Summary of Graduation Updates – Class of 2023 and Beyond
House Bill 110
Recently enacted legislation (House Bill 1101) introduced new additions and amendments to the long-term graduation requirements for Ohio students in the class of 2023 and beyond. This document provides a summary of the additions and amendments to the long-term graduation requirements that went into effect Sept. 30, 2021, including demonstrations of competency, demonstrations of readiness, students with individualized education plans and out-of-state transfer students.
The full listing of Ohio’s graduation requirements for the class of 2023 and beyond can be found in the document titled
Ohio’s Graduation Requirements Long-term Requirements 2023 and Beyond. Please note, this document has not been updated with these changes at this time. Those updates are currently in progress and will be announced when complete. These requirements are also available to students in the class of 2018 - 2022.
Demonstrations of Competency
Students must earn a "competency” score on the English II and Algebra I end-of-course tests. Ohio law established multiple alternatives to demonstrating competency on Ohio’s state tests. Prior to being eligible to demonstrate competency in alternative ways, students first must receive remedial supports and retake the test at least once.
Additional Alternative Demonstration of Competency: Remediation-free score on the ACT or SAT
Previously, Ohio law established three alternatives to demonstrating competency on state tests: Career Experience and Technical Skill, College Credit Plus and Military Enlistment. House Bill 110 added a fourth alternative option to demonstrate competency:
- Students can now demonstrate competency by obtaining a remediation-free score in the math or English subject areas on the ACT or SAT. To demonstrate competency in English II, a student must be remediation-free in BOTH English and reading on the ACT.
Amendments to Career Experience and Technical Skill Foundational Demonstration
The three
supporting career readiness alternative demonstrations of competency were unchanged. However, House Bill 110 clarified the
foundational career-readiness alternative demonstrations of competency:
- Students must earn a cumulative score of proficient or higher on three or more WebXams in a single career pathway.
- Apprenticeship used as “foundational” must be registered with the Ohio State Apprenticeship Council.
- Obtaining a state-issued license for practice in a vocation that requires an examination was added as an additional option. More information about this option will be forthcoming.
Excusal from Demonstrating Competency
Students with individualized education programs who are excused from the consequences of end-of-course tests according to
Ohio Revised Code 3313.61(L) are eligible to be excused from the requirement to demonstrate competency if their IEP specifically exempts the student from the competency requirements and they meet the following criteria:
- Students must test, receive remediation and retest in the subject area(s) in which they did not meet the competency score to be excused from consequences of the English Language Arts II and/or Algebra I/Math I assessments or math and/or English Language Arts Alternate Assessment.
- Students with an excusal from the consequences of assessments are excused from demonstrating competency but still must earn at least two seals, one of which must be a state-defined seal. Students excused from the consequences of assessments do not inherently earn the Citizenship and Science seals.
Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities
Students who take the Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities may soon use their scores on these assessments to demonstrate competency.
- Students meet competency on the alternate assessment with a score of Basic in English Language Arts and math.
Demonstration of Readiness
Students will demonstrate readiness by earning at least two diploma seals, one of which must be state defined. Seals ensure students develop and demonstrate an array of critical skills that are valuable to them as they transition to their next steps after high school. It is important to note these options are also available to students with individualized education programs.
Citizenship Seal
Students must demonstrate readiness in both American History and American Government. Additional options to demonstrate readiness in these areas to earn the Citizenship Seal provided by House Bill 110 include:
- Earn a final course grade that is equivalent to a “B” or higher in an American History course or an American Government course offered by the student’s high school.
- Earn a score of Basic on the Social Studies Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities.
- Students can mix and match options from the American History and American Government categories to earn this seal. For example: A student who earns a score of proficient on the Ohio State Test in American Government and a “B” in an American History course will qualify for the Citizenship Seal.
Science Seal
Additional options to earn the Science Seal provided by House Bill 110 include:
- Earn a final course grade that is equivalent to a “B” or higher in an advanced science course.
- Advanced science courses contain rigorous content appropriate for grades 11 and 12. An advanced science course builds on the concepts and skills developed in the physical science and biology courses detailed in Ohio’s Learning Standards for Science.
- Appropriate advanced science courses include:
- Chemistry, physics or other physical sciences;
- Advanced biology or other life sciences;
- Astronomy;
- Physical geology or other Earth or space science; and
- Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) Earth, life or physical science courses.
- Earn a score of Basic on the Science Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities.
Industry-Recognized Credential Seal
House Bill 110 provided an additional option to earn the Industry-Recognized Credential Seal:
- Obtain a state-issued license for practice in a vocation that requires an examination. More information about this option will be forthcoming.
Student Transferring into Public and Chartered Nonpublic Schools
Demonstration of Competency
Students who are transferring into Ohio public and chartered nonpublic schools from another state or country are required to take both the Algebra I and English Language Arts II end-of-course tests to demonstrate competency. In addition, students must take Ohio end-of-course tests for any courses with an aligned end-of-course test that they take while they are public school students in Ohio. Students who have earned remediation-free scores on the ACT or SAT and are transferring into a chartered nonpublic school are not required to take the Algebra I and ELA II end-of-course tests.
Senior Year Flexibility for Transferring Students
Demonstration of Readiness
Transfer students still must earn at least two diploma seals, one of which must be a state-defined seal. State law specifically identifies flexibility for transfer students for the Science, Citizenship and Technology seals. Other seals do not have specific flexibilities, but schools and districts can make considerations when these students transfer to Ohio high schools.
Science Seal – State Defined
Transfer students who, prior to enrollment in an Ohio public or chartered nonpublic high school, obtained a grade of “B” or higher in a biology course while enrolled in their prior school or district may use those grades to satisfy the requirements and earn the state-defined Science Seal.
- Other considerations for these students may include AP and/or IB assessments taken in a previous state. If a student has earned the required score on those tests prior to transferring, the receiving district may permit the student to use that score as a demonstration of readiness for this seal.
Citizenship Seal – State Defined 
Transfer students who, prior to enrollment in an Ohio public or chartered nonpublic high school, obtained a grade of “B” or higher in American History
and/or American Government courses while enrolled in their prior district or school may use those grades to satisfy the requirements and earn the state-defined Citizenship Seal.
- Other considerations for these students may include AP and/or IB coursework taken in a previous state. If students have earned the required score on those tests prior to transferring, they still may be able to use that score as a demonstration of readiness for this seal.
Technology Seal – State Defined
Transfer students who, prior to enrollment in an Ohio public or chartered nonpublic high school, obtained a grade of “B” or higher in an applicable technology course as determined by the student’s school or district prior to transferring may use those grades to satisfy the requirements and earn the state-defined Technology Seal.
Locally Designed Seals
The new law also requires districts to create guidelines to give students transferring to their districts a proportional amount of credit for any progress made toward completing locally defined seals at the district or school from which the student transfers.
[1] 134th Ohio General Assembly
Last Modified: 10/26/2022 2:16:01 PM