Strengthening Civics Education

The bill specifies information and issues that public schools must teach in providing courses on civil government. The bill directs the state board of education (state board) to review the state civics standards and update them as necessary to include the identified information and issues.

The bill creates the Colorado seal of civics excellence (seal) to recognize public schools and school districts that implement high-quality civics education programs. A public school may apply to the department of education (department) to receive the seal. The department shall review the applications, and the state board shall award a seal to those applicants that the department finds to have achieved specified criteria. If at least 90% of public schools within a school district receive a seal in a single school year, the state board shall award a seal to the school district. The school performance report for a public school or school district that receives a seal must state that fact and include information describing the criteria for obtaining a seal. The general assembly, by tribute, shall publicly recognize the public schools and school districts that are awarded seals. Each public school and school district is encouraged to partner with local service organizations to solicit donations to improve the quality of the civics education program that the public school or school district provides.

The bill authorizes a school district, charter school, or board of cooperative services that operates a public school (local education provider) to grant a diploma endorsement in civics literacy to a graduating high school student who meets specified requirements. A granting local education provider must provide information concerning the civics literacy diploma endorsement requirements to students and their parents.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)