Aligning Graduation Requirements to Career Paths Now Law
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 2024) – State Chamber priority bill, House Bill 3278 by Rep. Rhonda Baker and Sen. Adam Pugh, has been signed into by Gov. Kevin Stitt. The transformative new law was years in the making. It will give Oklahoma’s K-12 students new opportunities to reach their goals when it comes to choosing career paths for their future.
“This is a really big step in providing a lot of flexibility for school districts to prepare students in a really unique manner. It allows for unique pathways based on the school district’s offerings, what the kids interests and skill sets are.” Said Sen. Pugh. “We continue to talk about workforce here at the Capitol. I think the best way for us to grow our economy is to do it organically, by providing a skilled workforce that’s ready to enter and take the jobs.”
“HB 3278 is geared toward a student’s ability to create a path that they need and not to stifle them into one route. They get to make choices, and that’s important,” said Rep. Baker.
“The signing of HB 3278 is the culmination of a lot of work from a really big and earnest group of people from the business and education community. We really came together and said, ‘What are the things that are holding back schools from getting more kids career-ready?” said Chad Warmington, president and CEO of The State Chamber. “We are eliminating barriers that are going to allow more kids to get career-, college- and military-ready. It’s a big win for Oklahoma.”
“To be clear, the beauty of this law is that it doesn’t prevent anyone from taking any certain classes. Fine arts and language are an important part of an education. However, if they’re coming at the expense of a student being able to get on their career path of choice, our education system is essentially holding a student back at that point.” said Warmington
The graduation requirements are modified by including an additional math course, creating pathway units, and encouraging, but not requiring, world language and fine art, while maintaining the current number of required course credits. The rigor to receive a high school diploma is not diminished and will be made more applicable for the student’s future path.
Pathway units will consist of courses that are aligned to the student’s individual post-secondary possibilities. These courses can include a world language, fine arts, an internship, career and technology courses, and more. Through the pathway units, students will tailor their high school experience to what comes next in their education or workforce steps.
“I’ve been a 15-year board member in Bartlesville. We’ve done a lot of different things, implemented a lot of new programs. And this allows us to be able to be even more robust in those efforts and to address the needs of kids,” said Scott Bilger, Phillips 66 state government affairs manager and Bartlesville schoolboard member.
SOURCE: Oklahoma State Chamber