Education, Higher

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on enforcement mechanisms or penalties for non-compliance.

Higher Education Civics Requirement

This bill requires Tennessee universities to develop and offer courses on American history and government for all students seeking a bachelor's degree.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Institute of American Civics to create course materials and curricula for a three-semester-hour course in American government or history that covers major events and turning points.
• Recommends each public university in Tennessee offer this course starting from the 2025-2026 academic year.
• Mandates students must complete this course before graduating with a bachelor's degree, unless they have taken an equivalent AP, IB, or dual credit course that includes the required materials and concludes with a final exam.
• Requires university governing boards to ensure compliance and submit annual reports on their progress.

Who It Names or Affects

• Public universities in Tennessee
• Students seeking a bachelor's degree from public institutions

Terms To Know

Baccalaureate Degree Program

A program leading to the award of an undergraduate bachelor's degree.

Governing Board

The group responsible for making decisions and setting policies at a public institution of higher education.

Limits and Unknowns

• It is unclear how this bill will be enforced or what penalties might apply to non-compliance.
• The specific additional document from the African-American freedom struggle that must be included in the course has not been specified.

Official Summary Text

This bill requires the institute of American civ
ics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to (i) develop materials and curricula for a baccalaureate degree program that meets the requirements of this bill and (ii) distribute the materials and curricula developed to each public institution of highe
r
education in this state. The curricula must be for a course of instruction that is three semester hours, or the equivalent, in American government or American history that provides a comprehensive overview of the major events and turning points of Ameri
c
an history and government. At a minimum, such curricula must include all of the following:



An understanding of the United States Constitution


An understanding of the Declaration of Independence


An understanding of a minimum of five essays from the Federalist Papers as selected by the course instructor


An understanding of the Emancipation Proclamation


An understanding of the Gettysburg Address


An understanding of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s letter from Birmingham jail


An understanding of at least one additional document that is foundational to the African-American freedom struggle

This bill requires each public institution of higher education that offers a baccalaureate degree program to offer a course of instruction that includes the curricula develope
d pursuant to this bill beginning no later than the 2025-2026 academic year. A public institution of higher education must ensure that the course of instruction includes the administration of a cumulative final examination at the conclusion of the course,
testing a student's proficiency on the documents described above.

REQUIRED SEMESTER HOURS AT UNIVERSITY
–
EXEMPTION

Beginning with the entering freshmen in the 2025-2026 academic year, this bill generally requires each student of a public institution o
f higher education to complete at least three semester hours, or the equivalent, of a course of instruction that is offered pursuant to this bill prior to the student obtaining a baccalaureate degree from the institution. However, a student who completes

at least three semester hours, or the equivalent, in an advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or dual credit course for which the instruction includes the requirements of this bill and the course included the administration of a cumulative fina
l
examination at the conclusion of the course, testing a student's proficiency on the documents described above, satisfies the requirements of this bill.

This bill requires each governing board of a public institution of higher education to ensure that th
e requirements of this bill are incorporated into the degree requirements of all baccalaureate degree programs offered by the institution in a manner that does not (i) add to the total amount of credit hours for any degree or (ii) conflict with any school

accreditation process.

COMPLIANCE REPORTING

This bill requires each governing board of a public institution of higher education to ensure that the institution under the governing board's jurisdiction is in compliance with this bill. Each governing board must annually submit a report to legislative

committees that provides proof of the institution's compliance or incompliance with this bill.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1077
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 291
By Gant

HB0291
001793
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
Chapter 7; Title 49, Chapter 8 and Title 49,
Chapter 9, relative to higher education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) The institute of American civics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
shall develop materials and curricula for a baccalaureate degree program that meets the
requirements of this subsection (a) and distribute the materials and curricula developed
to each public institution of higher education in this state. The curricula must be for a
course of instruction that is three (3) semester hours, or the equivalent, in American
government or American history that provides a comprehensive overview of the major
events and turning points of American history and government and, at a minimum,
includes:·
(1) An understanding of the United States Constitution;
(2) An understanding of the Declaration of Independence;
(3) An understanding of a minimum of five (5) essays from the Federalist
Papers as selected by the course instructor;
(4) An understanding of the Emancipation Proclamation;
(5) An understanding of the Gettysburg Address;
(6) An understanding of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s letter from
Birmingham jail; and

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(7) An understanding of at least one (1) additional document that is
foundational to the African-American freedom struggle.
(b) Each public institution of higher education that offers a baccalaureate degree
program shall offer a course of instruction that includes the curricula developed pursuant
to subsection (a) beginning no later than the 2025-2026 academic year. A public
institution of higher education shall ensure that the course of instruction includes the
administration of a cumulative final examination at the conclusion of the course, testing a
student's proficiency on the documents described in subdivisions (a)(1)-(7).
(c)
(1) Beginning with the entering freshmen in the 2025-2026 academic
year, each student of a public institution of higher education shall complete at
least three (3) semester hours, or the equivalent, of a course of instruction that is
offered pursuant to subsection (b) prior to the student obtaining a baccalaureate
degree from a public institution of higher education, except as provided in
subdivision (c)(2).
(2) A student who completes at least three (3) semester hours, or the
equivalent, in an advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or dual credit
course for which the instruction includes the requirements of subdivisions (a)(1)-
(7) and the course included the administration of a cumulative final examination
at the conclusion of the course, testing a student's proficiency on the documents
described in subdivisions (a)(1)-(7), satisfies the requirements of subdivision
(c)(1).
(d) Each governing board of a public institution of higher education shall ensure
that the requirements of this section are incorporated into the degree requirements of all

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baccalaureate degree programs offered by the public institution of higher education in a
manner that does not:
(1) Add to the total amount of credit hours for any degree; or
(2) Conflict with any school accreditation process.
(e) Each governing board of a public institution of higher education shall ensure
that the public institution of higher education under the governing board's jurisdiction is in
compliance with this section. Each governing board shall annually submit a report to the
chair of the education committee of the senate, the chair of the finance, ways and means
committee of the senate, the chair of the committee of the house of representatives
having jurisdiction over higher education, and the chair of the committee of the house of
representatives having jurisdiction over finance that provides proof of the public
institution's compliance or incompliance with this section.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.