HB 191: High School Credit Amendments - Utah

Substitute #3 → Enrolled · 4 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates the Utah Code to formally define and regulate the 'packet method' for earning high school credit, allowing students to complete courses independently using approved instructional materials. It requires the State Board of Education to review and approve these packets and mandates annual reporting on their usage. The bill also adds a sunset date for a specific report on this method and includes technical corrections to repeal dates for various other state committees and programs.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of high school credit options by explicitly authorizing the 'packet method' as a valid way to earn original or replacement credit, provided the materials meet state board standards and are approved for use.

DEFINITION

New definitions were added for 'packet', 'packet method', 'original credit', 'replacement credit', and 'grade replacement' to clarify how independent study materials are treated in graduation requirements.

REQUIREMENT

The State Board of Education is now required to establish rules for packet approval, maintain a list of approved packets, and report annually to the Education Interim Committee on the number of students using this method.

TIMELINE

A sunset date of July 1, 2028, was added to the requirement for the annual report on the packet method, meaning this specific reporting obligation will expire after that date.

TECHNICAL

Several repeal dates for various state committees, task forces, and programs were updated or corrected to ensure they expire on the correct dates.

Introduced → Substitute #1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to change the policy on 'packet method' courses, shifting from a strict prohibition to a conditional allowance. While the original version banned schools from awarding credit for these self-paced courses entirely, the new version permits them if the course materials are approved by the state board. The bill also expanded the definition of who can provide these materials to include local education agencies and updated the reporting requirements to track usage annually.

Scope change

The scope of eligibility for 'packet method' credit was expanded from being completely prohibited to being conditionally allowed for both original and replacement credit, provided state standards are met.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed the rule for 'packet method' courses from a total ban on awarding credit to allowing credit if the course is approved by the state board and meets specific standards.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'packet method' to allow instructional materials to come from an LEA (local education agency), whereas the previous version only allowed materials from non-LEA institutions.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that LEAs must track and record the number of packets used each school year and assign a distinct course name and number to identify the credit type on transcripts.

Added a new reporting requirement for the state board to report annually to the Education Interim Committee on the number of students receiving credit via the packet method.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the bill from May 7, 2025, to July 1, 2025.

Substitute #2 → Substitute #3 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Utah's education code to regulate how high school students can earn credit through self-paced instructional packets. It adds new definitions for packet methods, establishes standards for packet approval, and creates a sunset provision for a specific report requirement. The changes aim to provide clearer guidance on alternative credit methods while maintaining oversight through the State Board of Education.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope by adding new definitions and standards for packet-based credit, and adds a new code section amendment (63I-2-253) that was not present in the previous version.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'packet', 'packet method', 'original credit', 'replacement credit', 'grade replacement', and 'comparable course' to clarify how alternative credit works.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the State Board of Education to establish rules and standards for packet method approval and maintain a list of approved packets.

Requires LEAs to assign distinct course names and numbers for packet credit and track the number of packets used annually.

Added a sunset provision for the report on packet method usage, requiring it only until 2027, 2030, 2033, and 2035.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 2025 to February 25, 2025 (special effective date).

TECHNICAL

Reformatted the bill text with new page headers and line numbers for the third substitute version.

SCOPE

Added amendment to Section 63I-2-253 which was not included in the previous version.

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill establishes a formal process for awarding high school credit through 'packet methods,' where students complete instructional materials independently with minimal teacher instruction. It requires the State Board of Education to review and approve these instructional packets, maintain a list of approved packets, and report annually on packet usage. The bill also adds a new reporting requirement to the Education Interim Committee regarding students receiving credit through this method.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of credit-earning options for Utah high school students by formally recognizing and regulating the packet method as a legitimate way to earn academic credit.

DEFINITION

New definitions were added for 'comparable course,' 'original credit,' 'packet,' 'packet method,' and 'replacement credit' to clarify how independent study materials can be used for credit.

REQUIREMENT

The State Board of Education is now required to establish rules for packet method usage, ensure alignment with core standards, and maintain a comprehensive list of approved packets on their website.

Local education agencies must assign distinct course names and numbers for packet-based credits to ensure transparency on student transcripts and track packet usage annually.

A new annual reporting requirement was added to the Education Interim Committee to track the number of students receiving credit through the packet method in each local education agency.

ELIGIBILITY

The bill clarifies that the packet method cannot be used to improve previous course grades, limiting its use to earning original or replacement credit only.

ENFORCEMENT

Local education agencies must obtain state board approval for instructional packets before using them for credit, with specific approval pathways for district schools and charter schools.

High School Credit Amendments

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