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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 2839
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE WEST .
5895H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o repeal section 170.01 1, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to
examination requirements for high school graduation.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 170.01 1, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu
2 thereof, to be known as section 170.01 1, to read as follows:
170.01 1. 1. Regular courses of instruction in the Constitution of the United States
2 and of the state of Missouri and in American history and institutions shall be given in all
3 public and private schools in the state of Missouri, except proprietary schools, and shall begin
4 not later than the seventh grade and continue in high school to an extent determined by the
5 state commissioner of education, and shall continue in college and university courses to an
6 extent determined by the state commissioner of higher education. In the 1990-91 school year
7 and each year thereafter , local school districts maintaining high schools shall comply with the
8 provisions of this section by of fering in grade nine, ten, eleven, or twelve a course of
9 instruction in the institutions, branches and functions of the government of the state of
10 Missouri, including local governments, and of the government of the United States, and in the
11 electoral process. A local school district maintaining such a high school shall require that
12 prior to the completion of the twelfth grade each pupil who receives a high school diploma or
13 certificate of graduation on or after January 1, 1994, shall satisfactorily complete such a
14 course of study . Such course shall be of at least one semester in length and may be two
15 semesters in length. The department of elementary and secondary education may provide
16 assistance in developing such a course if the district requests assistance. A school district
17 may elect to waive the requirements of this subsection for any student who transfers from
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 outside the state to a Missouri high school if the student can furnish documentation deemed
19 acceptable by the school district of the student's successful completion in any year from the
20 ninth through the twelfth grade of a course of instruction in the institutions, branches, and
21 functions of state government, including local governments, and of the government of the
22 United States, and in the electoral process.
23 2. American history courses at the elementary and secondary levels shall include in
24 their proper time-line sequence specific referrals to the details and events of the racial
25 equality movement that have caused major changes in United States and Missouri laws and
26 attitudes.
27 3. (1) No pupil shall receive a certificate of graduation from any public or private
28 school other than private trade schools unless he or she has satisfactorily passed [ an ] a
29 statewide standardized examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of
30 the United States and of the state of Missouri, and in American history , American institutions,
31 and American civics. The state board of education shall form a committee composed of
32 former teachers who have served in elective public office to develop such examination.
33 Such committee shall be staffed by the State Historical Society of Missouri. Upon the
34 appr oval of such examination by the state board of education, such examination shall be
35 the examination administered under this subsection.
36 (2) A school district may elect to waive the requirements of this subsection for any
37 student who transfers from outside the state to a Missouri high school if the student can
38 furnish documentation deemed acceptable by the school district of the student's successful
39 completion in any year from the ninth through the twelfth grade of a course of instruction in
40 the institutions, branches, and functions of state government, including local governments,
41 and of the government of the United States, and in the electoral process.
42 (3) A student of a college or university , who, after having completed a course of
43 instruction prescribed in this section and successfully passed an examination on the United
44 States Constitution, and in American history and American institutions required hereby ,
45 transfers to another college or university , is not required to complete another such course or
46 pass another such examination as a condition precedent to [ his ] such student's graduation
47 from the college or university .
48 4. In the 1990-91 school year and each year thereafter , each school district
49 maintaining a high school may annually nominate to the state board of education a student
50 who has demonstrated knowledge of the principles of government and citizenship through
51 academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities, and service to the
52 community . Annually , the state board of education shall select fifteen students from those
53 nominated by the local school districts and shall recognize and award them for their academic
54 achievement, participation and service.
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55 5. The provisions of this section shall not apply to students from foreign countries
56 who are enrolled in public or private high schools in Missouri, if such students are foreign
57 exchange students sponsored by a national or ganization recognized by the department of
58 elementary and secondary education.
✔
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