Dive Brief:
- A bill working its way through the California legislature would create a special recognition for high school students who complete enough STEM courses to qualify, not unlike the State Seal of Biliteracy.
- EdSource reports students would have to pass four year-long courses in math and four in science with an average GPA of at least 3.0, get at least a B in a college-level math and science course, and score highly on AP and IB exams, the SAT and the Smarter Balanced assessments.
- Virginia and Arizona are two states that already recognize qualifying graduates with STEM seals, and others outside of California are considering joining the trend. Legislators expect it will make California students more competitive.
Dive Insight:
California created the State Seal of Biliteracy in 2011 to recognize students who graduate proficient in speaking, reading, and writing a second language. Like the STEM seal, the biliteracy seal recognizes the global market students are graduating into. As they compete for jobs, being able to communicate with people from around the world is increasingly important.
Differentiating high school diplomas is not new. New York State has long offered graduates a “Regents diploma” if they pass a range of state exams. Students who complete career and technical education programs also qualify for a special note on their diplomas. As STEM seals become more common, it reflects a broader trend of providing more granularity about what students have mastered at every level. Today’s students are also collecting badges during summer learning experiences and getting more opportunities to display what they know.