The Unit 5 school board eased graduation requirements Wednesday night because of the pandemic.
The one-year-only change allowed by Illinois State Board of Education makes a difference to about 110 students, according to Deputy Superintendent Ray Epperson.
“They took each of the required graduation numbers, English, math, science, social studies and P.E., and reduced each of them by half a semester, realizing that some students do not have the opportunity or ability to complete some of those requirements,” said Epperson.
Materials prepared for the school board indicate Unit 5 usually requires 24 credits to graduate. The new requirement is 21 credits.
Epperson acknowledged that students entering college with less than the usual number of subject matter credit hours might be forced to take courses at a lower level to start than they would normally take.
“That’s a college decision and that’s one of the things the state board said. But they are also working closely with colleges. States all over the country are changing requirements based on COVID,” said Epperson, adding several hundred graduating seniors might face that kind of issue.
“Some of these will be dealing with their college counselors, but without the change, some of them would not be graduating to begin with,” said Epperson.
The new requirements apply through Aug. 1, the new date of Unit 5's graduation, Epperson said. Summer school has been postponed for now, but online summer coursework might help some students meet the reduced requirements.
Epperson, who retiring from Unit 5 at the end of the school year and after 35 years in public education, is taking the position of superintendent at a private school in a Chicago suburb.
Graduation Ceremony Is On
Unit 5 will hold an in-person graduation Aug. 1 at Grossinger Motors Arena in downtown Bloomington. Superintendent Mark Daniel said that was the overwhelming preference expressed in a survey of district families. He added the decision is still contingent on public health guidelines allowing the ceremony at that time.
Daniel also said the district will release a senior celebration video marking the highlights and the achievements of this year’s graduating class on May 23, the original graduation date.
Meals Continue
Daniel also said Unit 5 will continue to serve breakfast and lunch meals through June, passing the 80,000 meal mark as part of the district's pandemic relief efforts.
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