If enacted, this bill would amend current statutes regarding the promotion requirements for students in Arizona, specifically focusing on social studies education. The existing law requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to prescribe competency requirements for the promotion of students from the third and eighth grades, which currently includes academic standards in various subjects, including social studies. The bill would insert a new requirement that students must complete at least three social studies course credits in grades six through eight, with at least one of those credits specifically in civics education.

Additionally, the bill specifies the content of the civics education, mandating instruction on the roles and responsibilities of government at various levels, the structure and functions of government branches, and the significance of key historical documents. It also provides an exception for students transferring into a public school during the second semester of eighth grade, allowing them to be promoted without completing the civics credit if they meet certain criteria, such as having completed three social studies credits and having received civics instruction in earlier grades.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-506
House Engrossed Version: 15-701, 15-701.05, 15-751, 15-761, 15-704, 15-342