February 1, 2006, Introduced by Senators CLARK-COLEMAN, BASHAM, SWITALSKI, CLARKE, THOMAS, JACOBS, LELAND, SCOTT, BRATER, OLSHOVE, CHERRY, SCHAUER, BARCIA and EMERSON and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
(MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by adding section 1278a.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1278a. (1) Beginning with pupils scheduled to graduate
from high school in 2010, and subject to subsection (3), the board
of a school district or board of directors of a public school
academy shall not award a high school diploma to a pupil unless the
pupil meets all of the following:
(a) Has completed all subject area assessments under section
1279 or the Michigan merit examination under section 1279g, as
applicable to the pupil under section 1279g, or has participated in
the alternative assessments or accommodations provided for under
section 1279(9) or 1279g(10), as applicable, for pupils needing
special education services.
(b) Has successfully completed the course credit requirements
of the Michigan merit curriculum, as developed through course
content requirements approved by the state board, as part of his or
her high school course work. The course credit requirements of the
Michigan merit curriculum are as follows:
(i) At least 4 credits in English language arts.
(ii) At least 4 credits in mathematics, including completion of
at least 2 algebra courses, geometry, and an additional course from
among courses approved by the school district or public school
academy. If a pupil completed 1 or more of these specified
mathematics courses before beginning high school, the pupil may
substitute another mathematics course for each of these courses he
or she completed before high school.
(iii) At least 3 credits in science, including completion of at
least biology, chemistry or physics, and an additional course from
among courses approved by the school district or public school
academy.
(iv) At least 3 credits in social science, including completion
of at least United States history, world history, economics, and
the civics or government course described in section 1166(2). The
history courses shall include geography.
(v) At least 2 credits in a world language from among courses
approved by the school district or public school academy.
(vi) At least 1 credit in health and physical education from
among courses approved by the school district or public school
academy.
(vii) At least 1 credit in fine arts or music from among
courses approved by the school district or public school academy.
(c) Has successfully completed elective courses developed and
offered by the school district or public school academy. These
elective courses shall be aligned with the following 21st century
skills:
(i) Global literacy.
(ii) Civic literacy.
(iii) Financial, economic, and entrepreneurial literacy.
(iv) Information and communications technology literacy.
(v) Twenty-first century learning skills, focused on work-
based instruction.
(vi) Accelerated learning.
(d) Has successfully completed at least 1 course or learning
experience that is presented online. The requirements of this
subdivision may be met by completing an accredited online course,
classroom instruction with online textbooks, an online career
exploration course, an online preparation course for an advanced
placement test or the ACT or SAT test, or a career and technical
preparation online course.
(2) For the purposes of this section, the department shall do
all of the following:
(a) Develop content expectations for all parts of the Michigan
merit curriculum required under subsection (1).
(b) Provide guidance to school districts and public school
academies regarding elective courses and the 21st century skills
listed in subsection (1)(c).
(c) Develop guidelines for alternative instructional delivery
methods as described in subsection (4) and a process for approval
of these alternative instructional delivery methods.
(3) The requirements of subsection (1) are subject to both of
the following:
(a) A pupil who is in at least grade 11 and who has completed
at least 3 years of the Michigan merit curriculum may request a
modification of his or her individual high school graduation
requirements. If a pupil requests modification under this
subdivision, the pupil's school district or public school academy
shall work with the pupil's parent or legal guardian to develop an
individualized learning plan for the pupil. The pupil may then
complete a curriculum designed through this process and specified
in the individualized learning plan even if it does not meet the
requirements of subsection (1).
(b) If a pupil receives special education services, the
pupil's individualized education plan supersedes the requirements
of subsection (1).
(4) A school district, intermediate school district, or public
school academy shall ensure that the content expectations for the
curricular requirements of subsection (1) are met by providing the
course work specified in subsection (1) or by using alternative
instructional delivery methods such as alternative course work,
career and technical education, or humanities course sequences, if
these alternative delivery methods are approved by the department.
(5) If a school district or public school academy is unable to
implement all of the requirements of this section for pupils
scheduled to graduate in 2010, the school district or public school
academy may apply to the department for permission to phase in the
requirements of this section. To apply, the school district or
public school academy shall submit a proposed phase-in plan to the
department. The department shall approve a phase-in plan if the
department determines that the plan will result in the school
district or public school academy making satisfactory progress
toward full implementation of the requirements of this section. If
the department disapproves a proposed phase-in plan, the department
shall work with the school district or public school academy to
develop a satisfactory plan that may be approved.
(6) For the purposes of this section, a pupil is considered to
have completed a 1-credit course if the pupil successfully
completes all of the course content expectations for the course as
approved by the state board.