HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3229        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 351

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act directing the Department of Education to include a course in civics as a high school graduation requirement.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1:  Section 2 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws is amended, in line 7, by inserting after “ … for the duties of citizenship.” The following:

The successful completion of a course in civics shall be mandated as a requirement for all students in order to receive their high school diploma. The department of education shall set guidelines for all school districts relative to the implementation of the civics course. At minimum, the course must educate students in the following criteria:

Composition of local, state, and federal government

Function of the branches of local, state, and federal government

Responsibilities and duties as an American citizen

Opportunities for voter participation

Exposure to current events and identification of government officials

SECTION 2: The department shall take all reasonable efforts to accomplish the establishment of necessary regulations by May 1, 2010, in order that the provisions of this act may be implemented in the following school year.