Civic Literacy Requirement
The State of Florida requires that all students graduating from Seminole State College of Florida and other institutions in the Florida College System (FCS), as well as from any State University System (SUS) institution, fulfill a Civic Literacy Competency requirement prior to submitting an Intent to Graduate form in the term they plan to graduate.
Beginning in Fall 2018, students entering a Florida public institution as an Associate in Arts (A.A.) and Baccalaureate (B.S. & B.A.S) degree-seeking First-Time-In-College (FTIC) student needed to demonstrate civic literacy through either taking a certain course or passing an assessment.
The 2021 Florida Legislature amended the statute and now requires students initially entering a Florida public institution as an Associate in Arts (A.A.) and Baccalaureate (B.S. & B.A.S) degree seeking student to complete both a civic literacy course and assessment.
The 2022 Florida Legislature amended the statute and now requires students initially entering a Florida public institution as an Associate in Science (A.S.) and Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S) degree seeking student to complete both a civic literacy course and assessment.
Thus, there are three cohorts of students currently matriculated at Florida public institutions subject to varying requirements. As shown in Table 1, the exact civic literacy requirements are based on the academic term in which a student first enrolled in a Florida public institution.
Dual Enrollment students who began taking courses in the Florida College System or Florida State University System Fall 2018 and thereafter, must satisfy the Civic Literacy requirement prior to the award of an Associate in Arts or Baccalaureate degree.
Table 1: Civic Literacy Requirements by Cohorts of Students
Students included in Cohort
|
| Civic Literacy Competency Requirement
|
|---|
Cohort 1
| Degree-seeking students (A.A., B.S., and B.A.S) first entering the FCS or SUS prior to Fall 2018
| None
|
Cohort 2
| Degree-seeking (A.A., B.S., and B.A.S) first time in college students initially entering the FCS or SUS in Fall 2018-Summer 2021
| Complete a course or assessment
*See table 2 below for available course/assessment options
|
Cohort 3
| Degree-seeking students (A.A., B.S., and B.A.S) initially entering the FCS or SUS in Fall 2021 and thereafter
| Complete both a course and assessment
*See table 2 below for available course/assessment options
|
Degree-seeking students (AS., A.A.S) initially entering the FCS or SUS in Fall 2022 and thereafter
|
*There are two exceptions for Cohort 3 students only. High school students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam in high school, which will be in place beginning Fall 2021, are exempt from the post-secondary exam requirement. They are still required, however, to take the course. Also, certain accelerated mechanisms meet the course requirement (see Table 2)
Table 2: Current Options for Cohorts 2 & 3
| Available Options to Satisfy Civic Literacy Requirements | Minimum Grade/Score | Meets Course Requirement | Meets Assessment Requirement |
|---|
Courses
|
POS 2041/H
| D
| X
|
|
AMH 2020/H
| D
| X
|
|
Accelerated Mechanisms
|
*Advanced Placement (AP)
Government and Politics: United States
| 3
| X
| X
|
*Advanced Placement (AP)
United States History
| 4
| X
| X
|
*Cambridge AICE:
US History, c.1840-1990 (A-Level)?
| A-E | X |
|
*CLEP
American Government
| 50
| X
| X
|
*International Baccalaureate (IB):
History (HL): History of the Americas?
| 5-7 | X |
|
Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE) **
| 60% (48/80)
|
| X
Cohort 3 Only
|
*Alternative ways to earn college credit: https://www.seminolestate.edu/catalog/student-info/alternative-credit/alternative-credit
**Students are encouraged to take the Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE) while they are currently enrolled in AMH 2020, or POS 2041, or upon recent completion of these courses.
Students who wish to meet the Assessment requirement with the Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE) must schedule an appointment to complete the FCLE with the Assessment and Testing Center. Appointments are available year-round using the FCLE appointment page.
