SB837: Bill Text

SB837,,7 1. An understanding of pupils’ shared rights and responsibilities as residents of this state and the United States and of the founding principles of the United States, including all of the following:

SB837,,8 a. The history and content of the Declaration of Independence, including natural and popular sovereignty and self-evident truth, and how those concepts form the philosophical foundations of government.

SB837,,9 b. The history, meaning, significance, and effect of provisions of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights and how those documents provide the structure of government.

SB837,,10 c. The arguments in support of adopting the republican form of government, including those arguments contained in the Federalist Papers.

SB837,,11 2. A sense of civic pride and desire to participate regularly with government at the local, state, and federal levels.

SB837,,12 3. An understanding of the process for effectively advocating before governmental bodies and officials.

SB837,,13 4. An understanding of the civic-minded expectations of an upright and desirable citizenry that recognizes and accepts responsibility for preserving and defending the benefits of liberty inherited from previous generations and secured by the U.S. Constitution.

SB837,,14 5. Knowledge of other nations’ governing philosophies, including communism, socialism, and totalitarianism, and an understanding of how those philosophies compare with the philosophy and principles of freedom and representative democracy essential to the founding principles of the United States.

SB837,,15 (b) Curate oral history resources, to be used along with the civics curriculum developed under par. (a), that provide portraits in patriotism based on the personal stories of diverse individuals who demonstrate civic-minded qualities, including first-person accounts of victims of other nations’ governing philosophies who are able to compare those philosophies with those of the United States.

SB837,,16 (c) Notify school boards, operators of charter schools under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), and governing bodies of private schools participating in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 that the civics curriculum developed under par. (a) and the oral history resources are available from the department.

SB837,,17 (d) Annually compile and submit the information the department receives under ss. 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. and (2x) (b) 2. m., 118.60 (2) (a) 10., 119.23 (2) (a) 10., and 121.02 (1) (L) 9. b. to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3).

SB837,2 Section 2. 118.165 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB837,,19 118.165 (1) (d) The program provides a sequentially progressive curriculum of fundamental instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and health. This subsection does not require the program to include in its curriculum any concept, topic, or practice in conflict with the program’s religious doctrines or mission or to exclude from its curriculum any concept, topic, or practice consistent with the program’s religious doctrines or mission.

SB837,3 Section 3. 118.33 (1) (a) 1. b. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB837,,21 118.33 (1) (a) 1. b. At least 3 credits of social studies, including state and local government, that includes at least 0.5 credit of civics instruction.

SB837,4 Section 4. 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. of the statutes is created to read:

SB837,,23 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. A requirement that the charter school’s curriculum include the instruction in civics required under s. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. a. and that the charter school annually report to the department regarding how the charter school governing board is meeting the requirement under this subd. 2. m.

SB837,5 Section 5. 118.40 (2x) (b) 2. m. of the statutes is created to read:

SB837,,25 118.40 (2x) (b) 2. m. A requirement that the charter school’s curriculum include the instruction in civics required under s. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. a. and that the charter school annually report to the department regarding how the charter school governing board is meeting the requirement under this subd. 2. m.

SB837,6 Section 6. 118.60 (2) (a) 10. of the statutes is created to read:

SB837,,27 118.60 (2) (a) 10. The private school includes in its curriculum the instruction in civics required under s. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. a. and annually reports to the department regarding how the private school is meeting the requirement under this subdivision.

SB837,7 Section 7. 119.23 (2) (a) 10. of the statutes is created to read:

SB837,,29 119.23 (2) (a) 10. The private school includes in its curriculum the instruction in civics required under s. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. a. and annually reports to the department regarding how the private school is meeting the requirement under this subdivision.

SB837,8 Section 8. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. of the statutes is created to read:

SB837,,31 121.02 (1) (L) 9. a. Include instruction in civics that includes the topics and pupil development goals described under s. 115.28 (55v) (a) 1. to 5.

SB837,,32 b. Annually report to the department regarding how the school board is meeting the requirement under subd. 9. a.

SB837,9 Section 9. Initial applicability.

SB837,,34 (1) The treatment of s. 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. and (2x) (b) 2. m. first applies to a contract that is entered into, renewed, or modified on the effective date of this subsection.

SB837,,35 (2) The treatment of s. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. first applies to curriculum for the 2025-26 school year.

SB837,,36 (3) The treatment of s. 118.33 (1) (a) 1. b. first applies to a pupil who graduates in the 2027-28 school year.

SB837,,37 (4) The treatment of ss. 118.60 (2) (a) 10. and 119.23 (2) (a) 10. first applies to an application to attend a private school under a parental choice program in the 2025-26 school year.

SB837,10 Section 10. Effective date.

SB837,,39 (1) This act takes effect on July 1, 2024.

SB837,,40 (end)