Legislative Deal Would Help Thousands Get High School Diplomas

Washington State Senate Republicans and Democrats have agreed to delay a requirement for high school students to pass a biology exit exam this year and 2016.

This helps about 2,000 high school seniors who were supposed to graduate in June, but still hadn't met the science requirement.

One of the students is Lesley Delgadillo, whose story we brought you last month.

Despite taking the science test several times, the Highline School District senior was still a few points shy of passing – and couldn’t get her diploma.

When we reached Delgadillo by phone and told her that the Legislature has agreed to delay the biology requirement, she could hardly believe it.

"Wow," she said. "That is really, really, really good news. Really good news. Oh my gosh."

Delgadillo is trying to get a job with Homeland Security as a translator, helping people navigate the immigration system - a job that requires a high school degree.

"Right now I had an appointment to go talk with my teacher to see what I could do to get my diploma, because I need it, you know, in order to work - for the opportunity I had open for me. But not having my diploma was getting in the way. And so I was just really desperate, and my parents were very upset. So this is really good news."

Delgadillo said graduating has special meaning for her family, because neither of her parents finished high school.