national average in 1979. With the declining scores, the percentage of college-bound graduates dropped to 42% for the class of 1975 (while college-bound graduates rose nationally). Some students recognized the problem and asked the school committee to be allowed to take a heavier workload by taking more than five courses to be able to compete for college admission better. In addition, the school building began to show its age and marred the school with disruptive and behind-schedule repairs that even forced an early dismissal for a day. Construction for a new addition in the mid-to-late 1970s was riffled with delays and cost overruns from unexpected problems including discovering undetected peat and mysterious tunnels that needed to be excavated and filled with gravel. One of the new addition buildings was nearly torn down to start after the contractor ignored an error that one of the foundation footings were misaligned nine inches the correct line. After it reached completion in 1980, problems continued to persist well after construction including leaking roofs and even falling concrete. Adding to the decline, school vandalism reached extreme levels in the late 1970s with trashed bathrooms, ransacked classrooms, damage to the new school pool, and fires during the early 1980s. Teachers and the city began openly talking about the decline of the student body and disciple with rampant truancy, drugs, and alcohol with intimidation to more studious students. Finally cutbacks from funding (many blamed on the controversial proposition 2½) forced layoffs and cutbacks to many of the school offerings. Recent years Since the mid-1980s, Malden High School has become highly diverse with the minority now the majority. Its large diversity has grown to become a prominent feature of the school and was recognized during a speech in the 2007 graduation ceremony. The school since then has begun to recover and now beginning to receive new lockers, desks, computers, and other new equipment. The courses continue to expand breadth of its offerings with new courses including Mandarin Chinese and new AP courses. A comprehensive $77 million renovation to school buildings was completed in 2012. On April 7th 2022 a student was taken to a medical facility following an “altercation” with another student. Academics Students have a choice of 15 advanced placement courses, provided they meet the necessary academic requirements. In addition, Malden High School students also have the option to participate in a Virtual High School program. Extracurricular