1. (1) The Core Standards and a General Core for middle school students are described in this section.
2. (2) A student in grades 7-8 shall complete the courses described in Subsection (3) to be properly prepared for instruction in grades 9-12.

3. (3) The following are the Grades 7-8 General Core Requirements:

   1. (a) Grade 7 Language Arts;
   2. (b) Grade 8 Language Arts;
   3. (c) Grade 7 Mathematics;
   4. (d) Grade 8 Mathematics;
   5. (e) Grade 7 Integrated Science;
   6. (f) Grade 8 Integrated Science;
   7. (g) United States History;

   8. (h) Utah History; and

      1. (i) at least one course in each of the following in grades 7 or 8:

         1. (A) Health Education;
         2. (B) College and Career Awareness;
         3. (C) Digital Literacy;
         4. (D) the Arts; and
         5. (E) Physical Education.

4. (5) An LEA shall use Board-approved summative adaptive assessments to assess student mastery of the following:

   1. (a) language arts;
   2. (b) mathematics;
   3. (c) science; and
   4. (d) writing in grade 8.

5. (6) At the discretion of the LEA board, an LEA board may:

   1. (a) offer additional elective courses;
   2. (b) require a student to complete additional courses; or
   3. (c) set minimum credit requirements.

6. (7) Upon parental or student request, an LEA may, with parental consent, substitute a course requirement described in Subsection (3) with a course, extracurricular activity, or experience that is:

   1. (a) similar to the course requirement; or
   2. (b) consistent with the student's plan for college and career readiness.

7. (8)(a) An LEA shall establish a policy governing the substitution of a course requirement as described in Subsection (7).

   1. (b) An LEA's policy described in Subsection (8)(a) shall include a process for a parent to appeal an LEA's denial of a request for a substitution described in Subsection (7) to the LEA board or the LEA board designee.

KEY: graduation requirements, standards

Date of Last Change: April 7, 2026

Notice of Continuation: March 16, 2026

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: Art X Sec 3; 53E-3-501(1)(b); 53E-4-202; 53E-3-401(4)