Beginning with the Campbell Union High School District’s 2020 graduating class, students will have to pass a new batch of classes before receiving diplomas.

The district’s governing board voted May 18 to change its graduation requirements so that current freshmen and future incoming students must take three years of math, two years of a world language, one year of a visual or performing art and one year of an applied art or career technical education to graduate.

Beginning with the graduating class of 2021, three years of science will be required.

The new requirements align with course requirements for students entering a college within the UC or CSU systems. The UC and CSU system refers to the classes as “A-G requirements.”

Previous graduation hurdles required students complete four years of English, two years of mathematics, two years of science, three years of social studies and one year in visual or performing arts, or a foreign language.

Students must still complete two years of physical education, economic, U.S government and fulfill elective courses.

The district is aiming to increase the number of college-ready students and keep students from falling into remedial classes during their first year of college.

On May 4 the board discussed its concerns with the A-G requirements, saying there would need to be support resources for students already struggling to meet current graduation requirements. Some board members were concerned the requirements were “limiting” and would push students toward only attending UC or CSU schools.

Earlier this month, the Campbell High School Teachers Association surveyed its members about the A-G requirements. Of the 122 association members, 37 strongly supported matching the high school graduation requirements to UC and CSU admission requirements. Another 24 members strongly opposed the matching graduation requirements.

Association members also included pros and cons of having A-G requirements and suggested courses students should complete to get a diploma. Some of those courses included community service, life skills, financial literacy and technical career courses.

“I want to thank our CHSTA colleagues for the thoughtful survey they published on the issue,” said Superintendent Robert Bravo in an email to the district. “Through this feedback, we were able to identify that many teachers were in favor of the proposed changes.”