LANSING – Michigan High school students would have some additional ways to meet the state’s high school standards with a focus on career technical education under a package of bills passed by the Michigan House Thursday.

Under the bills, HB 4315 and HB 4316, the Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements for arts, foreign language, health education and mathematics would have additional options.

The arts and foreign language requirements would be consolidated into three credits of 21st Century skills and would be expanded to include visual, performing or applied arts, computer science or coding; or career and technical. The language requirement could be met with appropriate courses at any time during the K-12 experience. Those bills passed 79-29 and 69-39, respectively.

The health education requirement, half a credit, could be met with 30 hours of U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration-certified training under HB 4317, which passed 61-47.

The math requirement would remain at four credits but would allow statistics to be substituted for algebra II under HB 4318, which passed 91-17.

Democrats were the sole opposition to HB 4315 (29 voting no), HB 4316 (39 voting no), and HB 4318 (17 voting no). Five Republicans, Rep. John Bizon (R-Battle Creek), Rep. Kathy Crawford (R-Novi), Rep. Martin Howrylak (R-Troy), Rep. Klint Kesto (R-Commerce Township) and Rep. Michael McCready (R-Bloomfield Hills), joined 42 Democrats in voting no on HB 4317, which would allow the OSHA training instead of health.

Rep. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) feared the bills would have unintended consequences, and said in particular the OSHA bill would lead to students missing out on key health lessons.

She said nutrition, CPR, handling interpersonal relationships and “critical” substance abuse information were things students would miss out on if they did not take a health course.

“It is important that we ensure that our students are equipped with the type of health related information that will help keep our young adults healthy regardless of their academic or post-secondary trajectory,” she said.

Republicans, however, praised the package as expanding choice for students. Rep. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington), one of the sponsors, said local superintendents in his district were very supportive of the legislation.

“This opens up the opportunity for young people to do career tech and really learn where they want to go for their future,” Mr. VanderWall said. “College is not for everybody. … Who knows better than the parents, the school, the counselors and the child?”

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan praised the bills as providing a broader curriculum for students interested in skilled trades.

“These reforms provide necessary flexibility in our current high school curriculum, allowing students, parents, and educators the chance to explore educational options to for Michigan students,” Jeff Wiggins, state director of ABC of Michigan, said in a statement. “Students will now have the ability to astutely craft their curriculum to prepare themselves for a well-paying job in the trades.”

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