For as long as most Park students can remember, a full year of civics has been the standard for ninth graders. But, starting this year, the program will undergo a big change to help students fulfill the state social studies credit requirements.

According to the Social Studies Department head, Carley Kregness, the new curriculum will feature one semester of civics and replace the second semester with economics. The economics curriculum is still in the process of being developed.

Minnesota requires one credit of economics-related education in order to graduate high school. This new curriculum allows students to fulfil that requirement without taking an economics class later in high school.

For current sophomores, juniors, and seniors, the credit requirements are the same, but they will have to find alternative classes to meet the economics requirements. Students who take IB or AP social studies classes their senior year meet these requirements embedded in their curriculum. Besides AP and IB classes, Park offers classes specifically focused on economics.