Senator Michael K. McKell proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
COMMUNICATION CREDITS REQUIREMENTS

2     
2023 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Douglas R. Welton

5     
Senate Sponsor: Michael K. McKell

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill amends certain graduation requirements.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     adds a communications graduation requirement; and
13          ▸     makes technical changes.
14     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15          None
16     Other Special Clauses:
17          None
18     Utah Code Sections Affected:
19     AMENDS:
20          53E-4-204, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapters 186, 226
21     

22     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23          Section 1. Section 53E-4-204 is amended to read:
24          53E-4-204. Standards and graduation requirements.
25          (1) The state board shall establish rigorous core standards for Utah public schools and

26     graduation requirements under Section 53E-3-501 for grades 9 through 12 that:
27          (a) are consistent with state law and federal regulations;
28          (b) use competency-based standards and assessments;
29          (c) include instruction that stresses general financial literacy from basic budgeting to
30     financial investments, including bankruptcy education and a general financial literacy test-out
31     option; and
32          (d) include graduation requirements in language arts, mathematics, and science that
33     exceed:
34          (i) 3.0 units in language arts[,] including up to 0.5 units emphasizing verbal
35     communication completed in a course or a school sponsored activity;
36          (ii) 2.0 units in mathematics[,]; and
37          (iii) 2.0 units in science.
38          (2) The state board shall establish competency-based standards and assessments for
39     elective courses.