Read the full stored bill text
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 2209
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE RIGGS.
4009H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o repeal sections 170.01 1 and 170.345, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections
relating to civics instruction in schools.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 170.01 1 and 170.345, RSMo, are repealed and two new sections
2 enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 170.01 1 and 170.345, to read as follows:
170.01 1. 1. (1) Regular courses of instruction in the Constitution of the United
2 States and of the state of Missouri and in American history and institutions shall be given in
3 all public and private schools in the state of Missouri, except proprietary schools, and shall
4 begin not later than the seventh grade and continue in high school to an extent determined by
5 the state commissioner of education, and shall continue in college and university courses to
6 an extent determined by the state commissioner of higher education.
7 (2) In [ the 1990-91 ] each school year[ and each year thereafter ], local school districts
8 maintaining high schools shall comply with the provisions of this section by of fering in grade
9 nine, ten, eleven, or twelve a course of instruction in the institutions, branches , and functions
10 of the government of the state of Missouri, including local governments, and of the
11 government of the United States, and in the electoral process. A local school district
12 maintaining [ such ] a high school shall require that prior to the completion of the twelfth grade
13 each pupil who receives a high school diploma or certificate of graduation [ on or after
14 January 1, 1994, ] shall satisfactorily complete such a course of study . Such course shall be of
15 at least [ one semester in length and may be two ] four semesters [ in ] or a substantially
16 equivalent length. The department of elementary and secondary education may provide
17 assistance in developing such a course if the district requests assistance.
EXPLANA TION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law . Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
18 (3) A school district may elect to waive the requirements of this subsection for any
19 student who transfers from outside the state to a Missouri high school if the student can
20 furnish documentation deemed acceptable by the school district of the student's successful
21 completion in any year from the ninth through the twelfth grade of a course of instruction of
22 four semesters or a substantially equivalent length in the institutions, branches, and
23 functions of state government, including local governments, and of the government of the
24 United States, and in the electoral process.
25 2. American history courses at the elementary and secondary levels shall include in
26 their proper time-line sequence specific referrals to the details and events of the racial
27 equality movement that have caused major changes in United States and Missouri laws and
28 attitudes.
29 3. No pupil shall receive a certificate of graduation from any public or private school
30 other than private trade schools unless he or she has satisfactorily passed an examination on
31 the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the United States and of the state of
32 Missouri, and in American history , American institutions, and American civics. A school
33 district may elect to waive the requirements of this subsection for any student who transfers
34 from outside the state to a Missouri high school if the student can furnish documentation
35 deemed acceptable by the school district of the student's successful completion in any year
36 from the ninth through the twelfth grade of a course of instruction in the institutions,
37 branches, and functions of state government, including local governments, and of the
38 government of the United States, and in the electoral process. A student of a college or
39 university , who, after having completed a course of instruction prescribed in this section and
40 successfully passed an examination on the United States Constitution, and in American
41 history and American institutions required hereby , transfers to another college or university , is
42 not required to complete another such course or pass another such examination as a condition
43 precedent to his graduation from the college or university .
44 4. [ In the 1990-91 school year and each year thereafter , ] Each school district
45 maintaining a high school may annually nominate to the state board of education a student
46 who has demonstrated knowledge of the principles of government and citizenship through
47 academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities, and service to the
48 community . Annually , the state board of education shall select fifteen students from those
49 nominated by the local school districts and shall recognize and award them for their academic
50 achievement, participation and service.
51 5. The provisions of this section shall not apply to students from foreign countries
52 who are enrolled in public or private high schools in Missouri, if such students are foreign
53 exchange students sponsored by a national or ganization recognized by the department of
54 elementary and secondary education.
HB 2209 2
170.345. 1. This section shall be known as the "Missouri Civics Education
2 Initiative".
3 2. Any student entering the ninth grade after July 1, 2017, who is attending any
4 public, charter , or private school, except private trade schools, as a condition of high school
5 graduation shall pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics.
6 3. The examination shall consist of one hundred questions similar to the one hundred
7 questions used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that are
8 administered to applicants for United States citizenship.
9 4. The examination required under this section [ may be included in any other
10 examination that is administered on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the
11 United States and of the state of Missouri, and in American history and American institutions,
12 as required in subsection 3 of section 170.01 1 ] shall be administered after a student has
13 completed four semesters or a substantially equivalent length rel ating to civics
14 education .
15 5. School districts may use any online test to comply with the provisions of this
16 section.
17 6. Each school district shall adopt a policy to permit the waiver of the requirements of
18 this section for any student with a disability if recommended by the student's IEP committee.
19 For purposes of this subsection, "IEP" means individualized education program.
✔
HB 2209 3