CASTLE ROCK — The Douglas County school board made two policy changes Tuesday night that will give students more flexibility and save a little money in the process.
The board agreed to reduce graduation requirements from 25.5 to 24 credits, eliminating 31.5 teaching positions that will save more than $2 million. The 24-credit benchmark still leaves the district with the highest graduation requirements in the metro area, officials said. It will be phased in with the next freshman class.
Also, the board decided to move to open campuses for high schools and extend the school day by two periods so that students can leave to pursue other interests. That will mean fewer staffers will be needed to monitor the students. The moves come as the district faces a $37 million budget shortfall.
