nation.  The writing on the wall is becoming increasingly clear: the college-prep path should no longer be the privilege of the few, but the standard for all. This is a welcome sign of changing ideas about student achievement and educational priorities.
 
The need to continue to transform education to create schools and classrooms in which students are able to reach their full potential over the course of their K-12 education and graduate prepared for the world after high school is great. We don't have to expect that all students will attend college.  However, given that our changing economy increasingly demands and rewards postsecondary education, preparing students to meet a college-prep standard should be the job of all schools.  In fact, what we call "college-prep" is now necessary for anyone who wants a stable, fulfilling career.
 
 


Julia Kempkey                                     Ruthanne Bexton
Director, Secondary Programs              Director, Elementary Programs


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