SB161: High school graduation; alternative pathway to advanced studies diploma & associated diploma seal.

Legislative Summary

Board of Education; high school graduation; alternative pathway to advanced studies diploma and associated diploma seal; career and technical education. Directs the Board of Education to establish an alternative pathway to the advanced studies high school diploma and an associated diploma seal for students who successfully follow and demonstrate excellence on such pathway, that requires advanced coursework in a career and technical education field but does not require coursework in laboratory science. Under current law, one computer science course credit may count as one of the laboratory science course credits required for an advanced studies high school diploma but there is no pathway to an advanced studies diploma that does not require any laboratory science coursework. The bill requires such pathway and associated diploma seal to become effective for the 2025-2026 school year and to be available to any student, regardless of the school year during which the student enters ninth grade.