First, it was the possibility of a longer school year, now Ohio students might face tougher graduation requirements.
Two Republican lawmakers want students to pass a computer science course to graduate. Current requirements mandate courses in English, health, math, physical education, science, social studies and electives.
“The goal of this bill is to set students up for success by allowing them to develop valuable skills and make Ohio a leader in tech education,” said Rep. Don Jones, R-Freeport. “There is no doubt this will be transformative to education in Ohio.”
The recently introduced bill requires public high schools to offer at least one computer science course by the 2027-28 school year and notify parents if it’s a new course offering.
Beginning with the graduating class of 2032, students must have the class to graduate.
“This legislation has been intentionally crafted to best serve Ohio schools and set students up for success in the modern workforce,” said Rep. Gayle Manning, R-North Ridgeville.
Business leaders applauded the proposal, saying the state must prepare students to enter the technology workforce in the future.
“Ohio’s economic competitiveness depends on having a technologically proficient workforce that is prepared with the skill sets for jobs that have yet to even be invented,” said Rick Carfagna, senior vice president of government affairs for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. “Until we prioritize the development of talent in our own K-12 system through Computer Science, Ohio companies will continue to either look out of state for workers or apply for federal H-1B visas to import talent from overseas to fill tech and research positions.”
The proposed new requirement comes when two Republican lawmakers introduced legislation to add two weeks to the school year.
As previously reported by The Center Square, the bill would stretch the current school year by 53 hours, increasing from the current 1,001 to 1054.
That would move the state back to 160 days of instruction, still below the 180 days required a little more than a decade ago. The 1,054 would also be below Kentucky’s 1,062 hours, Michigan’s 1,098 and Texas’ 1,260.
