As Passed by the House

130th General Assembly
Regular Session
2013-2014
Am. H. B. No. 113


Representatives Antonio, Henne 

Cosponsors: Representatives Ramos, Brenner, Hood, Driehaus, Hagan, R., Letson, Stinziano, Milkovich, Boyce, Hackett, Rogers, Cera, Amstutz, Bishoff, Schuring Speaker Batchelder 

A BILL
To amend section 3313.603 of the Revised Code to 1
specify that school districts and chartered 2
nonpublic schools may excuse from high school 3
physical education students who participate in a 4
school-sponsored athletic club.5


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

       Section 1.  That section 3313.603 of the Revised Code be 6
amended to read as follows:7

       Sec. 3313.603.  (A) As used in this section:8

       (1) "One unit" means a minimum of one hundred twenty hours of 9
course instruction, except that for a laboratory course, "one 10
unit" means a minimum of one hundred fifty hours of course 11
instruction.12

       (2) "One-half unit" means a minimum of sixty hours of course 13
instruction, except that for physical education courses, "one-half 14
unit" means a minimum of one hundred twenty hours of course 15
instruction.16

       (B) Beginning September 15, 2001, except as required in 17
division (C) of this section and division (C) of section 3313.614 18
of the Revised Code, the requirements for graduation from every 19
high school shall include twenty units earned in grades nine 20
through twelve and shall be distributed as follows:21

       (1) English language arts, four units;22

       (2) Health, one-half unit;23

       (3) Mathematics, three units;24

       (4) Physical education, one-half unit;25

       (5) Science, two units until September 15, 2003, and three 26
units thereafter, which at all times shall include both of the 27
following:28

       (a) Biological sciences, one unit;29

       (b) Physical sciences, one unit.30

       (6) History and government, one unit, which shall comply with 31
division (M) of this section and shall include both of the 32
following:33

       (a) American history, one-half unit;34

       (b) American government, one-half unit.35

       (7) Social studies, two units.36

       (8) Elective units, seven units until September 15, 2003, and 37
six units thereafter.38

       Each student's electives shall include at least one unit, or 39
two half units, chosen from among the areas of 40
business/technology, fine arts, and/or foreign language.41

       (C) Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the 42
first time on or after July 1, 2010, except as provided in 43
divisions (D) to (F) of this section, the requirements for 44
graduation from every public and chartered nonpublic high school 45
shall include twenty units that are designed to prepare students 46
for the workforce and college. The units shall be distributed as 47
follows:48

       (1) English language arts, four units;49

       (2) Health, one-half unit, which shall include instruction in 50
nutrition and the benefits of nutritious foods and physical 51
activity for overall health;52

       (3) Mathematics, four units, which shall include one unit of 53
algebra II or the equivalent of algebra II;54

       (4) Physical education, one-half unit;55

       (5) Science, three units with inquiry-based laboratory 56
experience that engages students in asking valid scientific 57
questions and gathering and analyzing information, which shall 58
include the following, or their equivalent:59

       (a) Physical sciences, one unit;60

       (b) Life sciences, one unit;61

       (c) Advanced study in one or more of the following sciences, 62
one unit:63

       (i) Chemistry, physics, or other physical science;64

       (ii) Advanced biology or other life science;65

       (iii) Astronomy, physical geology, or other earth or space 66
science.67

       (6) History and government, one unit, which shall comply with 68
division (M) of this section and shall include both of the 69
following:70

       (a) American history, one-half unit;71

       (b) American government, one-half unit.72

       (7) Social studies, two units.73

       Each school shall integrate the study of economics and 74
financial literacy, as expressed in the social studies academic 75
content standards adopted by the state board of education under 76
division (A)(1) of section 3301.079 of the Revised Code and the 77
academic content standards for financial literacy and 78
entrepreneurship adopted under division (A)(2) of that section, 79
into one or more existing social studies credits required under 80
division (C)(7) of this section, or into the content of another 81
class, so that every high school student receives instruction in 82
those concepts. In developing the curriculum required by this 83
paragraph, schools shall use available public-private partnerships 84
and resources and materials that exist in business, industry, and 85
through the centers for economics education at institutions of 86
higher education in the state.87

