Maryland Board of Education Raises Health Credit Requirement From .5 to Full Credit, Makes Change to World Language Requirement

The Maryland Board of Education voted to raise the health credit requirement from half of a credit to a full credit.

For decades the health requirement for graduation in the state of Maryland has been half of a credit. In Montgomery County Public Schools, comprehensive health education is taught for a semester of 18-weeks during 10th grade.

All students have been required to successfully complete the course prior to high school graduation. Students have also been able take the course online or in summer school.

Starting next year, the requirement will be upped to a full credit (1.0), which equates to two semesters of comprehensive health education. The requirement will start with 9th graders in the 2021-22 school year.

MCPS Supervisor of Health & Physical Education, Dr. Cara Grant, tweeted her satisfaction with the decision soon after it was announced that the Maryland Board of Education adopted the amended high school graduation requirements.

The amended requirements also include 2 credits in the same world language. The requirement previously did not make it necessary for the credits to be in the same language, allowing students to take beginner level courses of two different languages to earn their credits.