| Chapter 220 |
| 2021 -- H 5028 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED Enacted 07/08/2021 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE CIVIC LITERACY ACT |
Introduced By: Representatives Newberry, Amore, Carson, Noret, Kislak, Casimiro, and Fenton-Fung |
| Date Introduced: January 15, 2021 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 16-22-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-22 entitled "Curriculum |
| [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read |
| as follows: |
| 16-22-2. Civics education. |
| (a) The general assembly recognizes the importance of a citizenry well educated in the |
| principles of democracy as enunciated in the constitutions of the state of Rhode Island and the |
| United States. The general assembly directs the board of regents for elementary and secondary |
| education to develop and adopt a set of grade level standards K-12 in civics education no later than |
| August 31, 2007. These standards shall include, but not be limited to, the history of the state of |
| Rhode Island, representative government, the rights and duties of actively engaged citizenship, and |
| the principals of democracy. These civic education standards shall be used in the public schools of |
| this state beginning in kindergarten and continuing through to and including grade 12. No private |
| school or private instruction shall be approved for the purposes of chapter 19 of this title unless the |
| course of study shall make provision for instruction substantially equivalent to that required by this |
| chapter for public schools. |
| (b) All middle and high school students attending public schools, or any other schools |
| managed and controlled by the state, shall demonstrate proficiency, as defined by the local school |
| district, in civics education that shall also satisfy half credit or course requirement in history and |
| social studies. |
| (c) Each public school district shall provide not less than one student-led civics project for |
| students during either middle or high school; provided, however, that each such project shall be |
| consistent with the history and social studies standards and frameworks promulgated by the Rhode |
| Island board of education. Civics projects may be individual, small group, or class wide, and |
| designed to promote a student's ability to: |
| (1) Reason, make logical arguments, and support claims using valid evidence; and |
| (2) Demonstrate an understanding of the connections between federal, state, and local |
| policies, including issues that may impact the student's community. |
| (d) The department of education shall begin implementing subsections (b) and (c) of this |
| section for the 2022-2023 academic year. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC000524/SUB A |
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