Maryland Board of Education changes graduation requirement for health education classes

On Thursday, March 30, the Maryland State Board of Education (MSDE) changed its graduation requirement for health education. Instead of the previous half credit for a single semester course, students must now earn one full credit for the full-year course. The new requirement begins with the Class of 2025. Additionally, the new full-year Health Education A/B course will only be offered as an honors course. 

The health education curriculum team in the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Schools is developing the curriculum for the Health Education B course. According to MCPS, the new course will "provide students time to develop health literacy skills, such as decision-making, self-management and advocacy. The course will also delve into health concepts, including mental and emotional health, substance abuse prevention, safety and violence prevention and disease prevention and control."

Current health teacher Samual Nosoff believes this expanded curriculum will allow for better coverage of important topics. “I think it is going to benefit long term. Health… is a subject [in which] two to three weeks in a given unit isn’t enough time,” Nosoff said.

All students may take Health A in this year's summer school. MCPS health teachers will receive training on Health B this summer, and the course will be available for students beginning this fall. High schools may offer Health B as a part of their summer school program beginning Summer 2023, and it will be available to all students as a central summer school course through MCPS Student E-Learning beginning Summer 2024.