The bill amends the Revised School Code to establish new requirements for high school graduation in Michigan. It stipulates that a school district or public school academy cannot award a high school diploma unless the student meets specific credit requirements, including a minimum of 4 credits in mathematics, 3 credits in social science, 1 credit in health and physical education, and 1 credit in visual or performing arts. Additionally, students must complete an online course or learning experience and earn at least 2 credits in a language other than English. The bill also introduces a new requirement for students entering grade 8 in 2023 to complete a 1/2 credit course in personal finance, which can fulfill other credit requirements.

The bill includes several insertions and deletions to clarify language and requirements. For instance, it replaces "his or her" with "the pupil's" to use gender-neutral language and modifies the language around coursework to ensure clarity. Furthermore, it emphasizes that American Sign Language is considered a language other than English and allows for online coursework to fulfill certain requirements. The bill also outlines provisions for specialty schools, which may be exempt from some requirements if they meet specific criteria, such as maintaining high academic performance and graduation rates.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 380.1278