A comprehensive written report “demonstrating how Lehighton Area School District can implement a process and program to reduce the number of graduation credits required at the high school from 26 to 24 in the 2025-26 school year” is due back to its board of directors no later than May 31.

The Lehighton School Board directed Superintendent Dr. Christina Fish to develop the report, in conjunction with district administration.

The credit reduction conversation in Lehighton has been a consistent one over the past several years with director Joy Beers saying, “her reasoning for wanting to lower requirements was to create an opportunity for students who want to graduate early to be able to do so.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has set the minimum amount of credits a district can require to graduate at 21.

Lehighton, like other districts around the area, currently falls in between Tamaqua, which is at the low end with 22, and Palmerton, which currently requires 28.

Report highlights

The report, according to the unanimous motion approved Monday, is to:

• Describe a path that the district can follow to reduce the graduation requirements at the high school and at the same time, provide students with sufficient electives and educational opportunities to improve student achievement at the district,

• Address steps that will be required to modify the curriculum guide for the 2025-26 school year to reflect any changes in the curriculum that will be required to reflect the modified graduation requirements in the areas of language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, fitness, wellness, art and humanities, computers, and electives,

• Incorporate how staffing may need to be reconfigured following the graduation requirement modifications taking into account appropriate certifications of employees throughout the district,

• Include any educational programs or dual enrollment agreements to address the additional time that may be available for students in the district to obtain educational programming from Lehighton or a third party provider as permitted by law,

• Specify an implementation plan timeline consistent with the proposed graduation requirement modifications and to make any necessary changes to course guides, district policies, overall district graduation requirements, course offerings, the district’s comprehensive plan, and any other filed or required plan reflecting these graduation credit changes,

• Address any potential staffing adjustments that may need to take place as the result of changing such graduation requirements, and

• Address in a positive fashion how these modifications can be effective in addressing student outcome improvements and at the same time, more efficiently handle the delivery of education particularly at the high school level given the graduation requirement changes in a fiscally prudent manner.

Reaction

George Ebbert, who retired after spending 38 years in Lehighton as a teacher and coach, spoke out Monday against the idea of reducing the amount of credits needed to graduate.

“I’ve seen this done in other districts,” Ebbert said. “In Stroudsburg, classes were cut and it led to curricular changes, teacher furloughs and fewer options for students. If the idea behind it is for students to graduate early and join the workforce should they choose that path, we already have students graduating early. Lowering the standards encourages students not to care.”

Board President Jeremy Glaush, meanwhile, said the intention was never to “lower the bar” for students.

“Many of us had other intentions in mind and things that will be proven or disproven with the study,” Glaush said. “That’s why we didn’t just take an ax and swing the credits away. We chose to approach this in a measured manner to make sure it fits where we want to go with the credits.”

Autumn Abelovsky, a district parent, said taking career-based electives that interested her son made a difference on his grade-point average.

“He took sports and entertainment marketing, introduction to business, and photography,” she said. “It led him to start researching jobs and he realized there is a lot out there for him. He wouldn’t have realized that had he not had those classes. His GPA went up 0.25 points from last year.”

District resident Dache Zelrick encouraged the district not to lower the bar by reducing graduation credits.

“We want to figure out why kids are struggling and focus on that so we can get them where they need to be to graduate,” Zelrick said. “Lowering standards so everyone can succeed is not how the real world works. If you’re late to work, you’re going to lose your job. This is the same concept.”

Fish said the completed report will be discussed at Lehighton’s June board workshop.

“There are so many other reasons behind this and it’s not lowering the bar,” Glaush said. “There are things such as a teacher shortage coming up. It is hitting us now. We don’t want to get rid of teachers or dumb down education. We all appreciate our educators in every setting. There are other reasons. If it’s proven wrong, we’ll admit it and move on.”