The state of Idaho will start requiring students in seventh and eighth grades to complete at least 80 percent of their class credits before they advance to the next grade.
Until now, students did not have to pass those grades to continue onto high school. Under the new system, which will go into effect this fall, students will not advance to the next grade if they fail a full year in one subject, such as math.
Schools will provide students who fail to meet the new requirements, or kids in danger of failing, opportunities to recover their class credits and become eligible to go to the next grade.
The Middle Level Credit System was among recommendations of a state task force that was created in 2007 to develop best practices for Idaho middle schools, with the goal of making sure every student is prepared to succeed in high school.
School districts will be allowed to develop their own plans to help students meet the new requirements.
The state, which cut about 128 million dollars from the K-12 public schools budget for the current fiscal year, did not give districts additional funding to implement the new middle school requirements. (AP)