       (8) Five units consisting of one or any combination of 88
foreign language, fine arts, business, career-technical education, 89
family and consumer sciences, technology, agricultural education, 90
a junior reserve officer training corps (JROTC) program approved 91
by the congress of the United States under title 10 of the United 92
States Code, or English language arts, mathematics, science, or 93
social studies courses not otherwise required under division (C) 94
of this section.95

       Ohioans must be prepared to apply increased knowledge and 96
skills in the workplace and to adapt their knowledge and skills 97
quickly to meet the rapidly changing conditions of the 98
twenty-first century. National studies indicate that all high 99
school graduates need the same academic foundation, regardless of 100
the opportunities they pursue after graduation. The goal of Ohio's 101
system of elementary and secondary education is to prepare all 102
students for and seamlessly connect all students to success in 103
life beyond high school graduation, regardless of whether the next 104
step is entering the workforce, beginning an apprenticeship, 105
engaging in post-secondary training, serving in the military, or 106
pursuing a college degree.107

        The Ohio core curriculum is the standard expectation for all 108
students entering ninth grade for the first time at a public or 109
chartered nonpublic high school on or after July 1, 2010. A 110
student may satisfy this expectation through a variety of methods, 111
including, but not limited to, integrated, applied, 112
career-technical, and traditional coursework.113

       Whereas teacher quality is essential for student success in 114
completing the Ohio core curriculum, the general assembly shall 115
appropriate funds for strategic initiatives designed to strengthen 116
schools' capacities to hire and retain highly qualified teachers 117
in the subject areas required by the curriculum. Such initiatives 118
are expected to require an investment of $120,000,000 over five 119
years.120

       Stronger coordination between high schools and institutions 121
of higher education is necessary to prepare students for more 122
challenging academic endeavors and to lessen the need for academic 123
remediation in college, thereby reducing the costs of higher 124
education for Ohio's students, families, and the state. The state 125
board and the chancellor of the Ohio board of regents shall 126
develop policies to ensure that only in rare instances will 127
students who complete the Ohio core curriculum require academic 128
remediation after high school.129

       School districts, community schools, and chartered nonpublic 130
schools shall integrate technology into learning experiences 131
across the curriculum in order to maximize efficiency, enhance 132
learning, and prepare students for success in the 133
technology-driven twenty-first century. Districts and schools 134
shall use distance and web-based course delivery as a method of 135
providing or augmenting all instruction required under this 136
division, including laboratory experience in science. Districts 137
and schools shall utilize technology access and electronic 138
learning opportunities provided by the eTech Ohio commission, the 139
Ohio learning network, education technology centers, public 140
television stations, and other public and private providers.141

       (D) Except as provided in division (E) of this section, a 142
student who enters ninth grade on or after July 1, 2010, and 143
before July 1, 2014, may qualify for graduation from a public or 144
chartered nonpublic high school even though the student has not 145
completed the Ohio core curriculum prescribed in division (C) of 146
this section if all of the following conditions are satisfied:147

       (1) After the student has attended high school for two years, 148
as determined by the school, the student and the student's parent, 149
guardian, or custodian sign and file with the school a written 150
statement asserting the parent's, guardian's, or custodian's 151
consent to the student's graduating without completing the Ohio 152
core curriculum and acknowledging that one consequence of not 153
completing the Ohio core curriculum is ineligibility to enroll in 154
most state universities in Ohio without further coursework.155

       (2) The student and parent, guardian, or custodian fulfill 156
any procedural requirements the school stipulates to ensure the 157
student's and parent's, guardian's, or custodian's informed 158
consent and to facilitate orderly filing of statements under 159
division (D)(1) of this section.160

       (3) The student and the student's parent, guardian, or 161
custodian and a representative of the student's high school 162
jointly develop an individual career plan for the student that 163
specifies the student matriculating to a two-year degree program, 164
acquiring a business and industry credential, or entering an 165
apprenticeship.166

       (4) The student's high school provides counseling and support 167
for the student related to the plan developed under division 168
(D)(3) of this section during the remainder of the student's high 169
school experience.170

       (5) The student successfully completes, at a minimum, the 171
curriculum prescribed in division (B) of this section.172

