The bill amends section 3313.603 of the Revised Code to include the Advanced Placement (AP) Business with Personal Finance course as an option for fulfilling the high school financial literacy requirement. This addition provides students entering ninth grade on or after July 1, 2022, with an alternative to the existing options of microeconomics or macroeconomics. The legislation maintains the overall structure of graduation requirements, which consists of twenty units across various subjects, and allows financial literacy instruction to be taken in place of one-half unit of mathematics or as an elective, thereby enhancing students' preparedness for real-world financial situations.

In addition to the inclusion of the AP course, the bill introduces several amendments to educational policies for high school students in Ohio. It requires programs seeking waivers to submit a career advising policy and a written agreement with local job training organizations. The bill also allows high schools to grant credit for advanced work completed by students below ninth grade and establishes that students can earn high school credit based on demonstrated competency. Furthermore, it outlines requirements for fine arts education, provides flexibility for students in extracurricular activities regarding physical education, emphasizes the study of U.S. history and government, and allows computer science courses to fulfill math or science requirements. Exemptions from financial literacy instruction are permitted for students in approved programs, with guidelines to be developed by July 2026. The bill also repeals an existing section of the Revised Code related to these educational requirements.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3313.603