States Weigh How to Implement Public University Civics Courses

Over a dozen states now require undergraduates at public universities to study American history and government. Ohio's requirement applies to students entering this fall who are expected to graduate in 2030, while Iowa has adopted a two-course mandate starting in 2028. A South Carolina law is cited as a model because it sets required foundational texts but lets instructors decide how to teach and contextualize them.

Ohio's new requirement starts with students entering public universities this fall, with the first four-year graduating cohort expected in spring 2030. They must pass an approved three-credit course centered on the Constitution and foundational texts, though some equivalent courses may qualify for exemptions. Iowa has enacted a two-course mandate for undergraduates entering four-year programs at its three public universities beginning in 2028. South Carolina's 2021 REACH Act requires three credit hours in American history or government; students read the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Emancipation Proclamation fully, plus selected Federalist essays and documents from the African American freedom struggle.

That's 100? Let's count. "Ohio's new requirement starts with students entering public universities this fall, with the first four-year graduating cohort expected in spring 2030. They must pass an approved three-credit course centered on the Constitution and foundational texts, though some equivalent courses may qualify for exemptions. Iowa has enacted a two-course mandate for undergraduates entering four-year programs at its three public universities beginning in 2028. South Carolina's 2021 REACH Act requires three credit hours in American history or government; students read the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Emancipation Proclamation fully, plus selected Federalist essays and documents from the African American freedom struggle." Count: Ohi