The Kansas State Board of Education at its November meeting approved new graduation requirements. Now, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is developing a new fact sheet to help educators and administrators transition to the new requirements.

The new graduation requirements will include:

• Maintaining the minimum graduation requirement of 21 units of credit.
• Giving districts the option to use mastery and competency to award credits.
• Requiring all students to complete two or more postsecondary assets from an established list that includes career/real-world and academic assets – aligned with their Individual Plan of Study (IPS).
• Requiring all students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). However, any student, family or school can opt a student out of completing the FAFSA.
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The updated fact sheet will be available before the new guidelines take effect, which is set to begin with the class of 2028, this school year’s current eighth graders.

A Frequently Asked Questions document is currently available. The document is regularly updated as questions are received, and answers provided.

For more information contact Dr. Robyn Kelso, a coordinator on KSDE’s Career, Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) team, at rkelso@ksde.org or at (785) 296-3444; or Dr. David Fernkopf, assistant director of CSAS, at dfernkopf@ksde.org or at (785) 296-8447.