The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education last week voted to reduce the service learning requirement under graduation requirements from 50 to 25 hours.
District officials had recommended reducing the requirement so that students have more time to complete the North Carolina Graduation Requirement.
The reduction in required hours will go into effect for the 2008-09 school year.
In other board business, board members voted 5-1 to approve the 2008-09 operating budget. The board had requested a $6.8 million increase from the county, but received an increase of about $5.2 million.
Board members found savings through state-mandated teacher pay raises and benefit increases, which were less than expected, as well as through a reduction in opening costs for Morris Grove Elementary School and other budget items.