Rockdale County students entering high school as ninth graders this year have more than just teachers, classmates and hallways that will be new to them.

The class of 2015 will also have a new way to meet graduation requirements.

Starting with this year's freshman class, Georgia education officials approved a plan to phase out the current Georgia High School Graduation Test.

Gene Baker, Assistant Superintendent and head of the Office of School Improvement for Rockdale County Public Schools reviewed the new policy for the board at Thursday's work session.

When the new policy kicks in, students will no longer have to take the GHSGT, and instead will just have their End of Class Test scores weighted more heavily. The EOCT currently counts as 15% of a student's grade in that class, that percentage will jump up to 20%. Students will still have to take the Georgia High School Graduation Writing test.

Unlike the GHSGT where students have to reach a minimum score to graduate, there will be no minimum requirement on the EOCT and they must pass the class not the test.
This year students in grades 10-12 must pass the GHGT or the EOCT or a combination of both with the EOCT being 15% of their grade to graduate.