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House passes bill excluding certain IEP students from graduation-rate calculation for school grading
Summary
House Bill 292 will let Utah exclude some students with individualized education plans (IEPs) who remain in high school past age 18 from the graduation-rate calculation used in school grading; sponsors added an annual reporting requirement.
The Utah House on Feb. 12 passed House Bill 292 to adjust how high school graduation rates are calculated for the state school-grading system.
Representative Menlove said the measure responds to concerns from a high-school principal whose school's grade was lowered because students with significant disabilities who stay in high school longer were counted against the graduation rate. He said federal rules allow IEP teams to recommend extended high-school attendance for some students and that the bill removes those students from the state grading calculation so schools are not penalized for supporting students who need more time.
Representative Layton and others spoke in support, offering personal examples and describing why the change would prevent schools from being unfairly graded down for providing appropriate services. The bill was amended in committee to require the State Board to annually report the number of students adjusted under the IEP exemption to guard against misuse; the House passed HB 292 69–0 and will transmit it to the Senate.
Supporters framed the change as a modest, targeted correction to ensure school grading does not inadvertently penalize support for students with significant disabilities.
