Career Technical Education classes (CTE) offered at the high school level will now count toward graduation requirements in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District. The Board of Trustees heard the first reading of additions about the CTE option to board policy regarding graduation requirements at the Jan. 23 regular meeting.

AB1330, which starts with the 2012-2013 school year, has made an option available to students to use CTE to meet graduation requirements. The language was added to the portion of the policy as an alternative where it states students must complete one course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.

Information contained in the meeting agenda stated that the option to take a CTE course instead of visual or performing arts, or foreign language courses to meet graduation requirements may help reduce the dropout rate. The CTE population disproportionately consists of limited-English proficient students, students with disabilities, minorities, and high-poverty students. The California Department of Education showed that in 2008-2009, 60 percent of foreign language/visual or performing arts classes and 10 percent of CTE courses meet the necessary requirements.

There will be no fiscal impact to the district, as no new courses will be added.