SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1068        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 248

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Eileen M. Donoghue

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act promoting civics education.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Eileen M. Donoghue

First Middlesex

 

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/31/2017

Rady Mom

18th Middlesex

2/1/2017

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

2/1/2017

Jeffrey N. Roy

10th Norfolk

2/2/2017

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

2/2/2017

Sheila C. Harrington

1st Middlesex

2/3/2017

Eric P. Lesser

First Hampden and Hampshire

2/3/2017

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

2/14/2017


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1068        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 248

By Ms. Donoghue, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 248) of Eileen M. Donoghue, Kay Khan, Rady Mom, Mary S. Keefe and other members of the General Court for legislation to promote civics education.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act promoting civics education.

 

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, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph:-

The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop one or more civic education model curriculum units to align with the history and social science curriculum framework and shall include, but not be limited to, the following topics: (i) the function and composition of the branches of local, state and federal government; (ii) the roles and responsibilities of a citizen in a democracy; (iii) current events and evaluating news sources; and (iv) community-based action and service learning projects. The model curriculum unit or units shall include an experiential or practical unit, which may be offered as an extra-curricular or out-of-school activity. The model curriculum unit or units shall be developed not later than July 1, 2018. The department shall develop an evaluation process to assess the curriculum, pedagogy and teaching materials during the piloting of a course, unit, or program established through a civic education model curriculum unit. All public school districts shall implement the civic education model curriculum unit or units by no later than the 2019-2020 academic year.