Changes To Graduation Requirements Included In Senate Budget

Updated: 3:30 p.m., 6/24/2019

The Ohio Senate unanimously approved a two-year, $69 billion budget Thursday that includes new high school graduation requirements.

Beginning with the class of 2023, Ohio high school students would need to pass tests for Algebra I and English II instead of the previous seven tests required to graduate.

Students also would have to earn two diploma seals in areas such as community service, workforce readiness, bilingual proficiency and military enlistment. Other potential state seals are for citizenship, science, and technology, requiring certain test scores or advanced coursework. Local seals include fine and performing arts and student engagement.

“One size doesn’t fit all and we should have a variety of different ways for a student to indicate that they’re ready to move on to the next phase of their lives," said Senate Education Chair Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering), who is in favor of the changes.

Tony Podojil of Alliance for High Quality Education, is part of a consortium of businesses and educators that proposed these new standards to lawmakers. The seals will help keep students engaged, he says.

“Because now the things that they do where maybe part of their high school experience will now be recognized as a critical component of what they do,” Podojil says. “So the students that are in the performing arts or in the marching band – that counts. And that is a really important piece of their high school experience because it is a part of the graduation process.”

The budget bill heads to conference committee this week and needs the governor’s signature by June 30.

The House version of the budget does not include the graduation provisions, but members of the conference committee are expected to agree to the changes.

Statehouse News Bureau's Karen Kasler contributed to this report.