Bill > H2016

This bill aims to promote and enhance civic engagement for public school students in Massachusetts. It introduces several key provisions: 1. Requires all public elementary and high schools to teach American history, civics, and the U.S. and Massachusetts constitutions, with a focus on promoting civic service and citizenship. 2. Establishes the Civics Project Fund, which will be used by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to provide resources, professional development, and support for curriculum development related to civic education. 3. Mandates that all Massachusetts public school students complete at least two student-led civics projects, integrated into existing course curricula, to promote applied learning of civics content and community engagement. 4. Directs DESE to establish regional civics councils, which will include student representatives, to monitor implementation of civic education and provide recommendations. 5. Creates the Edward M. Kennedy Civics Challenge, a statewide competition for 8th-grade students based on the U.S. citizenship test, with a top-scoring student symposium. 6. Establishes the High School Voter Challenge, where public high schools will designate student voter outreach coordinators to facilitate voter registration drives during designated periods.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H2016