Waterford High School Seniors Who Failed OGT Still Walked in Commencement Today

Waterford High School Seniors who haven’t passed the Ohio Graduation Tests were still able to walk across the stage during today’s commencement. A article in the Marietta Times May 22nd states why a resolution was adopted to allow the 4 students who did not pass all five sections of the Ohio Graduation Test, hut were still allowed to participate in the commencement.
Prior to the May 21st action by the school board, if a Waterford senior qualified in all other areas, but they had not passed the Ohio Graduation Test, they would not have been allowed to cross the stage with the rest of the graduating class.

The resolution though allows students to walk with their graduating class as long as their school attendance has been good or at least improved from the previous year, they have passed four of the five required Ohio Graduation Test sections and that they continue to attempt passage of the final test, they have passed classes in the area of the failed test and attended intervention classes for the failed exam and they must meet all other graduation requirements.

Bob Caldwell, Wolf Creek superintendent of schools, said that there are only 52 students in the graduating class this year, and four of those would not receive a diploma because they hadn’t completed the Ohio Graduation Test. He stated that this could be an issue in a small community like Waterford.

“Because of our size people can find out things that may lead to embarrassing situations for these students,” Caldwell added. He led the effort to have the policy changed so students who didn’t pass the Ohio Graduation Test, but were otherwise qualified, could still walk with their classmates.