As Reported by the Senate Education Committee 1
122nd General Assembly 4
Regular Session Sub. S. B. No. 55 5
1997-1998 6
SENATOR WATTS 8
10
A B I L L
To enact section 3313.603 of the Revised Code to 12
codify the minimum requirements for graduation 13
from high school; to increase the total number of 14
units of credit necessary for graduation from 15
eighteen to twenty; to increase the required 16
units of English language arts from three to
four; to increase the required units of each of 17
the areas of mathematics and social studies from 18
two to three; to increase the required units of 19
science incrementally from one to three; to
reduce the elective units incrementally from nine 20
to six; and to require the Ohio Board of Regents 21
to recommend a plan to increase the number of
math and science teachers. 22
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO: 24
Section 1. That section 3313.603 of the Revised Code be 26
enacted to read as follows: 27
Sec. 3313.603. (A) AS USED IN THIS SECTION: 29
(1) "ONE UNIT" MEANS A MINIMUM OF ONE HUNDRED TWENTY HOURS 32
OF COURSE INSTRUCTION, EXCEPT THAT FOR A LABORATORY COURSE, "ONE 34
UNIT" MEANS A MINIMUM OF ONE HUNDRED FIFTY HOURS OF COURSE 35
INSTRUCTION.
(2) "ONE-HALF UNIT" MEANS A MINIMUM OF SIXTY HOURS OF 38
COURSE INSTRUCTION, EXCEPT THAT FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION COURSES, 39
"ONE-HALF UNIT" MEANS A MINIMUM OF ONE HUNDRED TWENTY HOURS OF 40
COURSE INSTRUCTION.
2
(B) BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 15, 2001, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR 42
GRADUATION FROM EVERY HIGH SCHOOL SHALL INCLUDE TWENTY UNITS 44
EARNED IN GRADES NINE THROUGH TWELVE AND SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED AS 45
FOLLOWS:
(1) ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, FOUR UNITS; 47
(2) HEALTH, ONE-HALF UNIT; 49
(3) MATHEMATICS, THREE UNITS; 51
(4) PHYSICAL EDUCATION, ONE-HALF UNIT; 53
(5) SCIENCE, TWO UNITS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15, 2003, AND THREE 55
UNITS THEREAFTER, WHICH AT ALL TIMES SHALL INCLUDE BOTH OF THE 56
FOLLOWING: 57
(a) BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, ONE UNIT; 60
(b) PHYSICAL SCIENCES, ONE UNIT. 63
(6) SOCIAL STUDIES, THREE UNITS, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE BOTH 65
OF THE FOLLOWING: 66
(a) AMERICAN HISTORY, ONE-HALF UNIT; 69
(b) AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, ONE-HALF UNIT. 72
(7) ELECTIVE UNITS, SEVEN UNITS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15, 2003, 74
AND SIX UNITS THEREAFTER. 75
(C) EVERY HIGH SCHOOL MAY PERMIT STUDENTS BELOW THE NINTH 78
GRADE TO TAKE ADVANCED WORK FOR CREDIT. A HIGH SCHOOL SHALL 79
COUNT SUCH ADVANCED WORK TOWARD THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS OF 80
DIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION IF THE ADVANCED WORK WAS BOTH: 81
(1) TAUGHT BY A PERSON WHO POSSESSES A LICENSE OR 83
CERTIFICATE ISSUED UNDER SECTION 3319.22 OR 3319.222 OF THE 85
REVISED CODE THAT IS VALID FOR TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL; 86
(2) DESIGNATED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY, 88
LOCAL, OR EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR THE BOARD OF THE 89
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL DISTRICT AS MEETING THE HIGH SCHOOL 90
CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS.
(D) UNITS EARNED IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, MATHEMATICS, 93
SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES THAT ARE DELIVERED THROUGH INTEGRATED 94
ACADEMIC AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION ARE ELIGIBLE TO MEET THE 95
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS OF DIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 96
3
(E) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DOES NOT INTEND TO REQUIRE THAT 99
SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCREASE THEIR TOTAL NUMBER OF TEACHING 100
POSITIONS TO COMPLY WITH THIS SECTION. NOTWITHSTANDING SECTIONS 101
3319.16 AND 3319.17 OF THE REVISED CODE, A SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY 102
ELIMINATE TEACHING POSITIONS WITHIN ELECTIVE SUBJECT AREAS WHEN 103
IT HIRES ADDITIONAL TEACHERS WITHIN THE CORE SUBJECT AREAS OF 104
DIVISIONS (B)(1) TO (6) OF THIS SECTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS 105
SECTION.
Section 2. The Ohio Board of Regents, in consultation with 107
the Superintendent of Public Instruction, shall prepare a plan 108
recommending strategies for increasing the number of mathematics 109
and science teachers in this state. The Board shall submit its 110
plan no later than December 31, 1997, to the Governor, the 111
President and Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker and 112
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the 113
chairpersons of the Senate and House Education Committees. 114