Title 17. Education

Chapter 1. General School Law

Part III. Public Schools and School Children

Subpart D. Required Courses of Study

17:274.1     Civics and Free Enterprise; required; exceptions

A. Except as provided in Subparagraph (B)(1)(b) of this Section, all public high schools shall give instruction in Civics and Free Enterprise as a prerequisite to graduation. Instruction shall be given in accordance with the course of study prescribed by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as provided in this Section. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall prescribe suitable teaching materials for the instruction.

B. (1)(a) For students who enter the ninth grade on or after July 1, 2011, instruction in Civics shall be given for two semesters, equal to one unit of credit; such instruction shall include a section on Free Enterprise.

(b) For students who enter the ninth grade on or after July 1, 2014, Government, AP US Government and Politics: Comparative, or AP US Government and Politics: United States may be substituted for Civics as required by this Section and shall satisfy the Civics and Free Enterprise instruction as a prerequisite to graduation.

(2) Students who enter the ninth grade prior to July 1, 2011, shall be allowed to choose from the following:

(a) Instruction in Civics for two semesters, equal to one unit of credit, which shall include a section on Free Enterprise.

(b) Instruction in Civics and Free Enterprise in separate courses, and instruction shall be given in each course for one semester, equal to one-half unit of credit, respectively.

C. (1) The legislature finds that the study of Free Enterprise is crucial in the development of students as thoughtful, active citizens who understand the American economic system, appreciate democratic values, and can function productively in society. The legislature further finds it appropriate that the important principles of Free Enterprise be incorporated into the Civics curriculum as essential components of the way the nation and state operate. For the purposes of this Section,“Free Enterprise” means an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision rather than state control and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined in a free manner. Such instruction shall emphasize the positive values of profit and competition in a free economy and the enhancement of the worth and dignity of the individual under such a system.

(2) Free Enterprise instruction shall include coursework on personal finance, which shall include but not be limited to the following components:

(a) Income.

(b) Money management.

(c) Spending and credit.

(d) Savings and investing.

D. (1) The legislature, in recognition of the national Civics Education Initiative’s efforts to ensure that every citizen can, at a minimum, demonstrate the same knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the history, principles, and form of the United States government required of naturalized citizens, hereby provides for the Louisiana Civics Education Initiative.

(2)(a) Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year:

(i) The curriculum for Civics, and courses permitted to substitute for Civics, shall contain a unit of study that includes civics-related subject matter of which naturalized citizens are required to demonstrate a knowledge.

(ii) As a means to inform civics-related curricula and instruction, each student enrolled in Civics, or a course permitted to substitute for Civics, shall be administered a test based upon the civics portion of the naturalization test used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to survey his knowledge of the fundamentals of the history, principles, and form of the United States government.

(b) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Subsection.

Added by Acts 1976, No. 83, § 1. Amended by Acts 1984, No. 283, § 1; Acts 2010, No. 327, § 1; Acts 2014, No. 566, § 1; Acts 2015, No. 469, § 1, eff. July 1, 2015.