Students attending South Dakota public universities may soon face a civics proficiency requirement to graduate.
Students will take three credits worth of civics education — either new classes created to meet the requirement or a general education class already in place that meets the standard. Students will not have to take more credits to graduate, said Shuree Mortenson, spokeswoman for the system.
“The student will be able to select from a list of courses that have been deemed as fulfilling that civics proficiency,” Mortenson said.
The South Dakota Board of Regents held its first reading of the general education policy change during its Thursday meeting at Black Hills State University in Spearfish. The policy will have its second reading in April and could become effective for new and transfer students in fall 2025, if approved.
“This requirement reflects our commitment to fostering informed and responsible citizens ready to meet the challenges of today’s society,” Executive Director Nathan Lukkes said in a news release.
The change comes amid a renewed focus on civics education in the state. The South Dakota Department of Education will implement controversial new social studies standards in 2025. The Legislature approved nearly $1 million this year to create a center for civic engagement at Black Hills State to help prepare civics programming and curriculum statewide.
House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, an advocate for more civics education, said he’s hopeful and enthusiastic about the regents’ change.
“The next generation in our universities will be leading our country one day,” he said. “Whatever major they have, they need to be able to take the reins of government.”
Civics proficiency will be defined as a student’s understanding of civic knowledge, values and skills, “enabling them to actively participate in civic life as informed and responsible citizens.”
The Board of Regents said key learning outcomes for the new requirement include:
- Civic knowledge: understanding the American political system, including foundational concepts such as the Constitutional framework, participatory democracy and the evolution of institutions.
- Civic values: articulating “core principles” of democracy, justice and equality, and applying them to modern and historic situations.
- Civic skills: communicating viewpoints on political issues, engaging in civil discourse and analyzing the impact of participation on democratic processes.
“The pendulum is moving in the right direction,” Odenbach said. “We’ll keep an eye on it. We’ll see if it’s enough.”
