As Introduced

128th General Assembly
Regular Session
2009-2010
S. B. No. 190


Senators Schaffer, Turner 

Cosponsors: Senators Cates, Husted, Hughes, Widener, Grendell, Seitz, Jones, Niehaus, Wagoner, Morano, Fedor, Schiavoni, Strahorn, Miller, R., Sawyer, Cafaro 



A BILL
To amend section 3313.603 of the Revised Code to 1
include Junior ROTC as a permitted elective within 2
the Ohio Core curriculum.3


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That section 3313.603 of the Revised Code be 4
amended to read as follows:5

       Sec. 3313.603.  (A) As used in this section:6

       (1) "One unit" means a minimum of one hundred twenty hours of 7
course instruction, except that for a laboratory course, "one8
unit" means a minimum of one hundred fifty hours of course9
instruction.10

       (2) "One-half unit" means a minimum of sixty hours of course11
instruction, except that for physical education courses, "one-half12
unit" means a minimum of one hundred twenty hours of course13
instruction.14

       (B) Beginning September 15, 2001, except as required in15
division (C) of this section and division (C) of section 3313.614 16
of the Revised Code, the requirements for graduation from every 17
high school shall include twenty units earned in grades nine 18
through twelve and shall be distributed as follows:19

       (1) English language arts, four units;20

       (2) Health, one-half unit;21

       (3) Mathematics, three units;22

       (4) Physical education, one-half unit;23

       (5) Science, two units until September 15, 2003, and three24
units thereafter, which at all times shall include both of the25
following:26

       (a) Biological sciences, one unit;27

       (b) Physical sciences, one unit.28

       (6) Social studies, three units, which shall include both of29
the following:30

       (a) American history, one-half unit;31

       (b) American government, one-half unit.32

       (7) Elective units, seven units until September 15, 2003, and33
six units thereafter.34

       Each student's electives shall include at least one unit, or35
two half units, chosen from among the areas of36
business/technology, fine arts, and/or foreign language.37

       (C) Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the 38
first time on or after July 1, 2010, except as provided in 39
divisions (D) to (F) of this section, the requirements for40
graduation from every public and chartered nonpublic high school 41
shall include twenty units that are designed to prepare students 42
for the workforce and college. The units shall be distributed as 43
follows:44

       (1) English language arts, four units;45

       (2) Health, one-half unit;46

       (3) Mathematics, four units, which shall include one unit of 47
algebra II or the equivalent of algebra II;48

       (4) Physical education, one-half unit;49

       (5) Science, three units with inquiry-based laboratory 50
experience that engages students in asking valid scientific 51
questions and gathering and analyzing information, which shall 52
include the following, or their equivalent:53

       (a) Physical sciences, one unit;54

       (b) Life sciences, one unit;55

       (c) Advanced study in one or more of the following sciences, 56
one unit:57

       (i) Chemistry, physics, or other physical science;58

       (ii) Advanced biology or other life science;59

       (iii) Astronomy, physical geology, or other earth or space 60
science.61

       (6) Social studies, three units, which shall include both of62
the following:63

       (a) American history, one-half unit;64

       (b) American government, one-half unit.65

       Each school shall integrate the study of economics and 66
financial literacy, as expressed in the social studies academic 67
content standards adopted by the state board of education under 68
division (A)(1) of section 3301.079 of the Revised Code and the 69
academic content standards for financial literacy and 70
entrepreneurship adopted under division (A)(2) of that section, 71
into one or more existing social studies credits required under 72
division (C)(6) of this section, or into the content of another 73
class, so that every high school student receives instruction in 74
those concepts. In developing the curriculum required by this 75
paragraph, schools shall use available public-private 76
partnerships and resources and materials that exist in business, 77
industry, and through the centers for economics education at 78
institutions of higher education in the state.79

