Article Summary 10: High School Diploma in 10th Grade

Dillon, Sam. "High Schools to Offer Plan to Graduate 2 Years Early". New York Times 17 Feb. 2010. Web. 28 Feb. 2010.

Soon there will be pilot schools in 8 states that will be testing a system that allows students to graduate at the end of 10^th grade with their high school diploma. Students will be allowed to study and take placement tests that will be offered in subjects such as history, math, science, and english. The tests will be accompanied with detailed syllabi that will inform students hoping to graduate early exactly what they need to study. Most curriculums today do not have clear directions on what is going to be important and what is not. These tests give students direction and encourage hard work. The tests will also hopefully reduce the number of students that need to take remedial tests in their first year at a community college.

Students who graduate after taking the tests will be immediately admitted into a community college, or can take college prep courses at their school during 11^th and 12^th grade. The students will also be able to retake the tests at the end of 11^th and 12^th grade if they do not pass the first time around. These tests have been used in several European countries with great success, and will hopefully help American students catch up to the standards that are held in Europe.