Relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the social studies instruction provided to students enrolled in grades one through twelve and the educational programs provided by the institutions of higher education under the control of the state board of regents

The bill makes similar changes to the social studies curriculum provided to students enrolled in grades through 12, but adds instructional requirements related to the study of prominent persons and prominent writings. The bill also provides that the social studies curriculum provided in grades seven and eight is to include at least one semester of instruction, or the trimester or quarter equivalent, in civics, United States history, the history of western civilization, Iowa history, and economics. The bill establishes what such instruction is to include. Current law requires school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools to offer and teach five units of social studies in grades through 12, which includes a minimum of one-half unit of United States government and one unit of United States history. The bill requires all students to complete a minimum of one-half unit of United States government, one unit of civics, two units of United States history, and one unit of western civilization. The bill establishes prohibitions and requirements related to this instruction, including required examinations and topics of instruction and prohibitions related to including forms of political activism in civics instruction. The bill provides that the social studies curriculum is required to incorporate the study of certain specified documents that are important to the history of the United States. The bill provides that these changes shall not affect the graduation requirements applicable to a student enrolled in grades through as of the effective date of the bill. The bill requires the state board of regents to direct the institutions of higher education under its control to adopt policies that require all students admitted to the baccalaureate degree program provided by the institution to take a civic literacy examination. The bill provides that, if a student does not pass the examination, the institution shall require the student to take a remedial civics course that contains a culminating civic literacy examination. If the student fails to pass this examination as well, the bill provides that the student may retake the examination, but the student will not be allowed to graduate from the institution, or progress to more advanced civics courses, until the student passes the examination. The bill requires the state board of regents to prohibit the institutions of higher education under its control from awarding students any semester hours of credit for courses that require action civics or political activism.3.2, subsection 3, which would relieve a school district from complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, school districts are required to comply with any state mandate included in the bill.