       (7) Five units consisting of one or any combination of 80
foreign language, fine arts, business, career-technical education, 81
family and consumer sciences, technology, agricultural education, 82
a junior reserve officer training corps (JROTC) program approved 83
by the congress of the United States under title 10 of the United 84
States Code, or English language arts, mathematics, science, or 85
social studies courses not otherwise required under division (C) 86
of this section.87

       Ohioans must be prepared to apply increased knowledge and 88
skills in the workplace and to adapt their knowledge and skills 89
quickly to meet the rapidly changing conditions of the 90
twenty-first century. National studies indicate that all high 91
school graduates need the same academic foundation, regardless of 92
the opportunities they pursue after graduation. The goal of Ohio's 93
system of elementary and secondary education is to prepare all 94
students for and seamlessly connect all students to success in 95
life beyond high school graduation, regardless of whether the next 96
step is entering the workforce, beginning an apprenticeship, 97
engaging in post-secondary training, serving in the military, or 98
pursuing a college degree.99

        The Ohio core curriculum is the standard expectation for all 100
students entering ninth grade for the first time at a public or 101
chartered nonpublic high school on or after July 1, 2010. A 102
student may satisfy this expectation through a variety of methods, 103
including, but not limited to, integrated, applied, 104
career-technical, and traditional coursework.105

       Whereas teacher quality is essential for student success in 106
completing the Ohio core curriculum, the general assembly shall 107
appropriate funds for strategic initiatives designed to strengthen 108
schools' capacities to hire and retain highly qualified teachers 109
in the subject areas required by the curriculum. Such initiatives 110
are expected to require an investment of $120,000,000 over five 111
years.112

       Stronger coordination between high schools and institutions 113
of higher education is necessary to prepare students for more 114
challenging academic endeavors and to lessen the need for academic 115
remediation in college, thereby reducing the costs of higher 116
education for Ohio's students, families, and the state. The state 117
board of education and the chancellor of the Ohio board of 118
regents shall develop policies to ensure that only in rare 119
instances will students who complete the Ohio core curriculum 120
require academic remediation after high school.121

       School districts, community schools, and chartered nonpublic 122
schools shall integrate technology into learning experiences 123
whenever practicable across the curriculum in order to maximize 124
efficiency, enhance learning, and prepare students for success in 125
the technology-driven twenty-first century. Districts and schools 126
may use distance and web-based course delivery as a method of 127
providing or augmenting all instruction required under this 128
division, including laboratory experience in science. Districts 129
and schools shall whenever practicable utilize technology access 130
and electronic learning opportunities provided by the eTech Ohio 131
commission, the Ohio learning network, education technology 132
centers, public television stations, and other public and private 133
providers.134

       (D) Except as provided in division (E) of this section, a 135
student who enters ninth grade on or after July 1, 2010, and 136
before July 1, 2014, may qualify for graduation from a public or 137
chartered nonpublic high school even though the student has not 138
completed the Ohio core curriculum prescribed in division (C) of 139
this section if all of the following conditions are satisfied:140

       (1) After the student has attended high school for two years, 141
as determined by the school, the student and the student's parent, 142
guardian, or custodian sign and file with the school a written 143
statement asserting the parent's, guardian's, or custodian's 144
consent to the student's graduating without completing the Ohio 145
core curriculum and acknowledging that one consequence of not 146
completing the Ohio core curriculum is ineligibility to enroll in 147
most state universities in Ohio without further coursework.148

       (2) The student and parent, guardian, or custodian fulfill 149
any procedural requirements the school stipulates to ensure the 150
student's and parent's, guardian's, or custodian's informed 151
consent and to facilitate orderly filing of statements under 152
division (D)(1) of this section.153

       (3) The student and the student's parent, guardian, or 154
custodian and a representative of the student's high school 155
jointly develop an individual career plan for the student that 156
specifies the student matriculating to a two-year degree program, 157
acquiring a business and industry credential, or entering an 158
apprenticeship.159

