The Utah Senate gave preliminary approval to a bill that would encourage high school students to graduate early.
Senate Bill 33 requires the Utah State Office of Education provide 8th graders and their parents information about what it takes to graduate early and what courses they need take to be ready for college. Republican Senator Aaron Osmond sponsored the bill.
“The intent behind this bill, is to ensure that when students go to college they realize there is a cost for remediation,” Osmond says. “It’s better to go to college ready and these are the types of courses you have to take in order to be college-ready.”
The bill suggests students take concurrent enrollment, advanced placement or international baccalaureate courses for maximum college preparation.
It also provides the additional incentive of increasing Utah’s Centennial Scholarship for Early Graduation from $1000 to $2000, which can be used toward full-time enrollment at any Utah college or university.
Osmond says the bill would bring savings to the state as students graduate early. Senators approved the bill on Monday. They’ll vote on it once more before it moves to the House for consideration.
