Bills would ease high school graduation requirements

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Michigan lawmakers are seeking to change the state's high school graduation requirements to make it easier for students to pursue career and technical education programs. 

The bills introduced in the House last month would allow students to substitute algebra two with statistics, technical math or another math relevant to their career and technical education. It would also remove the foreign language requirement.

Former Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm signed the Michigan Merit Curriculum into law in 2006, making the state's graduation requirements among the toughest in the country.

Supporters of the bills say the requirements are only suited for students headed to four-year colleges. But opponents say the standards have contributed to a rise in the state's graduation rate.