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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah students may have to fulfill additional math requirements to be considered college- and career-ready.
Lawmakers hope a new initiative will boost concurrent enrollment rates and reduce the number of students having to take remedial math coursework once they enter college.
SB196, which unanimously passed the Senate Education Committee on Friday, designates several pathways that students can take to demonstrate quantitative literacy while in high school.
Students who plan to attend college will have to show math competency at a college-entry level through an assessment, such as an advanced placement test, an international baccalaureate exam, a college placement exam or the ACT.
The student could also demonstrate adequate proficiency by earning a C grade or better on a concurrent enrollment math course. Students could even complete their general education college math requirements while in high school.
Students who do not plan to attend college after high school would be required to obtain a career and technology education certificate, showing adequate math skills for their chosen field.
The bill also asks the Utah State Board of Regents to develop ways for students to earn college credit as they fulfill the added math requirements in high school and to expand concurrent enrollment opportunities.
SB196 would also be in concert with a recommendation by the Utah System of Higher Education that students take a math course each year they're in high school.
Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden, said she's sponsoring the bill to address a decades-old problem in Utah of students having to spend money on non-credit remedial math courses because they were unprepared for college coursework.
"We have consistently had over 12,000 students every year that were enrolled in developmental math or remedial math on our college campuses," Millner said. "I think this (bill) is a solid, workable path to get us going forward to solve this problem."
Millner, who was president of Weber State University for 10 years, said the bill would not close the door for students who change their minds after initially deciding not to attend college. As long as the student has a high school diploma, they can still apply for college.
The bill was vigorously supported by members of the Senate Education Committee, which sent the bill to the Senate for its consideration. Sen. Stephen Urquhart, R-St. George, said it would lessen the degree to which math is a "graveyard" for college completion, especially for students who leave for LDS Church missions after high school.
"I really am excited about the prospect of having these students possibly complete their college degree-related math requirements while they're in high school," Urquhart said. "It would be a great thing for our LDS youth before they go on their missions to get their wisdom teeth pulled and get their college math completed." Email: mjacobsen@deseretnews.com Twitter: MorganEJacobsen
