|
Section 380.11666 of the School Code requires all high school graduates to
take a ". . . 1-semester course of study of 5 periods per week in
civics which shall include the form and functions of the federal, state,
and local governments and shall stress the rights and responsibilities
of citizens." This course should be taken in any grade 9 - 12.
Students attending a 7 - 9 grade junior high school who take
government/civics in grade 9 may count the course as fulfilling the
state requirement.
Two items that local school districts should consider
are:
-
If government/civics is given in 9th grade in a
junior high school setting, some consideration for how this will
"show up" on the student's high school transcript should
be given as it is a course required by the state for graduation.
"Government" or "Civics" should appear in the
course title.
-
If the primary focus of a course is government,
some consideration should be given to using "government" or
"civics"
in the course title. This is a particularly useful distinction for
integrated social studies courses e.g. "Government and
Integrated Social Studies." If the course offering is
integrated and spans the entire year rather than the required
semester of government, the number of instructional units which
focus primarily on government should equate to five period per
week for one semester as described in the code.
380.1166 Constitutions and governments;
mandatory courses; commencement of instruction; exception. [M.S.A.
15.41166]
Sec.1166 (1) In all
public and nonpublic schools in this state regular courses of
instruction shall be given in the Constitution of the United States, in
the Constitution of Michigan, and in the history and present form of
government of the United States, Michigan, and its political
subdivisions. Instruction shall begin not later than the opening of the
eighth grade, or its equivalent, except in schools maintaining a junior
high school, in which case it may begin in the ninth grade.
(2) A high school in this state
which offers 12 grades shall require a 1-semester course of study of 5
periods per week in civics which shall include the form and functions of
the federal, state, and local governments and shall stress the rights
and responsibilities of citizens. A diploma shall not be issued by
a high school to a pupil who has not successfully completed this
course. This requirement shall not be applicable as a graduation
requirement for a high school pupil who has enlisted or been inducted
into military service.
HISTORY:
New 1976, p.1640, Act 451, Imd. Eff. Jan. 13, 1977.
Return
to top of page
|
