Students who complete all the required coursework but are unable to pass state-mandated tests or attain the state-required GPA (2.0) will no longer receive a certificate of completion. Photo courtesy of Ron Lach
BY GOLIATH J. DAVIS, III, Ph.D. | Contributor
PINELLAS COUNTY — Scholars, you will not graduate. Parents and grandparents, your child will not graduate, and the family will not be able to cheer them on. Why, you ask? The answer is because new state legislation (HB 1105) has eliminated the certificate of completion as a graduation option.
Students who complete all the required coursework but are unable to pass state-mandated tests or attain the state-required GPA (2.0) will no longer receive a certificate of completion instead of a standard high school diploma, and will not be allowed to wear a cap and gown and participate in graduation ceremonies. Currently, 600 students in Pinellas County are at risk. Last year, 800 scholars were at risk of not graduating, but by working with their school-based staff and other district personnel, only 51 of the 800 were unable to meet all the required standards and therefore did not graduate.
The district provides services and assistance to all at-risk students. The district has notified parents and scholars. Parents and students, you have a responsibility to comply. In addition to the previously discussed graduation requirements related to HB 1105, scholars and parents must ensure that all required class credits have been completed. Principals and district staff work tirelessly to identify scholars who lack sufficient high school credits, assist them in earning the needed credits, and steer them towards graduation.
Parents and guardians, I am never hesitant to call the district out for its shortcomings. To be fair, I must call the community out as well. Scholars and parents alike must assume responsibility for ensuring they will graduate. I firmly believe that graduation begins at conception, not in year 12 of high school.
It is imperative that parents who conceive a child eat properly, refrain from drugs, alcohol, and other toxins that impede brain development. The data is clear. Ages 0 to 3 are critical for brain, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as a child’s ability to learn and function. Babies and toddlers must be read to, spoken to in complete sentences, allowed to explore, and encouraged to be inquisitive.
Additionally, pre-k and kindergarten are essential to a scholar’s growth and intellectual development. Gone are the days when they were babysitting centers where intermittent attendance is permissible. Young scholars must attend every day, and parents must ensure they arrive on time.
While graduation is essential, failure to do so or graduating with less than a competitive diploma has far-reaching implications for one’s future quality of life. It is time for all students, regardless of grade level, and all parents and guardians to focus on education and the future.
Dr. Goliath Davis, a former St. Petersburg police chief and deputy mayor, advocates for education in Pinellas County, with a focus on improving Black student achievement.
