South Dakota. After July 1, 1960, the English requirement is 4 units and this will apply to the graduating class of 1962-63. Texas. For pupils entering ninth grade at or after the beginning of the 1958-59 school year, the requirement in social studies is increased to 21⁄2 units and that in science to 2 units. However, 2 years of vocational courses or 2 years of a foreign language may be accepted as an alternate for 1 year of science.

Virginia. As heretofore mentioned, effective for classes entering the eighth grade in 1959-60, Virginia will count for graduation units earned in that grade, for a total of 20 units.

West Virginia. The number of units required for graduation is raised to 17 effective in 1962.

The State strongly suggests that a second year of mathematics be required.

Wisconsin. The number of units of work required for graduation and the nature of those units is a matter for local schools to decide. Traditionally, schools have required 16 units for graduation. The State Department does recommend that a program of studies require the following of most pupils: English, 3 units; social studies, 3; mathematics, 1; science, 1.

IV. City School System
Requirements

S WAS pointed out previously, city school systems and local

by the State if they wish; that is, if the State sets 1 Carnegie unit in science as the minimum for all pupils, the city or local school district may require 2 such units. In addition, the city may specify subject requirements for each individual curriculum or program offered by schools having multiple-type curriculums. For example, a pupil electing the business education curriculum must study those subjects established as minimum essentials of that program as well as the subjects required of all pupils.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

In 1958-59, a sampling procedure was used in a survey to determine the graduation requirements in the 232 cities with populations above 50,000 according to the 1950 Census. These 232 cities were first separated into four categories by size of populations as shown in table 4.

Because the 18 cities with populations greater than 500,000 account for one-half of the total population of the 232 cities, all cities in this group were included in the sample. The sampling ratio for the cities. in the three groups of 50,000 to 499,999 was fixed to provide prac

Table 4.-Distribution of 232 cities in sample, by population size, 1950

tically an equal number of cities for each group. Again greater weight was given to the larger population groups because of the larger number of pupils represented and on the assumption that variability in requirements tends to increase with size of city. A table of random numbers was used for the selection of the cities from a listing by size in descending order. The number of cities in the sample for each population size and the sampling ratio are as follows:

4

In the 50 cities in the sample are approximately 600 public high schools which award diplomas. They represent an estimated 1,300 public high schools in the 232 large cities and include roughly one-fifth of all pupils enrolled in grades 9 through 12 of the public schools.

The procedure used in conducting the study was, first, a request to each of the 50 school systems for a copy of its handbook or other publication listing graduation requirements. Pertinent data from these publications, received from all of the cities, were used as the basis for the preparation of a manuscript draft, which then was sent to the superintendent or director of secondary education in each of the cities for verification of reporting accuracy. Changes suggested by these school officials were incorporated in the final draft of the study.

BASES USED FOR COMPUTING UNITS

Grades 9 through 12 vs. 10 through 12.--Thirty-nine of the 50 city school systems in the study count for graduation the credits earned in all four of the grades 9 through 12. These are cities organized on the 6-3-3 basis as well as those with an 8-4 organization. The other 11 systems base credit upon work done in grades 10 through 12 only. This practice in Minneapolis schools was explained as follows: "The Minneapolis junior high schools are not on a credit basis. The senior high schools accept students whom the junior high school counselors and principals feel can benefit more educationwise in a senior high school. The accumulated record of the junior high

The 50 cities are listed in the appendix.

school student including all the work he has taken accompanies him to the senior high school. If he has failed certain classes in the junior high school, these are not repeated. He is given a fresh start."

Besides the 11 cities definitely counting for graduation units earned in grades 10 through 12 only, several other cities are at some inbetween stage, and could as readily be counted in the 10-12 as in the 9-12 group. Cincinnati, for example, requires that in its comprehensive high schools 131⁄2 units must be earned in grades 10 through 12. At the same time a specific block of ninth-grade junior high school subjects is indicated: English, mathematics, social studies or science (the one not chosen must be taken in grade 10), and physical education. What appears to be a trend in the cities to consider only grades 10 through 12 is in part a reflection of State requirements. As previously pointed out, three States (Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Utah) set their unit requirements in terms of grades 10 through 12. Several of the 11 cities referred to above are in these States.

Credits, points, units.-Most of the cities in the sample calculate subject-matter credit in terms of Carnegie units. A class meeting for at least five 40-minute periods each week for 36 weeks merits 1 Carnegie unit of credit, provided the class requires outside preparation. Two class periods necessitating little or no preparation outside of class are usually considered as equivalent to one period of prepared class work.

A few cities mention requirements in terms of semester credits, 2 credits equaling a full unit. Several other cities-Cleveland, Boston, Cambridge, Detroit, Jersey City, Cranston, and the six California cities in the sample-use a system of points or periods. The number and value of the points or periods vary. A Carnegie unit may be equivalent to 5, 10, or even 20 points. Thus, in Boston where 90 points are required for graduation, a point equals one-fifth of a unit; in Jersey City where 168 points are required, the point is onetenth of a unit. Cleveland requires 320 points and explains that 20 points equal one Carnegie unit.

Boston's point system allows 5 points credit towards a diploma for a course in English with prepared work and home assignments, meeting five periods a week for the full school year. A course in physical education, meeting twice a week for the full school year, having no prepared work and home assignments, allows one point credit. In Jersey City which operates on a semiannual promotion basis, each prepared subject earns 5 points a term; health and physical education earn one-half point a term for each subject.

TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION

Among the 39 cities with graduation requirements stated for grades 9 through 12 the total number of Carnegie units established varies from 16 to 20.

The 11 cities stating their unit requirements in terms of grades 10 through 12 have totals ranging from 12 to 18:

Some of the difference in total number of unit requirements is more apparent than real. By and large, cities requiring only 16 or 17 units for graduation allow not more than a total of 1 unit and frequently none for health and physical education. Those with larger total unit requirements allow more units for these subjects. For example, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus, Alexandria, Macon-cities with a 16-unit minimum-require 4 years of physical education but allow no credit in terms of units. The California cities having a 19-unit or higher minimum over the 4 years and, in accordance with State law, requiring an instructional period of health and physical education every day, allow a unit of credit for each of the 4 years. Houston and Portland with a 19-unit minimum and Miami and St. Petersburg with a 20-unit requirement allow 2 units for health and physical education; Washington which requires 17% units for graduation allows 11⁄2 units. Phoenix, with a 20-unit total, allows 4 units for electives in the fields of art, music, industrial arts, homemaking, business education, physical education, and ROTC. Atlanta's 18unit requirement allows 2 units in the fields of physical education, military science, band, orchestra, chorus, dramatics, and art.

Several representatives of city school systems have pointed out that the minimum number of units required is frequently or usually exceeded by pupils graduating from their high schools. It was reported that 98 percent of the June 1958 graduating class in one of Buffalo's general high schools exceeded the system's 16-unit minimum by 1 to