On Nov. 12, the Issaquah School Board narrowly approved greater credit requirements for Liberty High School’s class of 2019. The new 31-credit requirement, which will begin with next year’s incoming freshman class to the East Renton Highlands campus, enhanced the demand on arts performance for students and added a world language (or personal pathways) credit requirement, but slightly relaxed required electives.

Earlier this year, the Washington State Legislature passed a bill directing the State Board of Education to adopt rules implementing the Career-and-College-Ready Graduation Requirements the board had originally unveiled in November 2010. The requirements included a “Core 24” credits needed by 2019 graduates in order to obtain a diploma.

The school board on Oct. 22 passed 24-credit curricula for Issaquah, Skyline and Tiger Mountain Community high schools.

But a vote on Liberty High School’s graduation requirements, which would have preserved the 29.5 credit requirement for the classes of 2017 and 2018, was postponed pending more public input.

The choice between leaving Liberty’s already high credit standards in place or raising them proportionately with the Core 24 was a controversial one among the board and the community.

Liberty High operates under an eight-period block schedule, compared to six standard periods in the district’s other high schools, and has historically enforced higher credit minimums than the state.

However, those eight periods are spread into a block schedule in which students are in four classes a day, alternating every other day. In 2012, when the school board considered reforming the school to a standard six-period schedule, former Supt. Steve Rasmussen noted the block schedule gave Liberty students at 34 to 38 fewer school hours per year compared to students at Issaquah and Skyline high schools.

Proponents of the new 31-credit minimum argued it would encourage students to take advantage of Liberty’s course offerings.

But critics, among them board member Brian Deagle, said the measure would encumber students’ freedom to manage their time — for homework, extracurriculars or life off campus.

Deagle said he encourages his daughter to work above the credit minimum for Skyline High School, where she attends, but that he didn’t believe his parenting philosophy was a one-size-fits-all option.

“I don’t believe utilization of the schedule, in and of itself, is a virtue,” he said. “…If my kid were at Liberty, she would be earning 32 credits. But that’s my expectation as a parent for my child. I don’t believe I should be imposing that unilaterally across the district. I still don’t see the child we’re trying to help.”

Under the new credit requirements for Liberty, Fall 2015’s incoming freshman will be expected to take four credits of English, three credits of mathematics, four credits of social studies, three of science, one of career and technical education, two of physical education, half a credit of health, two credits of art, two of world language or personal pathways, eight-and-a-half of electives, plus one senior core elective.