       (4) The student's high school provides counseling and support 160
for the student related to the plan developed under division 161
(D)(3) of this section during the remainder of the student's high 162
school experience.163

       (5) The student successfully completes, at a minimum, the 164
curriculum prescribed in division (B) of this section.165

       The department of education, in collaboration with the the166
chancellor of the Ohio board of regents, shall analyze student 167
performance data to determine if there are mitigating factors 168
that warrant extending the exception permitted by division (D) 169
of this section to high school classes beyond those entering 170
ninth grade before July 1, 2014. The department shall submit its 171
findings and any recommendations not later than August 1, 2014, 172
to the speaker and minority leader of the house of 173
representatives, the president and minority leader of the senate, 174
the chairpersons and ranking minority members of the standing 175
committees of the house of representatives and the senate that 176
consider education legislation, the state board of education, and 177
the superintendent of public instruction.178

       (E) Each school district and chartered nonpublic school 179
retains the authority to require an even more rigorous minimum 180
curriculum for high school graduation than specified in division 181
(B) or (C) of this section. A school district board of education, 182
through the adoption of a resolution, or the governing authority 183
of a chartered nonpublic school may stipulate any of the 184
following:185

        (1) A minimum high school curriculum that requires more than 186
twenty units of academic credit to graduate;187

        (2) An exception to the district's or school's minimum high 188
school curriculum that is comparable to the exception provided in 189
division (D) of this section but with additional requirements, 190
which may include a requirement that the student successfully 191
complete more than the minimum curriculum prescribed in division 192
(B) of this section;193

        (3) That no exception comparable to that provided in division 194
(D) of this section is available.195

       (F) A student enrolled in a dropout prevention and recovery 196
program, which program has received a waiver from the department 197
of education, may qualify for graduation from high school by 198
successfully completing a competency-based instructional program 199
administered by the dropout prevention and recovery program in 200
lieu of completing the Ohio core curriculum prescribed in division 201
(C) of this section. The department shall grant a waiver to a 202
dropout prevention and recovery program, within sixty days after 203
the program applies for the waiver, if the program meets all of 204
the following conditions:205

       (1) The program serves only students not younger than sixteen 206
years of age and not older than twenty-one years of age.207

       (2) The program enrolls students who, at the time of their 208
initial enrollment, either, or both, are at least one grade level 209
behind their cohort age groups or experience crises that 210
significantly interfere with their academic progress such that 211
they are prevented from continuing their traditional programs.212

       (3) The program requires students to attain at least the 213
applicable score designated for each of the assessments prescribed 214
under division (B)(1) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code 215
or, to the extent prescribed by rule of the state board of 216
education under division (E)(6) of section 3301.0712 of the 217
Revised Code, division (B)(2) of that section.218

       (4) The program develops an individual career plan for the 219
student that specifies the student's matriculating to a two-year 220
degree program, acquiring a business and industry credential, or 221
entering an apprenticeship.222

       (5) The program provides counseling and support for the 223
student related to the plan developed under division (F)(4) of 224
this section during the remainder of the student's high school 225
experience.226

       (6) The program requires the student and the student's 227
parent, guardian, or custodian to sign and file, in accordance 228
with procedural requirements stipulated by the program, a written 229
statement asserting the parent's, guardian's, or custodian's 230
consent to the student's graduating without completing the Ohio 231
core curriculum and acknowledging that one consequence of not 232
completing the Ohio core curriculum is ineligibility to enroll in 233
most state universities in Ohio without further coursework.234

       (7) Prior to receiving the waiver, the program has submitted 235
to the department an instructional plan that demonstrates how the 236
academic content standards adopted by the state board of education 237
under section 3301.079 of the Revised Code will be taught and 238
assessed.239

       If the department does not act either to grant the waiver or 240
to reject the program application for the waiver within sixty days 241
as required under this section, the waiver shall be considered to 242
be granted.243

