Ohio Graduation Tests: Governor Taft takes credit for Ohio grad standards

During a speech in northeast Ohio on Thurseday, Governor Bob Taft celebrated his legacy in education by pointing out Ohio's tightened graduation standards that include a required passing of the Ohio Graduation Test. Under Taft's watch, the OGT became a permanent fixture of Ohio education. Beginning in 2007, no Ohio high school senior can receive a diploma without passing the series of five tests.

In the future, Taft hopes his Ohio Core Initiative will become part of the state's eduction landscape. Ohio Core calls for a more rigorous core curriculum as a high school graduation requirement. That core curriculum in math and science would help Ohio-educated students compete for the high-tech jobs that the state wants and needs to move forward economically.

Beginning with the class of 2011, students would need to pass four years of math, three years of lab-based science, four years of English, two years of a foreign language and three years of social studies.

The plan would also require all students to take a college and work-ready assessment test like the OGT during their junior year.