Bill > AB4

Introduced Session

Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, this bill requires school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program to include in their respective curricula instruction in civics that includes the following topics and pupil development goals: 1. An understanding of pupils’ shared rights and responsibilities as residents of this state and the United States and of the founding principles of the United States. 2. A sense of civic pride and desire to participate regularly with government at the local, state, and federal levels. 3. An understanding of the process for effectively advocating before governmental bodies and officials. 4. An understanding of the civic-minded expectations of an upright and desirable citizenry that recognizes and accepts responsibility for preserving and defending the benefits of liberty inherited from previous generations and secured by the U.S. Constitution. 5. Knowledge of other nations’ governing philosophies, including communism, socialism, and totalitarianism, and an understanding of how those philosophies compare with the philosophy and principles of freedom and representative democracy essential to the founding principles of the United States. The bill also requires school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program to annually report to the Department of Public Instruction regarding how they are meeting the civics instruction requirement created under the bill. DPI must then compile the information and submit it to the legislature. Finally, under current law, a school board may grant a high school diploma to a pupil only if the pupil meets specific statutory requirements, including earning a certain number of credits in various subjects in the high school grades and passing a civics test comprised of questions that are identical to those that are asked as part of the process of applying for U.S. citizenship. Currently, a pupil must earn at least three credits of social studies, including state and local government. The bill specifies that the social studies credits also must include one-half credit of civics instruction. This graduation requirement first applies to pupils who graduate in the 2030-31 school year. For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

Committee Categories

Elijah Behnke (R)*,  Barbara Dittrich (R)*,  Robert Donovan (R)*,  Cindi Duchow (R)*,  Rick Gundrum (R)*,  Dan Knodl (R)*,  Rob Kreibich (R)*,  Dave Murphy (R)*,  Amanda Nedweski (R)*,  Jerry O'Connor (R)*,  David Steffen (R)*,  Ron Tusler (R)*,  Robin Vos (R)*,  Chuck Wichgers (R)*,  Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R),  Dan Feyen (R),  Van Wanggaard (R), 

Read first time and referred to committee on Education (on 02/21/2025)

Official Document