HB2700

THE CONTEXT: SBE must prescribe competency requirements for the graduation of students from high school that incorporate the academic standards in at least the areas of reading, writing, math, science and social studies. The SBE-prescribed high school social studies academic standards must include personal finance, American civics education and a comparative discussion of political ideologies that conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy that are essential to the founding principles of the U.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would specifies SBE must include geography in the high school social studies academic standards, includes, in the high school geography academic standards, instruction on the Gulf of America, and declares SBE is not required to include instruction on the Gulf of America in the academic standards until SBE next updates the social studies academic standards.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to make the government process for academic standards more definite and accountable. It would specifies SBE must include geography in the high school social studies academic standards, and would also includes, in the high school geography academic standards, instruction on the Gulf of America, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.