Opelika OKs graduation guidelines revision

By: Brittany Whitley Staff Writer | Opelika Auburn News
Published: June 24, 2009

The Opelika board of education on Tuesday revised the guidelines for graduating from high school.

Students will now need 26 requirements instead of 28 to graduate.

“All this is doing is reducing two electives. It’s not changing any of the academic requirements,” Dr. Mark Neighbors, superintendent of Opelika City Schools, said.

Essentially, Opelika High School students will need two fewer elective credits to graduate. They will still be required to take four units of English, mathematics, science and social studies.

“The state requires 24,” Neighbors said.

The move has two benefits.

First, it reduces the elective load on students, giving them the flexibility to retake classes if necessary.

Second, as a precautionary move if the recession continues, it eliminates the need to cut requirements later.

In other news, the board approved a fiscal year 2009 budget amendment.

“We went ahead and made the 9 percent proration the state recommended,” Neighbors said.

The state government cut the education budget by 12.5 percent in December. After the state dug into its Rainy Day Fund, the effective proration was reduced to 9 percent.

“At 9 percent we will go into our reserve $325,000,” Neighbors said. “We’re in pretty good shape ... We knew this was coming so we started preparing.”