Students hoping to get into one of Washington state's six public universities or colleges have to show they can crunch some numbers - and not ease up on their schedules their senior year.

The state board of education is requiring students in the graduating class of 2013 - this year's eighth-graders - to pass three levels of mathematics (algebra, geometry and Algebra II or an approved career and technical education course) and take a "meaningful math" course during their senior year.

Without those achievements on their scholastic resumé, students may not be able to enroll at the University of Washington, Washington State University, Western Washington University, Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University or Evergreen State College.

District numbers indicate this is likely to be an issue for future classes: barely half (50.2 percent) of Sequim students in the 2009 graduating class are on track to complete Algebra II by their senior year, said Patra Boots, director of curriculum and technology for the Sequim School District. About 78 percent of this year's freshmen (class of 2012) are on track to complete Algebra II before graduation.

Part of the problem, Boots said, is that a large number of Sequim students are in nontraditional math courses (WASL prep, segmented math, business math, practical math). Boots showed Sequim school board directors two flow charts: one of the current system and another showing all remedial math courses integrated into one course - foundations math.

"That means a big change for us, systematically," Boots said, noting a switch from offering electives to more math classes.

Terilee Allsop-Howat, a parent of an eighth-grader in

Sequim schools, said she's disappointed with the idea of fewer electives for her student.

"It's a little daunting at this point from a parent's perspective," Allsop-Howat said.

Board member Walt Johnson posed a question about competency-based tests: exams students can take to earn credit for a class if they show they know the material, opening up their schedules for electives or advanced courses.

"Why do we care how they got there as long as they can pass (the tests)?" Johnson asked rhetorically.

Sequim Schools Superintendent Bill Bentley said some districts are looking into those kinds of tests but that they aren't widely used, although they are in use at colleges and universities.

For a university-worthy

diploma, Washington state high school students complete algebra and geometry, including course-ending exams in both, plus Algebra II. Students must pass one of those courses or a "meaningful math" course - a standard math course or math-centered class such as physics - during their senior year.

In addition, by 2012 students must complete two credits of laboratory science; previously, students were required to have just one of their two science credits be a lab science class.

Other state high school graduation requirements including passing the 10th-grade Washington Assessment of Student Learning, four credits of English, three credits of social sciences, two credits of a foreign language, one credit of art and electives adding up to 20 total credits are unchanged.