13-55-31.1. High school course requirements for opportunity scholarship eligibility. To be eligible for an opportunity scholarship, a student who entered the ninth grade prior to the 2010-2011 school year shall complete the following high school course requirements:

(1) Four or more units of language arts that include a minimum of the following:

(a) One and one-half units of writing;

(b) One and one-half units of literature that must include one-half unit of American Literature;

(c) One-half unit of speech or debate; and

(d) One-half unit of a language arts elective;

(2) Three or more units of social studies that include the following:

(a) One unit of U.S. History;

(b) One-half unit of U.S. government;

(c) One-half unit of geography;

(d) One-half unit of world history; and

(e) One-half unit of a social studies elective;

(3) Four units of mathematics that must include the following:

(a) One unit of algebra I;

(b) One unit of geometry;

(c) One unit of algebra II; and

(d) One unit of advanced math;

(4) Four units of science, including at least three units in laboratory science, that must include the following:

(a) One unit of biology;

(b) One unit of any physical science;

(c) One unit of chemistry or physics; and

(d) One unit of science electives;

(5) Two units of world languages (two years of the same language);

(6) One-half unit of computer studies;

(7) One unit of fine arts;

(8) One-half unit of personal finance or economics; and

(9) One-half unit of physical education or health.

A student may earn academic core content credit by completing an approved career and technical education course. Approval to offer credit for a career and technical education course must be obtained through an application process with the Department of Education. The Department of Education shall meet with the Board of Regents to determine final course approval. The application must include:

(1) Course syllabus;

(2) Standards-based curriculum;

(3) Teacher certification; and

(4) Assessment of standards by methods including end-of-course exams, authentic assessment, project-based learning or rubrics.

To be eligible for an opportunity scholarship, a student who enters the ninth grade in the 2010-2011 school year or thereafter shall complete the following high school course requirements:

(1) Four or more units of language arts that include a minimum of the following:

(a) One and one-half units of writing;

(b) One and one-half units of literature that must include one-half unit of American literature;

(c) One-half unit of speech or debate; and

(d) One-half unit of a language arts elective;

(2) Three units or more of social studies that include the following:

(a) One unit of U.S. history;

(b) One-half unit of U.S. government;

(c) One-half unit of geography;

(d) One-half unit of world history; and

(e) One-half unit of a social studies elective;

(3) Four units of mathematics that must include the following:

(a) One unit of algebra I;

(b) One unit of geometry;

(c) One unit of algebra II; and

(d) One unit of advanced math;

(4) Four units of science, including at least three units in laboratory science, that must include the following:

(a) One unit of biology;

(b) One unit of any physical science;

(c) One unit of chemistry or physics; and

(d) One unit of science electives;

(5) Two units of either of the following or a combination of the two:

(a) Approved career and technical education courses; and

(b) World languages;

Approval for a career and technical education course must be obtained through an application process with the Department of Education. The department shall meet with the Board of Regents to determine final course approval;

(6) One-half unit of personal finance or economics;

(7) One unit of fine arts;

(8) One-half unit of physical education; and

(9) For students entering the ninth grade in the 2013-2014 school year and thereafter, one-half unit of health or health integration.

A student may be granted up to one unit of credit in fine arts for participation in extracurricular activities. A maximum of one-fourth unit of credit may be granted for each extracurricular activity in which a student participates during each school year. In order to grant credit for an extracurricular activity, a school district must document the alignment of the activity with fine arts content standards approved by the South Dakota Board of Education Standards.

Students entering the ninth grade in the 2013-2014 school year and thereafter are required to take one-half unit of health at anytime during grades six through twelve. A school district may choose to integrate health across the curriculum at the middle or high school level in lieu of a stand-alone course.

A student may earn academic core content credit by completing an approved career and technical education course. Approval to offer credit for a career and technical education course must be obtained through an application process with the Department of Education. The Department of Education shall meet with the Board of Regents to determine final course approval. The application must include:

(1) Course syllabus;

(2) Standards-based curriculum;

(3) Teacher certification; and

(4) Assessment of standards by methods including end-of-course exams, authentic assessment, project-based learning or rubrics.Source: SL 2010, ch 96, § 3; SL 2017, ch 81, § 57.