Board to seek one-year waiver for new personal finance and career-credit graduation rules
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Summary
District staff told the board that Senate Bill 3 adds personal finance and higher-education/career-path credits for graduation; the district plans to apply for a one-year waiver as an insurance policy while courses are configured.
District staff told the board the state's recent change to graduation requirements will add one credit for personal finance and one credit for higher education/career-path skills, and staff proposed applying for a one-year waiver to give the district time to align courses and staffing.
"Senate Bill 3 added personal finance and higher education and career path skills as graduation requirements," Tiffany said, summarizing the law and the state-supplied options for districts.
Staff explained the two credits are added to the electives requirement so the overall number of credits required for graduation did not change, but creating new course offerings could reduce students' ability to take other electives or career-technical education (CTE) courses. Move-in students and seniors who enter the district late were identified as a particular operational concern: providing the new credits for late entrants could require spring or senior-year scheduling adjustments.
Tiffany told the board the district already teaches personal finance and that much of the higher-education and career pathway material is covered in advisory and counseling, but the state has specific standards (including, for example, Oregon-specific tax instruction) that must be met for a full credit. Given that, staff proposed applying for the one-year waiver available under state guidance as an insurance policy while the district finalizes course offerings and scheduling. Staff said they did not anticipate needing the waiver but wanted the option to prevent any student from being unable to graduate because of the new credit timing.
Board members asked whether the new requirement is unfunded and how it might reduce elective options and CTE participation. Staff agreed to continue analyzing where the standards can be met within existing courses and to return with recommended plans and, if needed, a formal waiver application for the board to vote on before the state deadline.
No board vote was taken on the waiver at this meeting; staff will return with a detailed proposal and timeline.