The Ohio Senate got the proposed Ohio Core curriculum legislation on Wednesday, after the bill moved out of the Education Committee on Tuesday. Ohio Core requires a more stringent curriculum and testing standards for high school graduation and admission to most state universities. Ohio Core includes four years of math and language arts and three years of lab-based science, as well as a work and college-readiness test in the junior year, similar to the Ohio Graduation Test that is now administered first in the sophomore year.

Governor Bob Taft has pushed for the legislation in the lame-duck session of the general assembly and substitute bills were introduced in both houses in recent weeks in a concerted effort to get it passed before the administration ends. Governor-elect Ted Strickland has voiced support for the spirit of the legislation, but believes it needs more study - especially in the area of funding.

An article in Monday's Akron Beacon-Journal said students in charter school dropout recovery programs would be exempt from Ohio Core. Other legislators believe public school programs should also be exempt.

The version voted out of committee on Tuesday also included provisions requiring fine arts courses, electives including consumer and family science, established a grant program to attract math and science teachers to underserved districts and required districts to establish a parental involvement policy.

Apparently, no changes were made to the portions of the bill requiring work and college-readiness testing like the OGT.