Assigned to ED AS PASSED BY COW
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1425
high schools; graduation requirements
(NOW: instruction; schools; graduation requirements)
Purpose
Prohibits a school district or charter school from including in instruction a program,
material or activity relating to an initiative by journalists to reframe this county's history in a
racially divisive manner. Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to include, in the social
studies high school competency requirements, a course or courses on American government and
American history, including specified wars.
Background
The SBE must prescribe a minimum course of study, academic standards and competency
requirements for common schools and high schools. A school district governing board must:
1) prescribe curricula according to the SBE-prescribed minimum course of study and standards;
and 2) approve courses of study, units recommended for credit and instructional materials. High
school social studies academic standards must include American civics and a comparative
discussion of political ideologies as outlined and competency requirements must include receiving
a specified score on a test identical to the civics portion of the U.S. naturalization test (A.R.S.
§§ 15-701; 15-701.01; 15-721; and 15-722)
The SBE must work with specified entities to develop high school civic education
standards that include instruction on the founding documents and principles of the United States
and civic-minded expectations of an upright and desirable citizenry. All public schools must
provide at least one year of instruction on: 1) sources and history of the U.S. Constitution and
Arizona Constitution; 2) American institutions and ideals; and 3) Arizona history, including the
history of Native Americans in Arizona (A.R.S. §§ 15-710 and 15-718).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Prohibits a school district or charter school from including in its program of instruction any
courses or classes that include any educational program, curriculum, material or activity that
is derived from or associated with an initiative by journalists to reframe this county's history
in a racially divisive manner.
FACT SHEET
S.B. 1425
Page 2
2. Requires SBE to include, in the social studies competency requirements, that to graduate from
high school or obtain a high school equivalency diploma, a pupil must successfully complete
at least one year of instruction on:
a) American government, including the civics education meeting statutory requirements
relating to the United States' founding documents and principles, American institutions and
ideals, the Arizona Constitution, Arizona history and expectations of a citizenry; and
b) American history, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I and World
War II.
3. Specifies that, for the purposes of civic education instruction on the original intent of U.S.
founding documents and principles, source documents include the U.S. Constitution and
amendments to the Constitution, with emphasis on each of the 10 amendments that make up
the Bill of Rights and the arguments presented in the Federalist Papers.
4. Makes conforming changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Prohibits a school district or charter school from including, in its program of instruction,
courses or classes that include a program, curriculum, material or activity derived from or
associated with an initiative by journalists to reframe this county's history in a racially divisive
manner.
2. Requires high school social studies competency requirements to include at least one year of
the outlined instruction on American government and history, rather than a course or courses
providing the outlined instruction.
3. Makes conforming changes.
Senate Action
ED 2/15/23 DP 4-3-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 1, 2023
LB/slp