The state of Civics
Education in Florida
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2010 NAEP (National Assessment of Educational
Progress)
26,600 students tested
Students who scored proficient:
 4th grade – 27%
 8th grade – 22%
 12th grade – 24%
Only 50% of 8th grade students could explain the
purpose of the Bill of Rights
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A. U.S. Constitution
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B. Declaration of Independence
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C. Gettysburg Address
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D. The speech "I Have a Dream"
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A. Bureaucratic, military, industry
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B. Executive, legislative, military
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C. Federal, state, local

D. Executive, legislative, judicial
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A. Was ruled undemocratic by the Supreme Court
B. Is a constitutionally mandated assembly that
elects the president
C. Is otherwise known as the U.S. Congress
D. Was established to supervise the first televised
presidential debates
E. Trains those aspiring for higher political office
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C. Gettysburg Address

D. Executive, legislative, judicial

B. Is a constitutionally mandated
assembly that elects the president
Passed by the Florida
Legislature to improve civics
education in Florida public
schools
 Went into effect on July 1, 2011
 Affects students grades K-12
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Require the reading portion of the
language arts curriculum within the
Sunshine State Standards to include
civics education content for all grade
levels.
Require the successful completion of at
least a one-semester civics education
course in order to be promoted from
middle school.
Implementation schedule
2011 – 2012 - The reading portion of the
language arts curriculum must include civics
education content grades K-12
2012 – 2013 - Students entering grade 6 must
achieve successful completion of at least a onesemester civics education course in the middle
grades. (Current 5th grade)
The Civics End of Course (EOC) Assessment
must be administered as a field test at the middle
school level.
2013 – 2014 - A student’s performance on the
Civics EOC Assessment must constitute 30 percent
of the student’s final course grade. (Current 5th
grade)
Baseline data will be collected to establish a
minimum passing score on the Civics EOC
Assessment.
2014 – 2015 - A student must earn a passing score
on the Civics EOC Assessment in order to pass the
course and be eligible for promotion from
middle school. (Current 4th grade)
The Civics EOC Assessment will become part of
school grading.
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Alignment of Civics and Language Arts/
Reading standards for grades K – 12.
Adopting new instructional materials
aligned with the Next Generation Sunshine
State Standards (NGSSS) and the Civics End
of Course (EOC) assessment.
Developing curriculum guides for Social
Studies courses.
Providing professional development for
teachers.
“ The better educated our
citizens are, the better
equipped they will be to
preserve the system of
government we have.“
Sandra Day O’Connor