The school board unanimously approved the first reading of a policy change on Aug. 17 that would raise high school graduation requirements from 24 credits to 26 credits.

Second reading and a possible vote to adopt the change is scheduled for the Sept. 21 board meeting.

Under the current seven-period daily schedule, students who pass all their courses earn seven credits per year, totaling 21 credits by the end of their junior year. High School Principal Greg Clark noted that this pace has effectively turned the school into a “three-year school,” leaving many seniors needing only three credits to graduate and opening the door to an under-scheduled final year in school.

“What we’re trying to do with the additional two credits is to help better prepare the students for life beyond high school,” Board President John DeRuyter said. “And the focus isn’t just preparation for college, but also the workforce.”

The additional two credits will not mandate extra core academic subjects such as math or science. Instead, students can earn them through electives and school-sponsored extracurricular activities.

The expansion is designed to drive greater student involvement in career and technical education courses, vocational training sequences and on-the-job work experience programs in Wrangell.

DeRuyter and Board Member Dan Powers noted that on-the-job training and career and technical education have become more attractive options for students in recent years.

“I like the idea of the additional credits, because choosing from electives can help play into their interests for the future,” Powers said.

While the state sets a baseline minimum requirement of 21 credits for a public high school diploma, according to the Alaska Department of Education, school districts have the authority to establish higher standards. Alaska districts commonly set requirements between 22 and 25.5 credits, meaning the proposed 26-credit threshold would place Wrangell among the highest graduation benchmarks in the state.

If adopted on second reading, the new credit policy would not apply to current juniors and seniors, Clark said, as those students will be grandfathered in under the previous 24-credit requirement.

The district also plans to expand access to elective courses. In an Aug. 18 interview, Superintendent Joshua Garrett said the district will continue offering online classes through the educational company Proximity Learning, which provided distance Spanish instruction near the end of the past school year.

“This year we will be using Proximity Learning for Spanish I and II, as well as for a psychology class,” Garrett said.

Clark said psychology was among the top choices requested in student interest surveys.

“The next class they wanted behind psychology was speech,” Clark said. “So that may end up being a future class.”