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Central York SD previews major changes to high‑school course selection guide, cites Act 35 personal‑finance requirement
Summary
District staff reviewed an updated ~82‑page course selection guide: graduation credit totals remain the same, algebra 1 becomes a full‑year 2‑credit course for the Class of 2030, a standalone personal finance requirement is being phased in to meet Act 35, and new CTE and social‑studies electives (robotics, comparative genocide, American food culture) were added.
District staff presented an updated high‑school course selection guide and a separate change log at the Jan. 12 Central York School District board meeting, outlining curriculum edits the board will consider for approval at a future meeting.
The district said graduation credit totals remain 28 credits for current cohorts but explained a change for the rising freshmen (Class of 2030): algebra 1 will be taught as a full‑year, two‑credit course, which requires the district to designate four mathematics credits for that cohort to preserve students’ math course sequencing. An unidentified district presenter summarized the change and the rationale that underpins it.
The presentation also reflects a change driven by state law. The presenter said the personal‑finance requirement is being reframed to implement the state "Act 35," noting, "the state is mandated under act 35 ... all students will need to take" a personal finance course and the district will phase in a course to satisfy that mandate for rising freshmen.
Administrators described several additions aimed at expanding career and college preparation: new College‑in‑the‑High‑School (CHS) offerings through HACC (College and High School Drawing 1 and Fundamentals of 2‑Dimensional Design), a planned robotics course, and an "enhanced career pathway" that uses diversified occupations courses to embed work‑based experiences. The presenters said those additions are being added "without any position adds" to avoid new staffing costs during the upcoming budget season.
Student board representatives who reviewed the guide told the board they value the course descriptions and want the guide to be easier for students to find online. One student said the guide "has allowed me to preview classes to the best of my ability in order to choose what I am most interested in" and recommended adding short student blurbs so peers could get a student perspective on courses. Another student said she has used the guide every year and that the diagrams of course sequences and prerequisites were especially helpful in planning.
Board members asked for clarity about overlap between the new diversified‑occupations coursework and the personal‑finance requirement; the presenters said the specific curricula will be written in the spring and summer and that staff will be "mindful of ... not creat[ing] too many redundancies" as course descriptions are finalized.
The board did not take a final vote on the guide at the Jan. 12 meeting; staff said the course selection guide will be on the agenda for consideration at the Jan. 26 meeting when the board will have the documents available for formal action.