       (G) Every high school may permit students below the ninth244
grade to take advanced work. If a high school so permits, it 245
shall award high school credit for successful completion of the 246
advanced work and shall count such advanced work toward the247
graduation requirements of division (B) or (C) of this section 248
if the advanced work was both:249

       (1) Taught by a person who possesses a license or certificate 250
issued under section 3301.071, 3319.22, or 3319.222 of the Revised 251
Code that is valid for teaching high school;252

       (2) Designated by the board of education of the city, local,253
or exempted village school district, the board of the cooperative254
education school district, or the governing authority of the255
chartered nonpublic school as meeting the high school curriculum256
requirements.257

        Each high school shall record on the student's high school 258
transcript all high school credit awarded under division (G) of 259
this section. In addition, if the student completed a seventh- or 260
eighth-grade fine arts course described in division (K) of this 261
section and the course qualified for high school credit under that 262
division, the high school shall record that course on the 263
student's high school transcript.264

       (H) The department shall make its individual academic career 265
plan available through its Ohio career information system web site 266
for districts and schools to use as a tool for communicating with 267
and providing guidance to students and families in selecting high 268
school courses.269

        (I) Units earned in English language arts, mathematics,270
science, and social studies that are delivered through integrated271
academic and career-technical instruction are eligible to meet the272
graduation requirements of division (B) or (C) of this section.273

       (J) The state board of education, in consultation with the 274
chancellor of the Ohio board of regents, shall adopt a 275
statewide plan implementing methods for students to earn units 276
of high school credit based on a demonstration of subject area 277
competency, instead of or in combination with completing hours 278
of classroom instruction. The state board shall adopt the plan 279
not later than March 31, 2009, and commence phasing in the plan 280
during the 2009-2010 school year. The plan shall include a 281
standard method for recording demonstrated proficiency on high 282
school transcripts. Each school district, community school, and 283
chartered nonpublic school shall comply with the state board's 284
plan adopted under this division and award units of high school 285
credit in accordance with the plan. The state board may adopt 286
existing methods for earning high school credit based on a 287
demonstration of subject area competency as necessary prior to 288
the 2009-2010 school year.289

       (K) This division does not apply to students who qualify for 290
graduation from high school under division (D) or (F) of this 291
section, or to students pursuing a career-technical instructional 292
track as determined by the school district board of education or 293
the chartered nonpublic school's governing authority. 294
Nevertheless, the general assembly encourages such students to 295
consider enrolling in a fine arts course as an elective.296

       Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first 297
time on or after July 1, 2010, each student enrolled in a public 298
or chartered nonpublic high school shall complete two semesters or 299
the equivalent of fine arts to graduate from high school. The 300
coursework may be completed in any of grades seven to twelve. Each 301
student who completes a fine arts course in grade seven or eight 302
may elect to count that course toward the five units of electives 303
required for graduation under division (C)(7) of this section, if 304
the course satisfied the requirements of division (G) of this 305
section. In that case, the high school shall award the student 306
high school credit for the course and count the course toward the 307
five units required under division (C)(7) of this section. If the 308
course in grade seven or eight did not satisfy the requirements of 309
division (G) of this section, the high school shall not award the 310
student high school credit for the course but shall count the 311
course toward the two semesters or the equivalent of fine arts 312
required by this division.313

       (L) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this section, 314
the board of education of each school district and the governing 315
authority of each chartered nonpublic school may adopt a policy to 316
excuse from the high school physical education requirement each 317
student who, during high school, has participated in 318
interscholastic athletics, marching band, or cheerleading for at 319
least two full seasons. If the board or authority adopts such a 320
policy, the board or authority shall not require the student to 321
complete any physical education course as a condition to 322
graduate. However, the student shall be required to complete 323
one-half unit, consisting of at least sixty hours of 324
instruction, in another course of study.325

       Section 2. That existing section 3313.603 of the Revised Code 326
is hereby repealed.327