       The department of education, in collaboration with the 173
chancellor, shall analyze student performance data to determine if 174
there are mitigating factors that warrant extending the exception 175
permitted by division (D) of this section to high school classes 176
beyond those entering ninth grade before July 1, 2014. The 177
department shall submit its findings and any recommendations not 178
later than August 1, 2014, to the speaker and minority leader of 179
the house of representatives, the president and minority leader of 180
the senate, the chairpersons and ranking minority members of the 181
standing committees of the house of representatives and the senate 182
that consider education legislation, the state board of education, 183
and the superintendent of public instruction.184

       (E) Each school district and chartered nonpublic school 185
retains the authority to require an even more rigorous minimum 186
curriculum for high school graduation than specified in division 187
(B) or (C) of this section. A school district board of education, 188
through the adoption of a resolution, or the governing authority 189
of a chartered nonpublic school may stipulate any of the 190
following:191

        (1) A minimum high school curriculum that requires more than 192
twenty units of academic credit to graduate;193

        (2) An exception to the district's or school's minimum high 194
school curriculum that is comparable to the exception provided in 195
division (D) of this section but with additional requirements, 196
which may include a requirement that the student successfully 197
complete more than the minimum curriculum prescribed in division 198
(B) of this section;199

        (3) That no exception comparable to that provided in division 200
(D) of this section is available.201

       (F) A student enrolled in a dropout prevention and recovery 202
program, which program has received a waiver from the department, 203
may qualify for graduation from high school by successfully 204
completing a competency-based instructional program administered 205
by the dropout prevention and recovery program in lieu of 206
completing the Ohio core curriculum prescribed in division (C) of 207
this section. The department shall grant a waiver to a dropout 208
prevention and recovery program, within sixty days after the 209
program applies for the waiver, if the program meets all of the 210
following conditions:211

       (1) The program serves only students not younger than sixteen 212
years of age and not older than twenty-one years of age.213

       (2) The program enrolls students who, at the time of their 214
initial enrollment, either, or both, are at least one grade level 215
behind their cohort age groups or experience crises that 216
significantly interfere with their academic progress such that 217
they are prevented from continuing their traditional programs.218

       (3) The program requires students to attain at least the 219
applicable score designated for each of the assessments prescribed 220
under division (B)(1) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code or, 221
to the extent prescribed by rule of the state board under division 222
(D)(6) of section 3301.0712 of the Revised Code, division (B)(2) 223
of that section.224

       (4) The program develops an individual career plan for the 225
student that specifies the student's matriculating to a two-year 226
degree program, acquiring a business and industry credential, or 227
entering an apprenticeship.228

       (5) The program provides counseling and support for the 229
student related to the plan developed under division (F)(4) of 230
this section during the remainder of the student's high school 231
experience.232

       (6) The program requires the student and the student's 233
parent, guardian, or custodian to sign and file, in accordance 234
with procedural requirements stipulated by the program, a written 235
statement asserting the parent's, guardian's, or custodian's 236
consent to the student's graduating without completing the Ohio 237
core curriculum and acknowledging that one consequence of not 238
completing the Ohio core curriculum is ineligibility to enroll in 239
most state universities in Ohio without further coursework.240

       (7) Prior to receiving the waiver, the program has submitted 241
to the department an instructional plan that demonstrates how the 242
academic content standards adopted by the state board under 243
section 3301.079 of the Revised Code will be taught and assessed.244

       If the department does not act either to grant the waiver or 245
to reject the program application for the waiver within sixty days 246
as required under this section, the waiver shall be considered to 247
be granted.248

       (G) Every high school may permit students below the ninth 249
grade to take advanced work. If a high school so permits, it shall 250
award high school credit for successful completion of the advanced 251
work and shall count such advanced work toward the graduation 252
requirements of division (B) or (C) of this section if the 253
advanced work was both:254

       (1) Taught by a person who possesses a license or certificate 255
issued under section 3301.071, 3319.22, or 3319.222 of the Revised 256
Code that is valid for teaching high school;257

       (2) Designated by the board of education of the city, local, 258
or exempted village school district, the board of the cooperative 259
education school district, or the governing authority of the 260
chartered nonpublic school as meeting the high school curriculum 261
requirements.262

