Mathematics FAQs

Graduation Requirements

Ohio's Learning Standards

Assessments

Model Curriculum

Professional Development Opportunities

Other Questions


Graduation Requirements

A district tests and identifies a student as accelerated but the student does not take a high school course that has a required End-of-Course Exam. Is the student still required to take the End-of-Course Exam?

The student must take the end-of-course exams as a part of the 18-point pathway to earn an Ohio High School Diploma.

If the district allows a student, prior to July 1, 2015, to test out of a course as part of a credit flexibility plan, the district must give the state end-of-course exam. Testing out is one component of receiving credit to meet the testing requirement.

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If a student earned credit for a course prior to the test being available, does the student have to take the end-of-course test now?

No. A student who earned high school credit in any tested courses before July 1, 2015, and a test was not available, the student will receive graduation points based on his or her grade in the course.

A student who took a high school course in the middle school and did not receive high school credit is still required to take the end-of-course test. The department recommends taking the end-of-course test during one of the two 2015-2016 opportunities.

The following conversion chart should be used to determine the number of graduation points a student will receive based on the grade the student receives for high school courses prior to an end-of-course test being available.

 

High School Grade

Ohio Graduation Points

A 5
B 4
C
Earned Credit or Passed Course
3
D 2
Not applicable 1

 

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Are there Integrated Math End-of-Course tests that can be used instead of Algebra I and Geometry tests?

Yes, there are integrated math tests for schools that have integrated math coursework.

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What are the requirements for students to retake the state end-of-course tests given in 2014-2015?

Students are allowed to retake the tests at a future date. Students may count their highest scores toward graduation points.

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Do students get to choose whether they take the Algebra I or Integrated Math End-of-Course exam?

The content of the course determines the test. Those students who are taking a course sequence that aligns with integrated math should take the integrated math end-of-course exam.

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Do the new graduation requirements apply to students at nonpublic schools?

Yes. All students attending a chartered nonpublic school must meet the course and assessment requirements in order to earn an Ohio diploma. Click here for more information on testing and graduation requirements for chartered nonpublic schools.

Students attending a non-chartered, nonpublic schools or are being homeschooled do not need to meet the new graduation or assessment requirements.

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If a student wants to graduate using the college admissions test pathway, does the student need to take the End-of-Course tests?

All students must complete the course requirements and assessment requirements in the seven approved courses. This means that all students will take the end-of-course tests for the seven courses and the college admissions test. Students may choose which pathway to pursue after considering their educational goals and their performance on the tests. If a student chooses to use a pathway that doesn’t rely on end-of-course test scores (such as the college admissions test), the student must still take the end-of-course tests.

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In order to receive three graduation points when the End-of-Course test is not available, do students have to receive high school credit for the course?

Yes, the law is specific on this. Students who took a high school course prior to grade 9 MUST receive high school credit for the course in order earn three graduation points without taking an end-of-course test for that course.

There are two requirements for awarding high school credit:

  1. An appropriately licensed educator teaches the course; and
  2. The requirements for the course are the same as for the high school course.

Additionally, the student’s high school transcript must begin after completion of the high school course.

 

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Ohio is not administering an Algebra II End-of-Course Exam. So, is Algebra II or its equivalent still a required course for graduation?

Yes, a credit in Algebra II or its equivalent is required to meet math curriculum units for high school graduation. There is no end-of-course test for Algebra II or its equivalent.  

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Some students might take two courses in the same year. For example, an eighth-grader might take math and Algebra I. Must those students take both tests associated with the grade/course?

The student would take the high school end-of-course exam and may not take the eighth-grade level test. If a student is taking two high school courses in the same content area, then the student must take end-of-course exams in both courses.

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What test does a student take in middle school this year if the student is in Algebra I? Is it the End-of-Course test or the eighth grade math test?

The U.S. Department of Education has approved the Ohio Department of Education’s request for a waiver from “double testing” students below ninth grade who are taking high school-level courses for credits. The waiver, which only applies to the 2014-2015 school year, requires these students in elementary and middle school to test above their grade levels – in the high school-level courses they took for credit – and prohibits them from taking the assessments for the courses at their current grade levels. These students must take the performance-based assessments and the end-of-year exams that match the high school-level courses. For example, an eighth-grader who is taking Algebra I for high school credit must take only the Algebra I assessment. That student will not take the eighth-grade math test. Unlike the previous policy on accelerated testing, students do NOT need to be on formal acceleration plans in order to take the higher-grade state tests. The waiver, which only applies to 2014-2015 school year, allows all students to take the tests that best match their courses of study, regardless of whether acceleration plans are in place. For the current school year, districts and schools should test their elementary and middle school students with higher-level math, English language arts or science end-of-course exams in cases where the students are taking the course for high school credit. (Updated 1/5/15)

 

 

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When may a Computer Science course earn Mathematics Graduation credit?

