Senate Bill 30 mandates that starting in the 2027-28 school year, all school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program must incorporate civics education into their curricula. This instruction will cover essential topics such as the rights and responsibilities of citizens, civic pride, advocacy processes, and comparisons of different governing philosophies. Additionally, these educational institutions are required to report annually to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) on how they are fulfilling this civics instruction requirement, which DPI will compile and submit to the legislature.

The bill also modifies existing graduation requirements for high school students. It specifies that students must earn at least three credits in social studies, which must now include a half credit of civics instruction. This change will first apply to students graduating in the 2030-31 school year. The bill includes several new sections to the statutes that outline these requirements and the reporting obligations for schools, while also amending existing sections to reflect these updates. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 118.165(1)(d), 118.165, 118.33(1)(a)1.b, 118.33