Hit hard by COVID, California high school seniors struggling toward graduation

CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL seniors were in 10th grade when the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools and sent them home to learn. This year, many seniors are either struggling to earn enough credits to graduate or, because of a new state law, are graduating with fewer credits and requirements than classes before them. 

Assembly Bill 104, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in July, allowed parents to request that D’s and F’s earned in the 2020-21 school year be changed to pass or no-pass grades. It also gave last year’s juniors and seniors the option to graduate with the state’s minimum requirements, made up of 13 courses totaling about 130 credits. Students also can take a fifth year of high school if needed.