HB 1477

Abstract

Public schools; instructional time; competency-based education. Requires the Board of Education to provide local school boards maximum flexibility to waive existing instructional clock hour requirements by developing alternative instructional time models in accordance with the Board's regulations and guidelines relating to instructional time waivers. The bill directs the Board, when revising its regulations and adopting Standards of Accreditation, to provide flexibility for school boards to develop programs that provide for acceleration, remediation, and multiple pathways to graduation that permit students to demonstrate competency at different rates. The bill also requires the Board to update, by December 1, 2024, its Guidelines for Graduation Requirements: Local Alternative Paths to Standard Units of Credit (Alternatives to the 140-Clock-Hour Requirement) to include guidance regarding (i) waiver pathway options to allow students time within the school day to complete work-based learning opportunities; (ii) advanced learning opportunities focused on problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and citizenship skills; (iii) content that provides technical knowledge, skills, and competency-based applied learning; (iv) a method for approving alternative programs, including dual enrollment courses as specified in the bill; (v) other instructional time models adopted to meet instructional hour requirements through a variety of learning modalities; and (vi) offering instructional and learning opportunities including innovative, advanced, and enrichment programs for the full school year. Finally, the bill requires the Board to submit to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education by November 1, 2024, a report on its progress in implementing the provisions of the bill. This bill incorporates HB 663 and HB 1081.

Public schools; instructional time; competency-based education. Makes several changes relating to student instructional time in public elementary and secondary schools, including (i) defining "instructional hour" for the purpose of minimum annual instructional hour requirements; (ii) requiring the Board of Education to adopt rules for approving alternative programs for which course credit may be granted for the purpose of satisfying high school graduation requirements to any student who completes such course and masters the course content by demonstrating at least 80 percent of the competencies required by course standards, regardless of time, place, or pace; and (iii) permitting school boards that govern school divisions of innovation to adopt instructional time models that allow students to personalize the pace of learning and accelerate their learning based on the mastery of course content by demonstrating at least 80 percent of the competencies required by course standards, regardless of time, place, or pace. The bill also requires the Board to update, by December 1, 2024, its Guidelines for Graduation Requirements: Local Alternative Paths to Standard Units of Credit (Alternatives to the 140-Clock-Hour Requirement) to include waiver pathway options to allow students time within the school day to complete work-based learning opportunities such as internships, externships, youth registered apprenticeships, clinical experiences, service learning, and other career and workforce development opportunities. This bill incorporates HB 663 and HB 1081.

Public schools; instructional time; competency-based education. Makes several changes relating to student instructionaltime in public elementary and secondary schools, including (i) defining"instructional hour" for the purpose of minimum annual instructionalhour requirements; (ii) requiring the Board of Education to adoptrules for approving alternative programs for which course creditmay be granted for the purpose of satisfying high school graduationrequirements to any student who completes such course and mastersthe course content by demonstrating at least 80 percent of the competencies required by course standards, regardless of time, place, or pace;and (iii) permitting school boards that govern school divisions ofinnovation to adopt instructional time models that allow studentsto personalize the pace of learning and accelerate their learningbased on the mastery of course content by demonstrating at least80 percent of the competencies required by course standards, regardlessof time, place, or pace.