from Staff
Legislation requiring students to complete at least one semester of civic education passed unanimously in the Florida House of Representatives on Thursday.
The civics course would include teaching the role and responsibilities of federal, state and local governments; the structure and duties of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government; and the meanings of significance of historic documents to civics, such as the Bill of Rights, Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution.
“I am grateful my colleagues recognize the importance of our young people learning about our government,” said State Rep. Charles McBurney (R-Jacksonville), who introduced the legislation.
The bill also requires educators to track student performance by a statewide, standardized end-of-course assessment that will be administered. The assessment will be phased in gradually beginning with the 2011-2012 school year. In 2012-2013, the student’s performance on the statewide assessment will constitute 30 percent of the student’s final course grade in the civics study; and beginning in 2014-2015, a student must earn a passing score on the assessment in civics in order to pass the course and receive course credit.
Student performance on the statewide end-of-course assessment in civics will be a factor in designating a school’s grade beginning in the 2013-2014 school year.
The legislation also adds to the Sunshine State Standards for Language Arts that beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, reading content shall include civics education material for all grades.
“Students with a sound knowledge of our form of government will greatly strengthen out system,” said McBurney.