File No. 81

House of Representatives, March 16, 2000

The Committee on Education reported through REP. STAPLES of the 96^th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

An Act Requiring A Civics Course For High School Graduation.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 10-221a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof:
[Commencing with classes graduating in 1988, and for each graduating class thereafter,]
(a) For classes graduating from 1988 to 2003, inclusive, no local or regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate from high school or grant a diploma to any student who has not satisfactorily completed a minimum of twenty credits, not fewer than four of which shall be in English, not fewer than three in mathematics, not fewer than three in social studies, not fewer than two in science, not fewer than one in the arts or vocational education and not fewer than one in physical education.
(b) Commencing with classes graduating in 2004, and for each graduating class thereafter, no local or regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate from high school or grant a diploma to any student who has not satisfactorily completed a minimum of twenty credits, not fewer than four of which shall be in English, not fewer than three in mathematics, not fewer than three in social studies, including at least a one-half credit course on civics and American government, not fewer than two in science, not fewer than one in the arts or vocational education and not fewer than one in physical education.
(c) Any student who presents a certificate from a physician stating that, in the opinion of the physician, participation in physical education is medically contraindicated because of the physical condition of such student, shall be excused from the physical education requirement, provided the credit for physical education may be fulfilled by an elective.
(d) Determination of eligible credits shall be at the discretion of the local or regional board of education, provided the primary focus of the curriculum of eligible credits corresponds directly to the subject matter of the specified course requirements. The local or regional board of education may permit a student to graduate during a period of expulsion pursuant to section 10-233d, if the board determines the student has satisfactorily completed the necessary credits pursuant to this section. The requirements of this section shall apply to any student requiring special education pursuant to section 10-76a, except when the planning and placement team for such student determines the requirement not to be appropriate. For purposes of this section, a credit shall consist of not less than the equivalent of a forty-minute class period for each school day of a school year except for a credit or part of a credit toward high school graduation earned at an institution accredited by the Department of Higher Education or regionally accredited.
(e) Only courses taken in grades nine through twelve, inclusive, shall satisfy this graduation requirement, except that a local or regional board of education may grant a student credit (1) toward meeting a specified course requirement upon the successful completion in grade seven or eight of any course, the primary focus of which corresponds directly to the subject matter of a specified course requirement in grades nine to twelve, inclusive; or (2) toward meeting the high school graduation requirement upon the successful completion of coursework at an institution accredited by the Department of Higher Education or regionally accredited. One three-credit semester course, or its equivalent, at such an institution shall equal one-half credit for purposes of this section.
(f) A local or regional board of education may offer one-half credit in community service which, if satisfactorily completed, shall qualify for high school graduation credit pursuant to this section, provided such community service is supervised by a certified school administrator or teacher and consists of not less than fifty hours of actual service that may be performed at times when school is not regularly in session and not less than ten hours of related classroom instruction. For purposes of this section, community service does not include partisan political activities. The State Board of Education shall assist local and regional boards of education in meeting the requirements of this section.

OFA Fiscal Note

AN ACT REQUIRING A CIVICS COURSE FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.

SUMMARY:
This bill requires that at least one-half of the three credits in social studies necessary to graduate from high school must be in civics and American government. The requirement applies to students who plan to graduate or receive diplomas in 2004 and thereafter.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2000

BACKGROUND

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate from high school, the law requires students to satisfactorily complete at least 20 credits, including at least:

4 in English,
3 in mathematics,
3 in social studies,
2 in science,
1 in the arts or vocational education, and
1 in physical education.

One credit equals a daily 40-minute high school class period for one year.

Social Studies and Civics

Current law requires that children receive instruction in citizenship, including a study of the town, state, and federal governments.

High school social studies commonly include history, government, economics, geography, sociology, or anthropology. Webster's Third New International Dictionary defines civics as the "study of the workings of the national and local government especially as the subject of a secondary school course suited as training for citizenship."

COMMITTEE ACTION

Education Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute