As Recommitted to the Senate Education Committee

130th General Assembly
Regular Session
2013-2014
Sub. S. B. No. 96


Senator LaRose 

Cosponsors: Senators Cafaro, Hite, Lehner 

A BILL
To amend section 3313.603 of the Revised Code to 1
require one unit of world history in the high 2
school social studies 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, "one 8
unit" means a minimum of one hundred fifty hours of course 9
instruction.10

       (2) "One-half unit" means a minimum of sixty hours of course 11
instruction, except that for physical education courses, "one-half 12
unit" means a minimum of one hundred twenty hours of course 13
instruction.14

       (B) Beginning September 15, 2001, except as required in 15
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 three 24
units thereafter, which at all times shall include both of the 25
following:26

       (a) Biological sciences, one unit;27

       (b) Physical sciences, one unit.28

       (6) History and government, one unit, which shall comply with 29
division (M) of this section and shall include both of the 30
following:31

       (a) American history, one-half unit;32

       (b) American government, one-half unit.33

       (7) Social studies, two units.34

       Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first 35
time on or after the first day of July that next succeeds the 36
effective date of this amendment, the two units of instruction 37
prescribed by division (B)(7) of this section shall include at 38
least one unit of instruction in the study of world history and 39
cultures from around the world other than that of the United 40
States.41

       (8) Elective units, seven units until September 15, 2003, and 42
six units thereafter.43

       Each student's electives shall include at least one unit, or 44
two half units, chosen from among the areas of 45
business/technology, fine arts, and/or foreign language.46

       (C) Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the 47
first time on or after July 1, 2010, except as provided in 48
divisions (D) to (F) of this section, the requirements for 49
graduation from every public and chartered nonpublic high school 50
shall include twenty units that are designed to prepare students 51
for the workforce and college. The units shall be distributed as 52
follows:53

       (1) English language arts, four units;54

       (2) Health, one-half unit, which shall include instruction in 55
nutrition and the benefits of nutritious foods and physical 56
activity for overall health;57

       (3) Mathematics, four units, which shall include one unit of 58
algebra II or the equivalent of algebra II;59

       (4) Physical education, one-half unit;60

       (5) Science, three units with inquiry-based laboratory 61
experience that engages students in asking valid scientific 62
questions and gathering and analyzing information, which shall 63
include the following, or their equivalent:64

       (a) Physical sciences, one unit;65

       (b) Life sciences, one unit;66

       (c) Advanced study in one or more of the following sciences, 67
one unit:68

       (i) Chemistry, physics, or other physical science;69

       (ii) Advanced biology or other life science;70

       (iii) Astronomy, physical geology, or other earth or space 71
science.72

       (6) History and government, one unit, which shall comply with 73
division (M) of this section and shall include both of the 74
following:75

       (a) American history, one-half unit;76

       (b) American government, one-half unit.77

       (7) Social studies, two units.78

       Each school shall integrate the study of economics and 79
financial literacy, as expressed in the social studies academic 80
content standards adopted by the state board of education under 81
division (A)(1) of section 3301.079 of the Revised Code and the 82
academic content standards for financial literacy and 83
entrepreneurship adopted under division (A)(2) of that section, 84
into one or more existing social studies credits required under 85
division (C)(7) of this section, or into the content of another 86
class, so that every high school student receives instruction in 87
those concepts. In developing the curriculum required by this 88
paragraph, schools shall use available public-private partnerships 89
and resources and materials that exist in business, industry, and 90
through the centers for economics education at institutions of 91
higher education in the state.92

       Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first 93
time on or after the first day of July that next succeeds the 94
effective date of this amendment, the two units of instruction 95
prescribed by division (C)(7) of this section shall include at 96
least one unit of instruction in the study of world history and 97
cultures from around the world other than that of the United 98
States.99

       (8) Five units consisting of one or any combination of 100
foreign language, fine arts, business, career-technical education, 101
family and consumer sciences, technology, agricultural education, 102
a junior reserve officer training corps (JROTC) program approved 103
by the congress of the United States under title 10 of the United 104
States Code, or English language arts, mathematics, science, or 105
social studies courses not otherwise required under division (C) 106
of this section.107

       Ohioans must be prepared to apply increased knowledge and 108
skills in the workplace and to adapt their knowledge and skills 109
quickly to meet the rapidly changing conditions of the 110
twenty-first century. National studies indicate that all high 111
school graduates need the same academic foundation, regardless of 112
the opportunities they pursue after graduation. The goal of Ohio's 113
system of elementary and secondary education is to prepare all 114
students for and seamlessly connect all students to success in 115
life beyond high school graduation, regardless of whether the next 116
step is entering the workforce, beginning an apprenticeship, 117
engaging in post-secondary training, serving in the military, or 118
pursuing a college degree.119

        The Ohio core curriculum is the standard expectation for all 120
students entering ninth grade for the first time at a public or 121
chartered nonpublic high school on or after July 1, 2010. A 122
student may satisfy this expectation through a variety of methods, 123
including, but not limited to, integrated, applied, 124
career-technical, and traditional coursework.125

       Whereas teacher quality is essential for student success in 126
completing the Ohio core curriculum, the general assembly shall 127
appropriate funds for strategic initiatives designed to strengthen 128
schools' capacities to hire and retain highly qualified teachers 129
in the subject areas required by the curriculum. Such initiatives 130
are expected to require an investment of $120,000,000 over five 131
years.132

       Stronger coordination between high schools and institutions 133
of higher education is necessary to prepare students for more 134
challenging academic endeavors and to lessen the need for academic 135
remediation in college, thereby reducing the costs of higher 136
education for Ohio's students, families, and the state. The state 137
board and the chancellor of the Ohio board of regents shall 138
develop policies to ensure that only in rare instances will 139
students who complete the Ohio core curriculum require academic 140
remediation after high school.141

       School districts, community schools, and chartered nonpublic 142
schools shall integrate technology into learning experiences 143
across the curriculum in order to maximize efficiency, enhance 144
learning, and prepare students for success in the 145
technology-driven twenty-first century. Districts and schools 146
shall use distance and web-based course delivery as a method of 147
providing or augmenting all instruction required under this 148
division, including laboratory experience in science. Districts 149
and schools shall utilize technology access and electronic 150
learning opportunities provided by the eTech Ohio commission, the 151
Ohio learning network, education technology centers, public 152
television stations, and other public and private providers.153

       (D) Except as provided in division (E) of this section, a 154
student who enters ninth grade on or after July 1, 2010, and 155
before July 1, 2014, may qualify for graduation from a public or 156
chartered nonpublic high school even though the student has not 157
completed the Ohio core curriculum prescribed in division (C) of 158
this section if all of the following conditions are satisfied:159

       (1) After the student has attended high school for two years, 160
as determined by the school, the student and the student's parent, 161
guardian, or custodian sign and file with the school a written 162
statement asserting the parent's, guardian's, or custodian's 163
consent to the student's graduating without completing the Ohio 164
core curriculum and acknowledging that one consequence of not 165
completing the Ohio core curriculum is ineligibility to enroll in 166
most state universities in Ohio without further coursework.167

       (2) The student and parent, guardian, or custodian fulfill 168
any procedural requirements the school stipulates to ensure the 169
student's and parent's, guardian's, or custodian's informed 170
consent and to facilitate orderly filing of statements under 171
division (D)(1) of this section.172

       (3) The student and the student's parent, guardian, or 173
custodian and a representative of the student's high school 174
jointly develop an individual career plan for the student that 175
specifies the student matriculating to a two-year degree program, 176
acquiring a business and industry credential, or entering an 177
apprenticeship.178

       (4) The student's high school provides counseling and support 179
for the student related to the plan developed under division 180
(D)(3) of this section during the remainder of the student's high 181
school experience.182

       (5) The student successfully completes, at a minimum, the 183
curriculum prescribed in division (B) of this section.184

       The department of education, in collaboration with the 185
chancellor, shall analyze student performance data to determine if 186
there are mitigating factors that warrant extending the exception 187
permitted by division (D) of this section to high school classes 188
beyond those entering ninth grade before July 1, 2014. The 189
department shall submit its findings and any recommendations not 190
later than August 1, 2014, to the speaker and minority leader of 191
the house of representatives, the president and minority leader of 192
the senate, the chairpersons and ranking minority members of the 193
standing committees of the house of representatives and the senate 194
that consider education legislation, the state board of education, 195
and the superintendent of public instruction.196

       (E) Each school district and chartered nonpublic school 197
retains the authority to require an even more rigorous minimum 198
curriculum for high school graduation than specified in division 199
(B) or (C) of this section. A school district board of education, 200
through the adoption of a resolution, or the governing authority 201
of a chartered nonpublic school may stipulate any of the 202
following:203

        (1) A minimum high school curriculum that requires more than 204
twenty units of academic credit to graduate;205

        (2) An exception to the district's or school's minimum high 206
school curriculum that is comparable to the exception provided in 207
division (D) of this section but with additional requirements, 208
which may include a requirement that the student successfully 209
complete more than the minimum curriculum prescribed in division 210
(B) of this section;211

        (3) That no exception comparable to that provided in division 212
(D) of this section is available.213

       (F) A student enrolled in a dropout prevention and recovery 214
program, which program has received a waiver from the department, 215
may qualify for graduation from high school by successfully 216
completing a competency-based instructional program administered 217
by the dropout prevention and recovery program in lieu of 218
completing the Ohio core curriculum prescribed in division (C) of 219
this section. The department shall grant a waiver to a dropout 220
prevention and recovery program, within sixty days after the 221
program applies for the waiver, if the program meets all of the 222
following conditions:223

       (1) The program serves only students not younger than sixteen 224
years of age and not older than twenty-one years of age.225

       (2) The program enrolls students who, at the time of their 226
initial enrollment, either, or both, are at least one grade level 227
behind their cohort age groups or experience crises that 228
significantly interfere with their academic progress such that 229
they are prevented from continuing their traditional programs.230

       (3) The program requires students to attain at least the 231
applicable score designated for each of the assessments prescribed 232
under division (B)(1) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code or, 233
to the extent prescribed by rule of the state board under division 234
(D)(6) of section 3301.0712 of the Revised Code, division (B)(2) 235
of that section.236

       (4) The program develops an individual career plan for the 237
student that specifies the student's matriculating to a two-year 238
degree program, acquiring a business and industry credential, or 239
entering an apprenticeship.240

       (5) The program provides counseling and support for the 241
student related to the plan developed under division (F)(4) of 242
this section during the remainder of the student's high school 243
experience.244

       (6) The program requires the student and the student's 245
parent, guardian, or custodian to sign and file, in accordance 246
with procedural requirements stipulated by the program, a written 247
statement asserting the parent's, guardian's, or custodian's 248
consent to the student's graduating without completing the Ohio 249
core curriculum and acknowledging that one consequence of not 250
completing the Ohio core curriculum is ineligibility to enroll in 251
most state universities in Ohio without further coursework.252

       (7) Prior to receiving the waiver, the program has submitted 253
to the department an instructional plan that demonstrates how the 254
academic content standards adopted by the state board under 255
section 3301.079 of the Revised Code will be taught and assessed.256

       If the department does not act either to grant the waiver or 257
to reject the program application for the waiver within sixty days 258
as required under this section, the waiver shall be considered to 259
be granted.260

       (G) Every high school may permit students below the ninth 261
grade to take advanced work. If a high school so permits, it shall 262
award high school credit for successful completion of the advanced 263
work and shall count such advanced work toward the graduation 264
requirements of division (B) or (C) of this section if the 265
advanced work was both:266

       (1) Taught by a person who possesses a license or certificate 267
issued under section 3301.071, 3319.22, or 3319.222 of the Revised 268
Code that is valid for teaching high school;269

       (2) Designated by the board of education of the city, local, 270
or exempted village school district, the board of the cooperative 271
education school district, or the governing authority of the 272
chartered nonpublic school as meeting the high school curriculum 273
requirements.274

        Each high school shall record on the student's high school 275
transcript all high school credit awarded under division (G) of 276
this section. In addition, if the student completed a seventh- or 277
eighth-grade fine arts course described in division (K) of this 278
section and the course qualified for high school credit under that 279
division, the high school shall record that course on the 280
student's high school transcript.281

       (H) The department shall make its individual academic career 282
plan available through its Ohio career information system web site 283
for districts and schools to use as a tool for communicating with 284
and providing guidance to students and families in selecting high 285
school courses.286

        (I) Units earned in English language arts, mathematics, 287
science, and social studies that are delivered through integrated 288
academic and career-technical instruction are eligible to meet the 289
graduation requirements of division (B) or (C) of this section.290

       (J) The state board, in consultation with the chancellor, 291
shall adopt a statewide plan implementing methods for students to 292
earn units of high school credit based on a demonstration of 293
subject area competency, instead of or in combination with 294
completing hours of classroom instruction. The state board shall 295
adopt the plan not later than March 31, 2009, and commence phasing 296
in the plan during the 2009-2010 school year. The plan shall 297
include a standard method for recording demonstrated proficiency 298
on high school transcripts. Each school district and community 299
school shall comply with the state board's plan adopted under this 300
division and award units of high school credit in accordance with 301
the plan. The state board may adopt existing methods for earning 302
high school credit based on a demonstration of subject area 303
competency as necessary prior to the 2009-2010 school year.304

       (K) This division does not apply to students who qualify for 305
graduation from high school under division (D) or (F) of this 306
section, or to students pursuing a career-technical instructional 307
track as determined by the school district board of education or 308
the chartered nonpublic school's governing authority. 309
Nevertheless, the general assembly encourages such students to 310
consider enrolling in a fine arts course as an elective.311

       Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first 312
time on or after July 1, 2010, each student enrolled in a public 313
or chartered nonpublic high school shall complete two semesters or 314
the equivalent of fine arts to graduate from high school. The 315
coursework may be completed in any of grades seven to twelve. Each 316
student who completes a fine arts course in grade seven or eight 317
may elect to count that course toward the five units of electives 318
required for graduation under division (C)(8) of this section, if 319
the course satisfied the requirements of division (G) of this 320
section. In that case, the high school shall award the student 321
high school credit for the course and count the course toward the 322
five units required under division (C)(8) of this section. If the 323
course in grade seven or eight did not satisfy the requirements of 324
division (G) of this section, the high school shall not award the 325
student high school credit for the course but shall count the 326
course toward the two semesters or the equivalent of fine arts 327
required by this division.328

       (L) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this section, 329
the board of education of each school district and the governing 330
authority of each chartered nonpublic school may adopt a policy to 331
excuse from the high school physical education requirement each 332
student who, during high school, has participated in 333
interscholastic athletics, marching band, or cheerleading for at 334
least two full seasons or in the junior reserve officer training 335
corps for at least two full school years. If the board or 336
authority adopts such a policy, the board or authority shall not 337
require the student to complete any physical education course as a 338
condition to graduate. However, the student shall be required to 339
complete one-half unit, consisting of at least sixty hours of 340
instruction, in another course of study. In the case of a student 341
who has participated in the junior reserve officer training corps 342
for at least two full school years, credit received for that 343
participation may be used to satisfy the requirement to complete 344
one-half unit in another course of study.345

       (M) It is important that high school students learn and 346
understand United States history and the governments of both the 347
United States and the state of Ohio. Therefore, beginning with 348
students who enter ninth grade for the first time on or after July 349
1, 2012, the study of American history and American government 350
required by divisions (B)(6) and (C)(6) of this section shall 351
include the study of all of the following documents:352

        (1) The Declaration of Independence;353

        (2) The Northwest Ordinance;354

        (3) The Constitution of the United States with emphasis on 355
the Bill of Rights;356

        (4) The Ohio Constitution.357

        The study of each of the documents prescribed in divisions 358
(M)(1) to (4) of this section shall include study of that document 359
in its original context.360

        The study of American history and government required by 361
divisions (B)(6) and (C)(6) of this section shall include the 362
historical evidence of the role of documents such as the 363
Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers to firmly 364
establish the historical background leading to the establishment 365
of the provisions of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.366

       Section 2. That existing section 3313.603 of the Revised Code 367
is hereby repealed.368