Board Of Education Hears Appeals About High School Diploma Requirements

Diplomas for Oklahoma high school seniors were on the line. This is the first year "ACE" requirements are being enforced.

Students need to pass several exams before they can receive a diploma.

On Tuesday, The Board of Education started hearing student appeals. It's received 35 so far and expects a lot more to come.

Superintendents and other staff made their pleas to Board of Education members, saying students had extenuating circumstance.

"This student has to work to support a family and they are homeless and had a fire last year and still haven't been able to get on their feet," says Dr. Janet Dunlop, with Broken Arrow Schools.

On Tuesday, the board granted to diplomas to 17 students, but 7 of them were denied.

In April, The Oklahoma Department of Education estimated there would be around 2000 seniors who would not receive their diplomas.

The DOE thinks that number is a lot smaller now, because students have other options of meeting of the ACE requirements.