Students at New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva High School now have an increased credit requirement for graduation.

On Monday, NRHEG school board members voted unanimously to change the required graduation credits from 45 to 48.

“The reason we did this was to align us more with area schools in graduation credits,” said NRHEG High School Principal Paul Sparby.

Most of the schools in the area require 46 to 48 credits, Sparby said.

The change in credits will be phased in over a three-year period.

Students who are 10th-graders this year will be required to have 46 instead of 45 credits when they graduate, and students who are freshmen this year will be required to have 47 instead of 45, he said. All incoming freshmen next year will be required to have 48.

The added credits can come from any subject.

Sparby, who proposed the change, said the recommendation was well received by the board and even more so by the staff.

Out of the total graduation credits in place, 34 of those are required courses. This number has not changed. The remainder are elective courses.

The breakdown of credits includes eight English credits, seven social studies or history credits, six math credits, six science credits, three health and physical education credits, one computer skills credit, one money management/career credit and two arts credits, Sparby said. With the change in required credits, this leaves 14 elective credits, many of which students will take during their junior and senior years when there are less required courses.

“We don’t feel it’s an unreasonable increase,” the principal said. “It’s just holding kids accountable. You need to put your best foot forward and pass your courses.”

The increase still gives opportunities for students to take study halls, he added. Students who opt for a full load — which means no study halls — could walk out of the school with as many as 56 credits, he said.

The school had been running into the problem that students were going into their senior year already having 36 credits passed, Sparby said. Because of this, many were not taking their electives seriously during their last semesters because they did not need the credits to graduate.

He gave examples of some of the graduation requirements in nearby schools. Students in Albert Lea are required to have 46 credits, and students in Owatonna, Maple River, Blooming Prairie and Waseca are all required 48.