MANCHESTER, NH – Manchester public high school students currently need 20 credits to graduate, but that may be changing soon.
During their workshop meeting on Monday night, the Manchester Board of School Committee (BOSC) discussed Manchester School District Superintendent Dr. John Goldhardt’s proposal to raise the 20 credit threshold to 28 credits.
Currently 20 credits is the state minimum for any school district’s policies toward high school graduation and the lowest among districts in the area according to Goldhardt.
Opinion was mixed on the proposal.
Supporters such as Ward 1 BOSC Member James Porter agreed with Goldhardt’s assessment that students will rise to the occasion when challenged and they will be better off for it in the long run. Others, such as At-Large BOSC Member Joseph Lachance, said that students currently considering dropping out of high school may see the additional credits as an obstacle too large to overcome.
Ward 7 BOSC Member William Shea proposed going to 24 credits instead of 28 while other members of the board felt that requirements could be tiered, with credit tallies beyond the minimum or other distinctions accrued during a high school career could be rewarded with specialized diplomas beyond normal diplomas.
Goldhardt also unveiled a proposed block schedule where students would be enrolled in eight classes, four each day, resulting in 32 credits over a four-year career.
He also advised the BOSC of several local collegiate and business leaders that could also provide prospectives toward how Manchester should proceed when it comes to the appropriate number of credits needed for graduation.
