MALDEN - Massachusetts high school students will be encouraged to take a more rigorous set of college preparatory courses under new guidelines adopted by the state Board of Education yesterday.
The recommended courses - which include four years of English and math, with Algebra II, and three years of science and history - are more than what many high schools, especially those in urban school systems, require for graduation.
The goal of the new program, called MassCore, is to better prepare students for four-year colleges and universities, set uniform standards, and raise expectations across the state, particularly for urban students, said Paul Reville, chairman of the board of education.
"The board is sending a strong signal that we need to strengthen college preparation for all our high school graduates," Reville said.
The move follows a recent state report that concluded more than a third of public high school graduates attending Massachusetts public colleges must take remedial courses, which do not count for college credit. Students stuck in remedial courses at the start of their college careers are far less likely to graduate, said Patricia F. Plummer, the state's higher education chancellor, who helped draft the recommendations.
Plummer, also a member of the state board of education, had pushed the board to require the set of courses, not just hold them up as recommendations. She said she was disappointed yesterday that the board did not take a stronger stance.
"I think we've diluted the message," Plummer said. "The fact that it's only a recommendation means that some kids will be left behind. I think it's a social justice issue."
Each school system in Massachusetts is allowed to set its own graduation requirements. The state only requires that students pass the 10th-grade MCAS tests in math and English. Students will also have to pass a science exam in 2010, and a history exam in 2012.
Jeffrey Nellhaus, acting commissioner of the state Department of Education, said the guidelines are an attempt to alert students - particularly low-income urban students and those whose parents did not attend college - to college admissions requirements. Only 45 percent of urban high school graduates in 2006 completed the proposed set of courses, compared to 80 percent in the suburbs, according to a January survey by the state education department.
The board balked at requiring the courses because some high schools may not have the resources to offer four years of math or three years of science and because the state does not have the budget to fund another mandate, Reville said.
The state plans to release a report late next fall measuring the number of high school students who take all the recommended courses and their performance in college. The report will also point out obstacles districts may have with implementing MassCore.
The board plans to explore incentives for students who complete the recommended courses, such as special diplomas or guaranteed admission to certain colleges for students who earn a B-average in all MassCore classes.
Other recommended MassCore courses include two years of a foreign language, one year of arts, and five electives that could include business, health, technology, and vocational courses. Students should also take as many Advanced Placement courses as possible or enroll in other college-level courses and complete a senior project or internship, according to the guidelines.
The Boston Public Schools, one of the few urban districts whose graduation requirements nearly mirror the new guidelines, requires three years of math instead of the four recommended yesterday by the board. Superintendent Carol Johnson said yesterday that more urban school systems nationally are adopting higher standards, but the shortage of math and science teachers makes it hard for districts to offer an array of courses in those subjects.
"I'm certain this will be a discussion for the Boston Public Schools as we review our curriculum and try to align it for college readiness," Johnson said. "Students who have four years of math and three years of science are more likely to do well in college."
Tracy Jan can be reached at tjan@globe.com.
