Postsecondary Civic Literacy

The 2017 Florida Legislature amended Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, to require students initially entering a Florida College System or State University System Institution in 2018-19 and thereafter to complete a course or an assessment to demonstrate competency in civic literacy. The amendment also requires the Chairs of the State Board of Education and Board of Governors to appoint a faculty committee to develop a new civic literacy course or revise an existing U.S. History or U.S. Government course to include the civic literacy content. The committee would also establish course competencies and identify outcomes that include, at minimum, the following:

• An understanding of the basic principles of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government.
• An understanding of the U.S. Constitution.
• Knowledge of the founding documents and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-governance.
• An understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases and their impact on law and society.

In 2021, the Florida Legislature amended Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, to require students initially entering a Florida College System or State University System institution in 2021-22 and thereafter to complete a course and an assessment to demonstrate competency in civic literacy.

The amendment also adds a requirement that high school students taking U.S. Government must take a civic literacy assessment and that high school students who pass the civic literacy assessment will be exempt from the civic literacy competency assessment requirement upon matriculating to postsecondary.

Additionally, the amendment specifies that credits earned through authorized acceleration mechanisms in s. 1007.27, F.S., will count toward the civic literacy competency requirement.

Florida Statute on Civic Literacy Competency

• 1007.25 General Education courses; common prerequisites; other degree requirements

State Board of Education Rule on Civic Literacy Competency

• Rule 6A-10.02413, Florida Administrative Code (effective October, 20 2021)

Resource Materials

• DFC Memorandum 2021-12: Civic Literacy Competency Rule Approval (PDF)
• DFC Memorandum 2022-05: Civic Literacy Competency Rule Amendment Approval (PDF)
• Civic Literacy FAQs (PDF)
• Rule Development Workshop Materials 
  • Civic Literacy Competency Rule Development Workshop Recording (2021-08-16)
  • Civic Literacy Competency Rule Implementation Technical Assistance Webinar Recording (2021-12-01)
  • Civic Literacy Competency Rule Development Workshop Recording (2022-01-14)
• Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) Webpage
• Board of Governors Regulation 8.006, Civic Literacy

Archived Materials

• Faculty Committee Membership (PDF)
• Faculty Committee Recommendations (PDF)
• October 27, 2017 Meeting Notes (PDF)
• October 20, 2017 Meeting Notes (PDF)
• October 11, 2017 Meeting Notes (PDF)
• Civics Literacy Project Work Group Meeting Agenda (PDF)
• Excerpt from Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes related to Civics Literacy (PDF)
• The Education Commission of the States: Civics Education
• State Civic Education Policy from Education Commission of the States, December 2017

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