This article was originally published in South Dakota Searchligh.
Students attending South Dakota’s public universities may soon face a civics requirement to graduate.
Students will take three credits of citizenship education – either new classes created to meet the requirement or a pre-existing general education class that meets the standard. Students will not need to take more credits to graduate, said Shuree Mortenson, a spokeswoman for the system.
“The student will be able to choose from a list of courses that are considered to meet that civics skill,” Mortenson said.
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The South Dakota Board of Regents gave its first reading of the general education policy change during its meeting Thursday at Black Hills State University in Spearfish. The policy will receive a second reading in April and, if approved, could go into effect for new and transferring students in the fall of 2025.
“This requirement reflects our commitment to fostering informed and responsible citizens ready to take on the challenges of today’s society,” Executive Director Nathan Lukkes said in a press release.
The change comes amid a renewed focus on citizenship education in the state. The South Dakota Department of Education will implement controversial new social studies standards in 2025. The Legislature this year approved nearly $1 million to create a civic engagement center at Black Hills State to help prepare statewide civic programs and curriculum.
Majority Leader Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, an advocate for more civic education, said he is hopeful and excited about the regents’ change.
“The next generation in our universities will one day lead our country,” he said. “Whatever major they have, they should be able to take the reins of government.”
Civic literacy will be defined as a student’s understanding of civic knowledge, values and skills, “enabling him/her to participate actively in civic life as informed and responsible citizens.”
The Board of Regents said key learning outcomes for the new requirement include:
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Civic Knowledge: Understanding the American political system, including fundamental concepts such as the constitutional framework, participatory democracy, and the evolution of institutions.
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Citizen values: formulating ‘core principles’ of democracy, justice and equality, and applying them to modern and historical situations.
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Civic skills: communicating positions on political issues, participating in civil debate and analyzing the impact of participation on democratic processes.
“The pendulum is moving in the right direction,” Odenbach said. “We will keep an eye on it. We’ll see if it’s enough.”
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