        Each high school shall record on the student's high school 263
transcript all high school credit awarded under division (G) of 264
this section. In addition, if the student completed a seventh- or 265
eighth-grade fine arts course described in division (K) of this 266
section and the course qualified for high school credit under that 267
division, the high school shall record that course on the 268
student's high school transcript.269

       (H) The department shall make its individual academic career 270
plan available through its Ohio career information system web site 271
for districts and schools to use as a tool for communicating with 272
and providing guidance to students and families in selecting high 273
school courses.274

        (I) Units earned in English language arts, mathematics, 275
science, and social studies that are delivered through integrated 276
academic and career-technical instruction are eligible to meet the 277
graduation requirements of division (B) or (C) of this section.278

       (J) The state board, in consultation with the chancellor, 279
shall adopt a statewide plan implementing methods for students to 280
earn units of high school credit based on a demonstration of 281
subject area competency, instead of or in combination with 282
completing hours of classroom instruction. The state board shall 283
adopt the plan not later than March 31, 2009, and commence phasing 284
in the plan during the 2009-2010 school year. The plan shall 285
include a standard method for recording demonstrated proficiency 286
on high school transcripts. Each school district and community 287
school shall comply with the state board's plan adopted under this 288
division and award units of high school credit in accordance with 289
the plan. The state board may adopt existing methods for earning 290
high school credit based on a demonstration of subject area 291
competency as necessary prior to the 2009-2010 school year.292

       (K) This division does not apply to students who qualify for 293
graduation from high school under division (D) or (F) of this 294
section, or to students pursuing a career-technical instructional 295
track as determined by the school district board of education or 296
the chartered nonpublic school's governing authority. 297
Nevertheless, the general assembly encourages such students to 298
consider enrolling in a fine arts course as an elective.299

       Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first 300
time on or after July 1, 2010, each student enrolled in a public 301
or chartered nonpublic high school shall complete two semesters or 302
the equivalent of fine arts to graduate from high school. The 303
coursework may be completed in any of grades seven to twelve. Each 304
student who completes a fine arts course in grade seven or eight 305
may elect to count that course toward the five units of electives 306
required for graduation under division (C)(8) of this section, if 307
the course satisfied the requirements of division (G) of this 308
section. In that case, the high school shall award the student 309
high school credit for the course and count the course toward the 310
five units required under division (C)(8) of this section. If the 311
course in grade seven or eight did not satisfy the requirements of 312
division (G) of this section, the high school shall not award the 313
student high school credit for the course but shall count the 314
course toward the two semesters or the equivalent of fine arts 315
required by this division.316

       (L) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this section, 317
the board of education of each school district and the governing 318
authority of each chartered nonpublic school may adopt a policy to 319
excuse from the high school physical education requirement each 320
student who, during high school, has participated in 321
interscholastic athletics, marching band, a school-sponsored 322
athletic club, or cheerleading for at least two full seasons or in 323
the junior reserve officer training corps for at least two full 324
school years. If the board or authority adopts such a policy, the 325
board or authority shall not require the student to complete any 326
physical education course as a condition to graduate. However, the 327
student shall be required to complete one-half unit, consisting of 328
at least sixty hours of instruction, in another course of study. 329
In the case of a student who has participated in the junior 330
reserve officer training corps for at least two full school years, 331
credit received for that participation may be used to satisfy the 332
requirement to complete one-half unit in another course of study.333

       (M) It is important that high school students learn and 334
understand United States history and the governments of both the 335
United States and the state of Ohio. Therefore, beginning with 336
students who enter ninth grade for the first time on or after July 337
1, 2012, the study of American history and American government 338
required by divisions (B)(6) and (C)(6) of this section shall 339
include the study of all of the following documents:340

        (1) The Declaration of Independence;341

        (2) The Northwest Ordinance;342

        (3) The Constitution of the United States with emphasis on 343
the Bill of Rights;344

        (4) The Ohio Constitution.345

        The study of each of the documents prescribed in divisions 346
(M)(1) to (4) of this section shall include study of that document 347
in its original context.348

        The study of American history and government required by 349
divisions (B)(6) and (C)(6) of this section shall include the 350
historical evidence of the role of documents such as the 351
Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers to firmly 352
establish the historical background leading to the establishment 353
of the provisions of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.354

       Section 2.  That existing section 3313.603 of the Revised 355
Code is hereby repealed.356