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Oklahoma
177,366 high school students

State Profile
As states work to raise their academic standards, several national high school reform initiatives are assisting them in their efforts to strengthen their high schools so that they provide students with a 21st century education and skills.

Through the profile provided here, the National High School Center offers (a) a snapshot of the state’s graduation requirements and college entrance requirements (see table below) and (b) summaries of national reform initiatives active in the state (see list below table).

High School and College Alignment in the State
The following table shows the state’s alignment between high school graduation requirements and minimum state college entrance requirements, providing a quick source for determining whether there is a gap between what students must know to graduate and what they are expected to have mastered in order to enter college.

  High School Graduation Requirements College Admission Requirements*

English Units

4

4

 

Grammar, Composition, Literature, or any English course approved for college admission requirements

Grammar, Composition and Literature

Mathematics Units

3

3

 

Algebra I and above

Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II and above

Social Studies Units

3

3

 

American History (1), Oklahoma History (.5), U.S. Government (.5)

American History (1); History, Economics, Geography, Government, Civics and/or Non-Western Culture (2)

Science Units

3

3

 

Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or any laboratory science course with content and/or rigor equal to or above Biology

 

Foreign Language Units

2 Units of the same Foreign or non-English language, OR 2 Units Computer Technology

N/S

Art Units

1 Unit or Set of Competencies of Fine Arts such as music, art, or drama, OR 1 Unit or Set of Competencies of Speech

N/S

Additional Units

College Preparatory/work ready curriculum - 1

Personal Financial Literacy Passport

Electives –2

Total Units

23

15

Tests

State content mastery exams in Algebra I and English II; and two of the following five: Algebra II, Biology I, English III, Geometry, and United States History.

SAT or ACT
Source Oklahoma State Department of Education Oklahoma State University

* Oklahoma does not have statewide minimum admission requirements for its public universities and colleges. These admission requirements are for Oklahoma State University.

National High School Improvement Initiatives at Work in the State
As states work to ready high school students for postsecondary success, many are partnering with national organizations to undertake high school improvement efforts. The following list includes national improvement initiatives at work in the state. National initiatives are defined as significant programs, projects, technical assistance, or key information clearinghouses dedicated to high school improvement. For information about and related to research on these initiatives, please click on the name of the initiative to link to a synthesis:


Oklahoma State High School Improvement Initiatives
For information on high school improvement initiatives launched at the state level visit the Oklahoma Department of Education.

Oklahoma ARRA Information
For information on Oklahoma's ARRA efforts as it relates to education, please visit the state Web page.