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Civics Education Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Douglas R. Welton
Senate Sponsor:
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LONG TITLE
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General Description:
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This bill amends certain graduation requirements.
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Highlighted Provisions:
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This bill:
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▸ adds a social studies graduation requirement;
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▸ requires certain social studies related instruction;
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▸ removes a testing requirement;
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▸ provides for alternatives to portions of certain graduation requirements; and
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▸ makes technical changes.
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Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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None
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Other Special Clauses:
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This bill provides a special effective date.
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Utah Code Sections Affected:
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AMENDS:
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53E-4-204, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapters 346, 527
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53E-4-205, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapter 114
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ENACTS:
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53E-4-205.2, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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REPEALS:
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53E-4-205.1, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2020, Third Special Session, Chapter 10
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Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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Section 1. Section 53E-4-204 is amended to read:
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53E-4-204 . Standards and graduation requirements.
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(1) The state board shall establish rigorous core standards for Utah public schools and
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graduation requirements under Section 53E-3-501 for grades 9 through 12 that:
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(a) are consistent with state law and federal regulations;
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(b) use competency-based standards and assessments;
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(c) include instruction that stresses general financial literacy from basic budgeting to
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financial investments, including bankruptcy education and a general financial literacy
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test-out option;[ and]
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(d) include graduation requirements in language arts, mathematics, and science that
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exceed:
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(i) 3.0 units in language arts including up to 0.5 units emphasizing verbal
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communication completed in a course or a school sponsored activity;
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(ii) 2.0 units in mathematics; and
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(iii) and 2.0 units in science[.] ; and
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(e) include a graduation requirement in social studies that is equal to or exceeds 3.5
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units, including Ĥ→ :
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(i) ←Ĥ at least 1.0 unit in American constitutional government and
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citizenship as described in Section 53E-4-205.2; Ĥ→ and
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(ii) the following courses that may satisfy the graduation requirement
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described in this Subsection (1)(e):
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(A) at least 0.5 units in Advanced Placement U.S. Government;
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(B) at least 0.5 units in Advanced Placement Comparative Government; and
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(C) a concurrent enrollment government course. ←Ĥ
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(f) ensure up to 0.5 units described in Subsection (1)(e) may be earned by:
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(i) completing a course or a school sponsored activity emphasizing verbal
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communication provided that a significant portion of the course or activity is
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dedicated to civic education, including:
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(A) policy analysis;
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(B) governmental systems; and
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(C) civic engagement; or
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(ii) participation in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps described in 10 U.S.C
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Sec. 2031.
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(2) The state board shall establish competency-based standards and assessments for elective
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courses.
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(3) The state board shall study requiring all LEAs to issue a high school diploma to students
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who receive:
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(a) an associate's degree with at least 60 credit hours from an accredited post-secondary
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institution; or
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(b) an industry certification with at least 500 hours of instruction from a business, trade
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association, or other industry group in accordance with Section 53E-3-501.
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Section 2. Section 53E-4-205 is amended to read:
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53E-4-205 . American civics education initiative for adult education.
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(1) As used in this section:
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(a) "Adult education program" means an organized educational program below the
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postsecondary level, other than a regular full-time K-12 secondary education
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program, provided by an LEA or nonprofit organization that provides the opportunity
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for an adult to further the adult's high school level education.
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(b) "Basic civics test" means a test that includes 50 of the questions on the civics test
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form used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services:
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(i) to determine that an individual applying for United States citizenship meets the
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basic citizenship skills specified in 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1423; and
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(ii) in accordance with 8 C.F.R. Sec. 312.2.
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(2)[(a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), the ] The state board shall require[:]
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[(i) a public school student who graduates on or after January 1, 2016, to pass a basic
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civics test as a condition for receiving a high school diploma; and]
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[(ii)] a student enrolled in an adult education program to pass a basic civics test as a
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condition for receiving an adult education secondary diploma.
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[(b) The state board may require a public school student to pass an alternate assessment
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instead of a basic civics test if the student qualifies for an alternate assessment, as
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defined in state board rule made in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
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Administrative Rulemaking Act.]
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(3) An individual who correctly answers a minimum of 35 out of the 50 questions on a
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basic civics test passes the test and an individual who correctly answers fewer than 35
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out of 50 questions on a basic civics test does not pass the test.
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(4) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
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state board shall make rules that:
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[(a) require an LEA that serves secondary students to administer a basic civics test or
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alternate assessment to a public school student enrolled in the LEA;]
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[(b)] (a) require an adult education program provider to administer a basic civics test to
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an individual who intends to receive an adult education secondary diploma; and
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[(c)] (b) allow an individual to take a basic civics test as many times as needed in order
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to pass the test[; and] .
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[(d) for the alternate assessment described in Subsection (2)(b), describe:]
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[(i) the content of an alternate assessment;]
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[(ii) how a public school student qualifies for an alternate assessment; and]
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[(iii) how an LEA determines if a student passes an alternate assessment.]
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Section 3. Section 53E-4-205.2 is enacted to read:
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53E-4-205.2 . American constitutional government and citizenship course
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standards.
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(1) Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, and as part of the social studies requirement
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established under Section 53E-4-204, the state board shall require instruction on
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American constitutional government and citizenship.
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(2) In accordance with Subsections (3) and (4), the state board shall create standards for the
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course required under Subsection (1) that:
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(a) examine American founding principles, including:
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(i) classical republicanism, natural rights, and colonial religious traditions; and
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(ii) the text and principles of the Declaration of Independence and relationship to the
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United States Constitution;
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(b) examine the text of the United States Constitution, including:
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(i) structure, powers, and limits of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches;
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and
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(ii) the principles and operation of federalism and the state constitutional tradition;
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(c) examine the development of the United States Constitution through amendments,
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including:
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(i) the creation and application of the Bill of Rights;
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(ii) the adoption and enforcement of the Civil War and Reconstruction Amendments;
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and
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(iii) the adoption and enforcement of the other voting rights amendments; and
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(d) examine the practice of self-government at the state and local level, including:
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(i) the Utah Constitution and local government, including counties, municipalities,
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and tribal governments;
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(ii) state and local elections, including the current candidate nomination and
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selection; and
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(iii) the responsibilities of citizenship and participation in civil society.
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(3) The course described in this part shall prioritize a close reading of the following primary
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source documents:
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(a) the Mayflower Compact;
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(b) the Declaration of Independence;
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(c) the Iroquois Constitution;
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(d) the United States Constitution;
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(e) George Washington's Farewell Address;
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(f) the Federalist and Antifederalist Papers;
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(g) speeches of Fredrick Douglass;
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(h) the Lincoln-Douglas Debates;
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(i) speeches of Abraham Lincoln;
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(j) the Seneca Falls Declaration;
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(k) the Letter from Birmingham Jail;
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(l) the Utah Constitution; and
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(m) other essential documents from American constitutional history.
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(4) The state board shall, in collaboration with the Civic Thought and Leadership Initiative
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within the Center for Constitutional Studies at Utah Valley University, develop
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standards that fulfill the requirements of this section.
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Section 4. Repealer.
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This bill repeals:
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Section 53E-4-205.1, Waiver of basic civics test graduation requirement.
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Section 5. Effective Date.
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This bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.
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