SB 723 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in high schools, further providing for courses of study.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

857 PRINTER'STHE NO.GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of No.

1039723 THE2017 GENERALINTRODUCED ASSEMBLYBY OFRAFFERTY, PENNSYLVANIADINNIMAN, SENATELANGERHOLC, BILLMARTIN, SessionFOLMER, AUMENT, SCARNATI, FONTANA, ARGALL, HUTCHINSON, WAGNER, McGARRIGLE, REGAN, ALLOWAY, McILHINNEY, SABATINA, SCAVELLO, WHITE, BLAKE, VULAKOVICH, BARTOLOTTA, EICHELBERGER AND RESCHENTHALER, MAY 19, 2017 REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MAY 19, 2017 AN ACT Amending the act of No.March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An act relating to the public school system, including certain schools;

723amending, 2017revising, INTRODUCEDconsolidating BYand RAFFERTY,changing DINNIMAN, LANGERHOLC, MARTIN, FOLMER, McGARRIGLE, REGAN, ALLOWAY, McILHINNEY, SABATINA, SCAVELLO, WHITE, BLAKE, VULAKOVICH, BARTOLOTTA, EICHELBERGER, RESCHENTHALER, BOSCOLA AND BROWNE, MAY 19, 2017 SENATOR EICHELBERGER, EDUCATION, AS AMENDED, JUNE 28, 2017 AN ACT Amending the actlaws of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An act relating tothereto," thein publichigh schoolschools, system,providing includingfor certaincivics provisionstest applicablegraduation asrequirement. well to private and parochial schools;

amending, revising, consolidating and changing the laws relating thereto," in high schools, providing for civics <-- test graduation requirement FURTHER PROVIDING FOR COURSES OF <-- STUDY.

The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known <-- as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a section to read:

(f) The department shall post on its publicly accessible Internet website links to the one hundred (100) question civics test used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration 20170SB0723PN103920170SB0723PN0857 - 2 - Services and any related resources offered by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

SECTION 1.

SECTION 1605 OF THE ACT OF MARCH 10, 1949 <-- (P.L.30, NO.14), KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949, IS AMENDED BY ADDING A SUBSECTION TO READ:

SECTION 1605.

COURSES OF STUDY.--* * * (D) BEGINNING WITH THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR, THE CURRICULUM FOR SOCIAL STUDIES UNDER SUBSECTION (A) AND COURSES ENUMERATED IN THAT SUBSECTION SHALL CONTAIN A UNIT OF STUDY THAT INCLUDES CIVICS-RELATED SUBJECT MATTER OF WHICH NATURALIZED CITIZENS ARE REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE A KNOWLEDGE.

THE FOLLOWING SHALL APPLY:

(1) AS A MEANS TO INFORM CIVICS-RELATED CURRICULA AND 20170SB0723PN1039 - 3 - INSTRUCTION, UNDER ANY OF THE ENUMERATED COURSES OF STUDY UNDER SUBSECTION (B), A TEST SHALL BE ADMINISTERED WHICH IS IDENTICAL TO THE CIVICS PORTION OF THE NATURALIZATION TEST USED BY THE UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES TO SURVEY A STUDENT'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE HISTORY, PRINCIPLES AND FORM OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

(2) THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBSECTION, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:

(I) REQUIRING THAT THE AGGREGATED RESULTS OF THE TEST FOR A PUBLIC, PRIVATE OR PAROCHIAL SCHOOL BE REPORTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO HELP INFORM THE OVERALL STATE APPROACH TO THE SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM;

(II) PROVIDING A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE AND THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITHIN FIVE YEARS AFTER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SUBSECTION TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF THE TEST ON THE SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM;

AND (III) DEVELOPING A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR THOSE STUDENTS SCORING ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (100%) ON THE TEST.

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