§ 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.
History of Section.
G.L. 1909, ch. 67, § 17; P.L. 1922, ch. 2195, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 70, § 30; P.L. 1926,
ch. 838, § 1; P.L. 1929, ch. 1400, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 177, § 10; impl. am. P.L. 1951,
ch. 2752, § 21; G.L. 1956, § 16-22-2; P.L. 2005, ch. 177, § 1; P.L. 2005, ch. 180,
§ 1; P.L. 2021, ch. 208, § 1, effective July 7, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 220, § 1, effective
July 8, 2021.