“Academic equity achieved, one letter at a time,” says Governor Kotek
SALEM, OR — In a bold move to address persistent educational challenges, Oregon’s education officials have announced a new graduation requirement: high school seniors must now recite the alphabet to receive their diplomas.
This decision follows the Oregon Board of Education’s 2023 vote to suspend the “Essential Skills” requirement—proficiency in reading, writing, and math—through at least 2028 . Rather than require students to demonstrate any “colonialist” notion of competence, the Oregon Department of Education has proudly replaced traditional benchmarks with something they say is “equally rigorous, but more emotionally supportive.”…