Computer Science is a course that may award elective or mathematics credit toward graduation.  The appropriate EMIS coding for Computer Science is: 290200 Computer Science, 292310 Computer Science A or 290320 Computer Science AB. The course code needs to match the learning standards identified in the course’s course of study, curriculum. The EMIS code dictates the licensure needed for a course. Therefore, the licensure required to teach computer science should be in computer science.

For any course to satisfy graduation credit in mathematics, the curriculum of the course needs to substantially address high school level standards in mathematics. In the case of Computer Science, the study would focus on problem solving through algorithm development. Since the curriculum of a course is determined at the district level, the decision as to whether or not a district’s computer science course qualifies for mathematics credit or for elective credit lies with the district.

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Ohio's Learning Standards

How soon do the Ohio's Learning Standards need to be implemented?

Districts should begin full implementation of the Learning Standards with the 2014-2015 school year.

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What tools and resources will be available to help in transition and implementation?

ODE is developing many tools and resources to assist districts and teachers in the transition to and implementation of the Ohio's Learning Standards for Mathematics. The tools may be found on the ODE Math webpage Check back regularly for updates.

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Assessments

How long will the OGT assessments continue?

Students who entered high school after July 1, 2010 but before July 1, 2014 will continued to be offered the opportunity to take and pass mathematics OGT in order to fulfill their graduation requirements. As of January 1, 2016 new options will allow students additional ways to meet the graduation assessment requirements. Click here for more information.

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Will new assessments continue at grades 3-8?

Yes. Assessments at grades 3-8 will continue with Ohio’s State Tests based upon Ohio's Learning Standards.

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Will the high school assessments be end-of-course, end-of-grade or a test like the OGT?

For all students entering high school after July 1, 2014, end-of-course exams are required in Algebra I and Geometry or Integrated Math I and Integrated Math II.

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Model Curriculum

How often will the Model Curriculum be updated?
The instructional strategies and resources section will be the only section to be updated regularly. As ODE obtains or identifies additional strategies, resources, misconceptions and differentiation that are key to the learning of the content and skills, ODE will replace or add information in the Model Curriculum.

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How will the Model Curriculum help me?
The Model Curriculum will provide additional clarity, examples, resources and instructional strategies to aid teachers in their understanding of the standards.

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Who participated in the development of the Model Curriculum?
During the summer and fall of 2010, ODE sponsored Regional Teacher Team Meetings around the state to collect ideas for the Instructional Strategies and Resources section of the Model Curriculum. More than 500 teachers from across the state provided valuable insight and expertise that has been incorporated into the Model Curriculum. ODE is working on future methods for collection and submission of ideas to be considered for the Model Curriculum.

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Professional Development Opportunities

What professional development will be provided to help teachers implement Ohio's Learning Standards?

ODE continues to look for ways to provide quality professional development for teachers. Through Mathematics and Science Partnership funds, ODE will be providing opportunities for districts to partner with Educational Service Centers (ESCs), colleges and universities, and to participate in online professional development opportunities. To find state-provided professional development in your area, check STARS, contact your local ESC and look for Requests for Proposals that will provide funding for partnerships between schools and Institutions of Higher Education.

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Other Questions

Can students take Pre-algebra in high school?

The Education Management Information System (EMIS) description for Transition to High School Mathematics no longer permits districts to offer Pre-algebra for high school credit. Since Pre-algebra is middle-grades mathematics, it does not count as one of the four courses required to meet the Ohio graduation requirements. Please refer to the Mathematics Curriculum Graduation Requirements for further information on how to meet the four mathematics credits required for graduation.
 

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Do students in middle school who take a high school mathematics course receive high school credit?

Yes. Students who take a high school mathematics course in middle school are to receive high school credit for the course. This course should not be intended for all students in the middle grades but rather for students intending to take advanced and college-level mathematics courses in grades 11 and 12.
The following requirements from Ohio Revised Code 3313.603 must be met.

  • (G) Every high school may permit students below the ninth grade to take advanced work. If a high school so permits, it shall award high school credit for successful completion of the advanced work and shall count such advanced work toward the graduation requirements of division (B) or (C) of this section if the advanced work was both:
    • (1) Taught by a person who possesses a license or certificate issued under section 3301.071, 3319.22, or 3319.222 of the Revised Code that is valid for teaching high school;
    • (2) Designated by the board of education of the city, local, or exempted village school district, the board of the cooperative education school district, or the governing authority of the chartered nonpublic school as meeting the high school curriculum requirements.

Each high school shall record on the student’s high school transcript all high school credit awarded under division (G) of this section. In addition, if the student completed a seventh- or eighth-grade fine arts course described in division (K) of this section and the course qualified for high school credit under that division, the high school shall record that course on the student’s high school transcript.

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Last Modified: 6/4/2019 8:15:58 AM

Pursuant to ORC 3301.079 (B) (3) and 3313.60, it is the responsibility of Ohio's local boards of education to vet and approve curriculum and educational materials for use in the public schools within their district. The use of any materials posted or linked to on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce website, including materials within Ohio’s Learning Standards or Appendices or any state model curricula or other educational resource material, is entirely up to the discretion of each local board of education.