Most schools follow the long-held precedent of a four-year high school experience, but one school in Bay City is breaking tradition by implementing a five-year graduation plan.
In Fall 2023, Central High School in Bay City will extend their academic programs, allowing students to graduate in five years with up to 60 college credits, or the equivalent of an associate's degree.
Patrick Malley is the Chief Academic Officer for Bay City Public Schools. He said a task force including students and parents has spent the last five months preparing for the redesign.
“We moved forward with it because the response of the people around that task force was positive," Malley said. "People certainly have some questions about what the details will look like.”
School officials said the redesign aims to combat high failure rates and low college persistence at Central High School.
Data from the State of Michigan shows that five-year high school students have a higher graduation rate than four-year students, but they also have higher dropout rates.
CHS joins Meridian High School in Midland as the second traditional high school in Michigan to offer a five-year program.
