ABSTRACT
By examining the transcriprs of high school grad uates, we can see if the academic rigor of the courses they take has changed over time. The average number of academic course units earned by public high school g raduates increased between 1982 and 1998 fo r all racial and ethnic groups, although the range in course-taking patterns remains wide. In 1998. Asian graduates earned the most academic credits (19.0. while American Indian graduates earned the least (17.0). This range is equivalent co four semester courses. White graduates earned 18.4 credits, while Hispanic and black grad uates earned 17.8 and 17.6 credits, respectively (U.S. Department of Education, 2000b: 1 53).
