Background
In 2017, the Florida Legislature amended section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, and introduced a new civic literacy requirement for all students graduating from a Florida public postsecondary institution.
Beginning in the fall of 2018, students entering a Florida public postsecondary institution for the first time would need to demonstrate civic literacy by either taking a specific course or passing an assessment. The 2021 Legislature amended section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, requiring students to complete both a course and an assessment. In 2024, the Board of Governors revised Regulation 8.006 to include the courses AMH X010 and AMS X010 to meet civic literacy competencies and to better align the regulation to the Florida Department of Education rule. As a result of these changes, four cohorts of students are currently matriculating through Florida public postsecondary institutions subject to varying civic literacy competency requirements. Table 1 outlines the civic literacy requirements based on the specified date of the academic term in which a student initially entered a State University System (SUS) or Florida College System (FCS) institution.
Fulfilling this civic literacy requirement will be essential for graduation from the University of Florida, and, because of increased attention needed for upper division studies, students are strongly encouraged to complete the requirement before the end of their second year. The transcript of every student who has met this requirement will include a notation that indicates the requirement has been met.
Courses taken prior to Fall 2018 do not satisfy the civic literacy requirement as those courses did not include the competencies required by statute until Fall 2018.
Civic Literacy Requirements by Cohort of Students and Requirement
It is the university’s discretion to determine academic year.
Cohort 1
Students initially entering the SUS or FCS before fall 2018 | Requirement: None
Cohort 2
Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Academic Year 2018 through Academic Year 2020 | Requirement: Course OR Assessment
Cohort 3
Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Academic Year 2021 through Academic Year 2023 | Requirement: Course OR Assessment
Cohort 4
Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Fall 2024 and thereafter | Requirement: Course OR Assessment
Additionally, for Cohorts 3 and 4, approved accelerated mechanisms may meet the course and/or assessment requirement, and students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE) in high school are exempt from the postsecondary assessment requirement.
Meeting the Civic Literacy Requirement
All undergraduate degree-seeking students who enroll in a Florida public institution in fall 2018 and thereafter must demonstrate civic literacy competency. Table 2 details which options meet the course and assessment requirements for each cohort of students. Some options only satisfy the course or assessment requirement, while others may satisfy both.
Credit received for courses in Board of Governors Regulation 8.006 (AMHX010, AMHX020, and POSX041) via credit-by-exam will count toward the course requirement.
- If the exam used as the basis of awarding credit is in Regulation 8.006 (e.g., AP and
CLEP), the student would be considered as having met both the civic literacy
competency course and the assessment requirement. - If the exam used as the basis of awarding credit is not in regulation (e.g., AICE and IB),
the student would be considered as having met only the course requirement. These
students would need to be assessed using an assessment approved in the regulation.
Beginning with fall term 2024 and thereafter, any undergraduate degree-seeking student, regardless of their cohort, can use any of the approved options for Cohort 4 to satisfy civic literacy competency before graduation.
Course and Assessment Options for Cohorts 2, 3, and 4
| Options | Score | Cohort 2 | Cohort 3 | Cohort 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courses and Accelerated Mechanisms | ||||
| POS X041 (including dual enrollment) | Grade of C or Better | Course | Course | Course |
| AMH X010 (including dual enrollment)1 | Grade of C or Better | Course1 | Course1 | Course1 |
| AMH X020 (including dual enrollment) | Grade of C or Better | Course | Course | Course |
| AMS X010 | Grade of C or Better | Course | Course | Course |
| Advanced Placement Government and Politics: United States | 3 | Course and Assessment | Course and Assessment | Course and Assessment |
| Advanced Placement United States History | 4 | Course and Assessment | Course and Assessment | Course and Assessment |
| Cambridge AICE History, U.S. History, c.1840-1990 (A Level) | A-E | Course | Course | Course |
| I.B. History: History of the Americas | 5-7 | Course | Course | Course |
| Assessments | ||||
| CLEP American Government2 | 50 | Course and Assessment | Course and Assessment | Course and Assessment |
| CLEP History of the United States 12 | 50 | Course and Assessment1 | Course and Assessment1 | Course and Assessment1 |
| CLEP History of the United States 22 | 50 | Course | Course | Course |
| U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Test-Civics (U.S. history and government) with supplemental questions | 60 | Assessment | Assessment | None |
| Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE) | 60 | Assessment | Assessment | Assessment |
- 1
If completed Fall 2024 or after
- 2
Students may take these CLEP exams after their first semester by exception to meet the Civic Literacy requirement
Up-to-date information on the Civic Literacy Requirement, including how to take the exam.
More Info
For more information about civic literacy and engagement: