HOUSE BILL NO. 5927
September 11, 2024, Introduced by Reps. Jaime Greene, Martin and Johnsen and referred to the
Committee on Government Operations.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
by amending sections 1278a and 1278b (MCL 380.1278a and 380.1278b),
as amended by 2022 PA 105, and by adding section 1278e.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 1278a. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section
2 or section 1278b, the board of a school district or board of
3 directors of a public school academy shall not award a high school
4 diploma to a pupil unless the pupil meets all of the following:
5 (a) Has successfully completed all of the following credit
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1 requirements of the Michigan merit standard before graduating from
2 high school:
3 (i) At least 4 credits in mathematics that are aligned with
4 subject area content expectations developed by the department and
5 approved by the state board under section 1278b, including
6 completion of at least 1 credit in algebra I , and 1 credit in
7 geometry. , and algebra II, or an integrated sequence of this
8 course content that consists of 3 credits, and an additional
9 mathematics credit, such as trigonometry, statistics, precalculus,
10 calculus, applied math, accounting, business math, a retake of
11 algebra II, or, for only pupils entering grade 8 before 2023, a
12 course in financial literacy as described in section 1165. A pupil
13 may complete algebra II over 2 years with 2 credits awarded or over
14 1.5 years with 1.5 credits awarded for the purposes of this section
15 and section 1278b. A pupil also may partially or fully fulfill the
16 algebra II requirement by completing a department-approved formal
17 career and technical education program or curriculum, such as a
18 program or curriculum in electronics, machining, construction,
19 welding, engineering, computer science, or renewable energy, and in
20 that program or curriculum successfully completing the same content
21 as the algebra II benchmarks assessed on the department-prescribed
22 state high school assessment, as determined by the department. The
23 department shall post on its website guidelines for implementation
24 of the immediately preceding sentence. Each pupil must successfully
25 complete at least 1 mathematics course during his or her the
26 pupil's final year of high school enrollment. This subparagraph
27 does not require completion of mathematics courses in any
28 particular sequence.A pupil may fulfill the remaining 2 credits in
29 mathematics through completion of any of the following:
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1 (A) 1 credit in trigonometry.
2 (B) 1 credit in algebra II.
3 (C) 1 credit in precalculus.
4 (D) 1 credit in calculus.
5 (E) 1 credit in applied mathematics.
6 (F) 1 credit in statistics.
7 (G) 1/2 credit in accounting.
8 (H) 1/2 credit in business mathematics.
9 (I) 1/2 credit in construction mathematics.
10 (J) 1/2 credit in algebra-based physics.
11 (K) 1/2 credit in algebra-based chemistry.
12 (L) 1/2 credit in economics with a focus on mathematics.
13 (M) Up to 2 credits from a department-approved formal career
14 and technical education program.
15 (N) Up to 2 credits from mathematics courses developed by the
16 board of the school district or intermediate school district or
17 board of directors of the public school academy in which the pupil
18 is enrolled.
19 (ii) At least 3 credits in social science that are aligned with
20 subject area content expectations developed by the department and
21 approved by the state board under section 1278b, including
22 completion of at least 1 credit in United States history and
23 geography, 1 credit in world history and geography, 1/2 credit in
24 economics, and the civics course described in section 1166(2). For
25 only pupils entering grade 8 before 2023, the 1/2-credit economics
26 requirement may be satisfied by completion of at least a 1/2-credit
27 course in personal economics that includes a financial literacy
28 component as described in section 1165, if that course covers the
29 subject area content expectations for economics developed by the
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1 department and approved by the state board under section 1278b. The
2 1/2 credit in economics required under this subparagraph cannot be
3 fulfilled by completion of the 1/2 credit course in personal
4 finance described in subsection (3).
5 (iii) At least 1 credit in subject matter that includes both
6 health and physical education aligned with guidelines developed by
7 the department and approved by the state board under section 1278b,
8 or at least 1/2 credit in health aligned with guidelines developed
9 by the department and approved by the state board under section
10 1278b and at least 1/2 credit awarded by the school district or
11 public school academy for approved participation in extracurricular
12 athletics or other extracurricular activities involving physical
13 activity.
14 (iv) At least 1 credit in visual arts, performing arts, or
15 applied arts , as defined by the department, that is aligned with
16 guidelines developed by the department and approved by the state
17 board under section 1278b. A school district or public school
18 academy is strongly encouraged to offer visual arts and performing
19 arts courses.The credit in visual arts, performing arts, or applied
20 arts under this subparagraph may be fulfilled through completion of
21 any of the following:
22 (A) 1 credit in general music.
23 (B) 1 credit in marching band.
24 (C) 1 credit in concert band.
25 (D) 1 credit in orchestra.
26 (E) 1 credit in choral music.
27 (F) 1 credit in strings.
28 (G) 1 credit in music theory.
29 (H) 1 credit in keyboard.
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1 (I) 1 credit in jazz ensemble.
2 (J) 1 credit in wind ensemble.
3 (K) 1 credit in choir.
4 (L) 1 credit in art.
5 (M) 1 credit in visual arts.
6 (N) 1 credit in visual studies.
7 (O) 1 credit in drawing.
8 (P) 1 credit in painting.
9 (Q) 1 credit in ceramics and pottery.
10 (R) 1 credit in design.
11 (S) 1 credit in art appreciation.
12 (T) 1 credit in illustration.
13 (U) 1 credit in computer graphics and design.
14 (V) 1 credit in video.
15 (W) 1 credit in photography and film.
16 (X) 1 credit in art history.
17 (Y) 1 credit in art criticism.
18 (Z) 1 credit in fiber arts.
19 (AA) 1 credit in jewelry.
20 (BB) 1 credit in yearbook.
21 (CC) 1 credit in theater.
22 (DD) 1 credit in graphic design.
23 (EE) 1 credit in shop.
24 (FF) 1 credit in culinary studies.
25 (GG) 1 credit in computer science. A course in computer
26 science may not be used to fulfill both the visual arts credit
27 required under this section and the science requirement of section
28 1278b(1)(b).
29 (HH) 1 credit from a department-approved formal career and
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1 technical education program.
2 (II) 1 credit in a visual arts course developed by the board
3 of the school district or intermediate school district or board of
4 directors of the public school academy in which the pupil is
5 enrolled.
6 (v) Beginning with pupils entering high school in the 2028-
7 2029 school year, at least 2 credits in future skills that are
8 aligned with subject area content expectations developed by the
9 department and approved by the state board under section 1278b,
10 including completion of the 1/2 credit course in personal finance
11 described in subsection (3). The remaining 1-1/2 credits may be
12 fulfilled through completion of any of the following:
13 (A) Any of the courses described in subparagraph (i) or in
14 section 1278b(1)(a) and (b). A course used to fulfill a credit
15 under this subparagraph may not be used to fulfill any other credit
16 requirement under this section or section 1278b.
17 (B) A department-approved formal career and technical
18 education program.
19 (C) Courses developed by the board of the school district or
20 intermediate school district or board of directors of the public
21 school academy in which the pupil is enrolled.
22 (vi) (v) The credit requirements specified in section 1278b(1).
23 (b) Meets the online course or learning experience requirement
24 of this subsection. A school district or public school academy
25 shall provide the basic level of technology and internet access
26 required by the state board to complete the online course or
27 learning experience. For a pupil to meet this requirement, the
28 pupil must meet either of the following, as determined by the
29 school district or public school academy:
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1 (i) Has successfully completed at least 1 course or learning
2 experience that is presented online, as defined by the department.
3 (ii) The pupil's school district or public school academy has
4 integrated an online experience throughout the high school
5 curriculum by ensuring that each teacher of each course that
6 provides the required credits of the Michigan merit curriculum has
7 integrated an online experience into the course.
8 (2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, and in
9 addition to the requirements under subsection (1), the board of a
10 school district or board of directors of a public school academy
11 shall not award a high school diploma to a pupil unless the pupil
12 has successfully completed during grades K to 12 at least 2 credits
13 that are grade-appropriate in a language other than English or
14 course work or other learning experiences that are substantially
15 equivalent to 2 credits in a language other than English, based on
16 guidelines developed by the department. A pupil may partially or
17 fully fulfill 1 credit of this requirement by completing a
18 department-approved formal career and technical education program
19 or curriculum or by completing visual or performing arts
20 instruction that is in addition to the requirements under
21 subsection (1)(a)(iv). The board of a school district or board of
22 directors of a public school academy is strongly encouraged to
23 ensure that all pupils complete at least 1 credit the 2 credits in
24 a language other than English required under this subsection in
25 grades K to 6. 8. For the purposes of this subsection, both of the
26 following apply:
27 (a) American Sign Language is considered to be a language
28 other than English.
29 (b) Computer coding is considered to be a language other than
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1 English.
2 (c) (b) The pupil may meet all or part of this requirement
3 with online course work.
4 (3) Beginning with pupils entering grade 8 in 2023, the board
5 of a school district or board of directors of a public school
6 academy shall not award a high school diploma to a pupil unless the
7 pupil completes a 1/2 credit course in personal finance that aligns
8 with subject area content expectations developed by the department
9 and approved by the state board under section 1278b. The 1/2 credit
10 course in personal finance must fulfill 1/2 credit of mathematics
11 required under subsection (1)(a)(i), 1/2 credit of visual arts,
12 performing arts, or applied arts required under subsection
13 (1)(a)(iv), or 1/2 credit of a language other than English required
14 under subsection (2), as determined by the board of the school
15 district or board of directors of the public school academy in
16 which the pupil is enrolled. future skills required under
17 subsection (1)(a)(v). The 1/2 credit course in personal finance
18 required under this subsection may be fulfilled through a
19 department-approved formal career and technical education program
20 or curriculum that aligns with the subject area content
21 expectations developed by the department and approved by the state
22 board for the credit under section 1278b.
23 (4) The requirements under this section and section 1278b for
24 a high school diploma are in addition to any local requirements
25 imposed by the board of a school district or board of directors of
26 a public school academy. The board of a school district or board of
27 directors of a public school academy, as a local requirement for a
28 high school diploma, may require a pupil to complete the Michigan
29 merit examination under section 1279g or may require a pupil to
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1 participate in the MIAccess assessments if appropriate for the
2 pupil.
3 (5) For the purposes of this section and section 1278b, all of
4 the following apply:
5 (a) A pupil is considered to have completed a credit if the
6 pupil successfully completes the subject area content expectations
7 or guidelines developed by the department that apply to the credit.
8 For a career and technical education credit, a school district or
9 public school academy may supplement those content expectations and
10 guidelines with additional guidelines developed by the school
11 district or public school academy.
12 (b) A school district or public school academy shall base its
13 determination of whether a pupil has successfully completed the
14 subject area content expectations or guidelines developed by the
15 department that apply to a credit at least in part on the pupil's
16 performance on assessments developed or selected by the department
17 or on 1 or more assessments developed or selected by the school
18 district or public school academy that measure a pupil's
19 understanding of the subject area content expectations or
20 guidelines that apply to the credit.
21 (c) A school district or public school academy shall also
22 grant a pupil a credit if the pupil earns a qualifying score, as
23 determined by the department, on assessments developed or selected
24 for the subject area by the department or the pupil earns a
25 qualifying score, as determined by the school district or public
26 school academy, on 1 or more assessments developed or selected by
27 the school district or public school academy that measure a pupil's
28 understanding of the subject area content expectations or
29 guidelines that apply to the credit.
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1 (6) If a high school is designated by the superintendent of
2 public instruction as a specialty school and the high school meets
3 the requirements of subsection (7), the pupils of the high school
4 are not required to successfully complete the 4 credits in English
5 language arts required under section 1278b(1)(a) or the 3 credits
6 in social science required under subsection (1)(a)(ii) and the
7 school district or public school academy is not required to ensure
8 that each pupil is offered the curriculum necessary for meeting
9 those English language arts or social science credit requirements.
10 The superintendent of public instruction may designate up to 15
11 high schools that meet the requirements of this subsection as
12 specialty schools. Subject to this maximum number, the
13 superintendent of public instruction shall designate a high school
14 as a specialty school if the superintendent of public instruction
15 finds that the high school meets all of the following criteria:
16 (a) The high school incorporates a significant reading and
17 writing component throughout its curriculum.
18 (b) The high school uses a specialized, innovative, and
19 rigorous curriculum in such areas as performing arts, foreign
20 language, extensive use of internships, or other learning
21 innovations that conform to pioneering innovations among other
22 leading national or international high schools.
23 (7) A high school that is designated by the superintendent of
24 public instruction as a specialty school under subsection (6) is
25 only exempt from requirements as described under subsection (6) as
26 long as the superintendent of public instruction finds that the
27 high school continues to meet all of the following requirements:
28 (a) The high school clearly states to prospective pupils and
29 their parents that it does not meet the requirements of the
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1 Michigan merit standard under this section and section 1278b but is
2 a designated specialty school that is exempt from some of those
3 requirements and that a pupil who enrolls i