Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) It
is the intent of the State Board of Education that high school graduates have
sufficient knowledge of United States civics and government, particularly the
principles reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of
the United States, so as to be capable of discharging the responsibilities
associated with American citizenship.
(2) To help families, civic institutions,
local communities, district school boards, and charter schools prepare students
to be civically responsible and knowledgeable adults, the requirements for an
integrated civic education curriculum that school districts and charter schools
utilize for grades K through 12 are as follows:
(a) Using the social studies standards
adopted in Rule 6A-1.09401, F.A.C., Student
Performance Standards, the instruction and curriculum for integrated civics
education must advance student content knowledge and skills each year as
developmentally appropriate.
(b)
Curriculum and instruction must comply with the efficient and faithful teaching
of the required topics and must be consistent with the Next Generation Sunshine
State Standards and the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.)
Standards, per Rule 6A-1.094124, F.A.C., Required
Instruction Planning and Reporting.
(3) The integrated civic education curriculum
must assist students in developing:
(a) An
understanding of their shared rights and responsibilities as residents of the
state and of the founding principles of the United States, and must include the
following topics:
1. A review of select
colonial American charters, compacts, and laws that preceded and influenced the
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United
States.
2. The history and content
of the Declaration of Independence, including national sovereignty, natural
law, self-evident truths, equality of all persons, limited government, consent
of the governed, right of resistance, popular sovereignty, and the divine
source of inalienable rights of life, liberty, and property, and how those
rights form the philosophical foundation of our government.
3. The history, meaning, significance, and
effect of the provisions of the Constitution of the United States and
amendments thereto, with emphasis on each of the ten (10) amendments that make
up the Bill of Rights, and how the Constitution provides the structure of our
government.
4. The arguments in
support of adopting our republican form of government, as they are embodied in
the most important of the Federalist Papers.
(b) A sense of civic pride and desire to
participate regularly with government at the local, state, and federal
levels.
(c) An understanding of the
process for effectively advocating before government bodies and
officials.
(d) An understanding of
the civic-minded expectations of an upright and desirable citizenry that
recognizes and accepts responsibility for preserving and defending the
blessings of liberty inherited from prior generations and secured by the United
States Constitution. An upright and desirable citizen:
1. Has a thorough knowledge of America's
founding principles and documents, and is equipped to apply this
knowledge.
2. Demonstrates civic
virtue and self-government that promotes the success of the United States
constitutional republic through personal responsibility, civility, and respect
in political, social, and religious discourse and lawful civic
engagement.
3. Respects the
military, elected officials, civic leaders, public servants, and all those who
have defended the blessings of liberty in pursuit of the common good, even at
personal risk.
4. Understands the
United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, and other amendments in their
historical context; defends the core values of these documents and the
principles that shaped them.
5.
Recognizes how political ideologies, such as communism and totalitarianism,
conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy essential to preserving
the United States constitutional republic.
6. Appreciates the price paid by previous
generations to secure the blessings of liberty and why it is the responsibility
of current and future generations to preserve
it.
Rulemaking Authority
1001.02(2)(n),
1003.41(4),
1003.44(6) FS.
Law Implemented 1003.41,
1003.42,
1003.44
FS.
New 11-23-21.
