Starting this week and running through year's end, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) will take applications from education, industry and other community representatives looking to add to the list of professional work credentials that can help qualify a study for high school graduation.

Earning a credential or series of credentials, along with a qualifying score on the WorkKeys job skills assessment, is one way students can earn a diploma.

ODE assigns points to each recognized credentials, and students must earn 12 points' worth of credentials to qualify for a diploma under this graduation pathway. Other pathways focus on achieving certain scores on state end-of-course exams or college entrance exams like ACT or SAT.

Combinations of credentials must be within the same career field to qualify a student for graduation.

Credential attainment also affects state report cards, specifically grades on the Prepared for Success component.

ODE initially focused the list of credentials on those related to in-demand jobs, as defined by state economic and workforce development officials. But community stakeholders can petition the district to add other credentials by showing "significant and ongoing demand" for such credentials and the skills they quantify.

The application form for new credentials to be recognized in the 2019-2020 academic year is available at http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohio-s-Graduation-Requirements/Industry-Recognized-Credentials-and-WorkKeys/Process-for-adding-new-industry-recognized-credent. It is due by Monday, Dec. 31.

The list of Ohio's recognized credentials is available at http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohio-s-Graduation-Requirements/Industry-Recognized-Credentials-and-WorkKeys/Industry-Recognized-Credentials.