South Carolina H 3547: Latta High School Academic Challenge Team

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3547 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3547

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
59-29-235 SO AS TO PROVIDE ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE ONE UNIT OF 
CIVICS EDUCATION THAT MUST INCLUDE CERTAIN INSTRUCTIONAL AND EXPERIENTIAL 
COMPONENTS AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION, AND TO ESTABLISH THE PALMETTO MIDDLE 
SCHOOL CIVICS CHALLENGE TO ENABLE ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO SHOWCASE THEIR 
STUDENT-LED CIVICS PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE AND DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF 
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CITIZENSHIP, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, TO REQUIRE THE STATE 
BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT RELATED CURRICULUM BEFORE THE 2027-2028 SCHOOL 
YEAR, AND TO MAKE THESE PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO STUDENTS WHO BEGIN MIDDLE 
SCHOOL IN THE 2027-2028 SCHOOL YEAR.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 29, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
59-29-235. (A) Beginning with the 
2027-2028 School Year, all:

 (1) 
middle school students must complete one unit of civics education that must 
include instructional and experiential components as provided in this section; 
and

 (2) 
each middle school must offer such civics education coursework for each grade 
level. 

 (B) 
As used in this section, "civics education" means instruction in the knowledge, 
skills, and virtues needed for competent citizenship in a democracy.

 (C) 
The instructional component of civics education required in subsection (A) 
must:

 (1) 
impart the knowledge needed for citizens' informed participation in their 
democracy, including:

 (a) 
basic knowledge of history, economics, geography, and government or political 
science;

 (b) 
core concepts of democracy, the Constitution and institutions of democracy, and 
public issues past and present pertaining to the practice of democracy;

 (2) 
develop the intellectual and practical skills that enable citizens to use 
knowledge effectively as they act individually and collectively in the public 
life of their democracy, including:

 (a) 
the capacities of citizens to read, write, and speak effectively, to think 
critically, and to make and defend sound judgments about public issues; and

 (b) 
skills of thinking and participating, in combination with civic knowledge, 
which enable citizens with common interests to 
influence the decisions of their representatives in government;

 (3) 
encourage the virtues that dispose citizens positively to the ideals and 
principles of their democracy, such as civility, honesty, charity, compassion, 
courage, loyalty, patriotism, and self-restraint. These character traits prompt 
citizens to contribute to the well-being of their community and democracy.

 (D) 
The curriculum for the instructional component required in subsection (C) must 
include meaningful use of the American Democracy Game offered by the Center for 
Legislative Strengthening of National Conference of State Legislators or 
another similar online, interactive game that enables the user to develop an 
understanding of the work of a lawmaker including dealing with public policy 
issues, discovering the interests of each side of a public policy issue, and 
learning how negotiation and compromise can lead to a positive outcome. The 
department shall develop guidelines on the effective use of this interactive, 
online resource so that it will enhance the learning experience of the student 
and achieve the objectives of this subsection.

 (E)(1) The experiential component of 
civics education required in subsection (A) must require each public middle 
school to provide no less than one student-led, nonpartisan civics project for 
each student, and such projects may be individual, small group or class wide, 
and designed to promote a student's ability to:

 (a) 
analyze complex issues;

 (b) 
consider differing points of view;

 (c) 
reason, make logical arguments and support claims using valid evidence;

 (d) 
engage in civil discourse with those who hold opposing positions; and

 (e) 
demonstrate an understanding of the connections between federal, state, and 
local policies, and include issues that may impact the student's school or 
community.

 (2) 
Any student choosing not to participate in a particular group or class wide 
project must be offered the opportunity to develop an individual civics 
project, with approval by the teacher or principal.

 (F) 
Subject to appropriations, the Palmetto Civics Challenge is established in the 
State Department of Education. The department shall establish guidelines for 
implementation. The challenge must be available to all middle school students 
to showcase their student-led civics projects that promote