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FCLE

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 needed to demonstrate civic literacy by either taking a specific course or passing an assessment. The 2021 Legislature amended section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, and required students to complete both a course and an assessment from the approved list in Regulation 8.006. During 2024, the Board of Governors revised Regulation 8.006 to better align with the corresponding State Board of Education rule and recognize two new courses meeting the Civic Literacy requirement, AMH 2010 and AMS 2010. 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 below 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.

Table 1: Civic Literacy Requirements by Cohort of Students
Students Included in CohortCivic Literacy Requirement
Cohort 1
Students initially entering the SUS or FCS before fall 2018		None
Cohort 2
Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Academic Year 2018 through Academic Year 2020*		Course OR Assessment
Cohort 3
Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Academic Year 2021 through Academic Year 2023*		Course AND Assessment
Cohort 4
Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in fall 2024 and thereafter		Course AND Assessment

*It is the university’s discretion to determine the academic year.

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
OptionsScoreCohort 2Cohort 3Cohort 4
Courses & Accelerated Mechanisms
POS X041 (including dual enrollment)Passing gradeCourseCourseCourse
AMH X010 (including dual enrollment)*Passing gradeCourse*Course*Course*
AMH X020 (including dual enrollment)Passing gradeCourseCourseCourse
AMH X010 (including dual enrollment)**Passing gradeCourse**Course**Course**
Advanced Placement Government and Politics: United States3Course & AssessmentCourse & AssessmentCourse & Assessment
Advanced Placement United States History4Course & AssessmentCourse & AssessmentCourse & Assessment
Cambridge AICE History, U.S. History, c.1840-1990 (A-Level)A-ECourseCourseCourse
I.B. History: History of the Americas5-7CourseCourseCourse
Assessments
CLEP American Government50Course & AssessmentCourse & AssessmentCourse & Assessment
CLEP History of the United States I50Course & AssessmentCourse & AssessmentCourse & Assessment
CLEP History of the United States II50CourseCourseCourse
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Test-Civics (U.S. history and government) with supplemental questions60AssessmentAssessmentNone
Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE)60AssessmentAssessmentAssessment

*If completed fall 2024 or after

**If completed spring 2025 or after

 

Click here to learn more about the state of Florida's Civic Literacy Competency Graduation Requirements.

 

About the FCLE


The FCLE assesses students' civic literacy competency. The four domains and their competency areas include:

  • Understanding of the basic principles and practices of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government.
  • An understanding of the United States Constitution and its application.
  • Knowledge of the founding documents and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-government.
  • An understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases, landmark legislation, and landmark executive actions and their impact on law and society.