Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1988

Thesis Director

Gary A. Blade

Abstract

The graduation requirements for the students at Champaign Centennial High School, Champaign, Illinois, changed effective with the class of 1988. This field experience investigated the possible effects of the new and more stringent graduation requirements. A comparative analysis using students in the classes of 1985, 1986, and 1987 for the baseline data with the students in the classes of 1988 and 1989 was completed. Specifically, the evaluator designed a procedure to statistically study the students' American College Test and SRA Survey of Basic Skills Test scores. A two tailed t-test for the difference of the means at the .05 level of significance was used to analyze the data collected. Results of the study indicate that after the change in graduation requirements there were no statistically significant differences on student achievement as determined by scores on the two tests. The study also examined graduation rates, dropout rates, transfer-in rates, and transfer-out rates before and after the change in graduation requirements. After implementation of the new requirements, graduation rates increased and dropout rates decreased while the percentage of students transferring out increased. A higher percentage of transfer-in students graduated after the increase in graduation requirements.

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