Bill > HF2286

Introduced Session

This bill relates to education, including by modifying provisions related to the social studies curriculum, core curriculum, graduation requirements, area education agencies, and high school equivalency diplomas. The bill defines “action civics” as any assignment, project, or requirement that requires, encourages, incentivizes, or rewards students for engaging in political activism, lobbying, protest, community organizing, contacting elected officials to advocate for policy positions, or any other form of political advocacy, whether during or outside of school hours. The bill defines “inquiry-based learning” as instructional methods that replace or subordinate the transmission of factual content knowledge with student-generated questions, open-ended projects, subjective exploration, or processes in which students are expected to construct knowledge rather than learn established facts and interpretations. The bill defines “political indoctrination” as instruction that presents partisan viewpoints, contested ideological frameworks, or advocacy-based perspectives as established fact, mandatory belief, or the sole acceptable interpretation, or that penalizes students for expressing dissenting viewpoints on contested political or social questions. The bill defines “South Dakota social studies standards” as the South Dakota social studies standards, as adopted by the South Dakota board of education standards on April 17, 2023. The bill defines “state agency” as any executive, judicial, or legislative department, commission, board, institution, division, bureau, office, agency, or other entity of state government. The bill enacts new Code section 256.11C, which provides that the South Dakota social studies standards constitute the sole and exclusive social studies content standards for all kindergarten through grade 12 instruction in school districts and area education agencies in this state. New Code section 256.11C prohibits state agencies, boards, courts, and any other entity of this state from construing the reference to the South Dakota social studies standards dynamically. Any subsequent amendments, revisions, or modifications to the South Dakota social studies standards have no effect in this state unless and until expressly adopted by the general assembly. New Code section 256.11C provides that the draft social studies standards that the department of education adopted in 2025 are rejected and shall not be used for any instructional, assessment, accreditation, licensing, certification, professional development, or grantmaking. A state agency, court, school district, or area education agency shall not give any consideration to the draft social studies standards that the department of education adopted in 2025. New Code section 256.11C prohibits the department of education, the state board of education, and all other state agencies from revising or creating exceptions to the South Dakota social studies standards. New Code section 256.11C prohibits school districts and area education agencies from providing social studies instruction that includes action civics, inquiry-based learning, or political indoctrination unless expressly authorized by the general assembly. New Code section 256.11C establishes requirements related to state-mandated social studies assessments. New Code section 256.11C provides that the department of education’s role with respect to the South Dakota social studies standards is limited to certain specified ministerial functions. If the director of the department of education determines that a school district or area education agency is not in compliance with the bill’s provisions, new Code section 256.11C establishes enforcement provisions that involve written notices and the withholding of moneys. New Code section 256.11C prohibits school districts, area education agencies, and the department of education from adopting, requiring, recommending, or giving preferential treatment to any materials that effectively substitute for, dilute, or override the South Dakota social studies standards. New Code section 256.11C prohibits state agencies from conditioning any benefit on a school district’s or area education agency’s adoption of instructional approaches, curriculum materials, or assessment practices that are not required by the South Dakota social studies standards, and from entering into any agreement with any organization that would require or encourage school districts or area education agencies to comply with requirements other than the South Dakota social studies standards. New Code section 256.11C prohibits the board of educational examiners and the department of education from requiring, as a condition of initial licensure, license renewal, or endorsement, the completion of coursework or professional development in pedagogical approaches that are inconsistent with content-focused instruction or that promotes inquiry-based learning, action civics, or political indoctrination. New Code section 256.11C prohibits school districts and area education agencies from using any alternative social studies standards as a basis for evaluation, assessment, or instruction. New Code section 256.11C also prohibits the department of education from using any alternative social studies standards as a basis for accreditation. New Code section 256.11C establishes how courts are to interpret new Code section 256.11C and how courts are to interpret the department of education’s or state board of education’s interpretation of new Code section 256.11C. New Code section 256.11C also establishes severability provisions. New Code section 256.11C provides that any resident of this state shall have standing to bring a civil action in district court to enjoin violations of new Code section 256.11C. New Code section 256.11C applies to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. The bill authorizes a school district or area education agency to implement the provisions of new Code section 256.11C prior to the school year beginning July 1, 2026. The bill provides that a school district or area education agency shall not be penalized for actions taken in reliance on the draft social studies standards that the department of education adopted in 2025 if the school district or area education agency achieves full compliance by July 1, 2026. The bill requires that the Iowa Code include the South Dakota social studies standards. The bill makes conforming changes, including changes related to the core curriculum, graduation requirements, and high school equivalency diplomas. The bill takes effect upon enactment.

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Charley Thomson (R)*, 

Introduced, referred to Education. H.J. 211. (on 02/05/2026)

Official Document