Calif. District: Talk Career Talk Or No Graduation Walk

By Sean Cavanagh

For some high school seniors in southern California's San Fernando Valley, taking part in graduation-day festivities is no longer as easy as strolling across stage, shaking hands, and picking up a diploma.

If they want to participate in their commencement exercises this year, graduating students in the Los Angeles school system's District C must describe their plans for some kind of postsecondary education or training to school officials—or at least explain their future career paths in detail.

Under the first-year policy, the graduates have to spell out those goals, which could include college, trade school, the military, or other options, even if they have met all academic...