170.011. Courses in the constitutions, American history and Missouri government, required, penalty--waiver, when--student awards--requirements not applicable to foreign exchange students. - Missouri Statutes

Courses in the constitutions, American history and Missourigovernment, required, penalty--waiver, when--studentawards--requirements not applicable to foreign exchange students.

170.011. 1. Regular courses of instruction in the Constitution ofthe United States and of the state of Missouri and in American history andinstitutions shall be given in all public and private schools in the stateof Missouri, except privately operated trade schools, and shall begin notlater than the seventh grade and continue in high school to an extentdetermined by the state commissioner of education, and shall continue incollege and university courses to an extent determined by the statecommissioner of higher education. In the 1990-91 school year and each yearthereafter, local school districts maintaining high schools shall complywith the provisions of this section by offering in grade nine, ten, eleven,or twelve a course of instruction in the institutions, branches andfunctions of the government of the state of Missouri, including localgovernments, and of the government of the United States, and in theelectoral process. A local school district maintaining such a high schoolshall require that prior to the completion of the twelfth grade each pupilwho receives a high school diploma or certificate of graduation on or afterJanuary 1, 1994, shall satisfactorily complete such a course of study.Such course shall be of at least one semester in length and may be twosemesters in length. The department of elementary and secondary educationmay provide assistance in developing such a course if the district requestsassistance. A school district may elect to waive the requirements of thissubsection for any student who transfers from outside the state to aMissouri high school if the student can furnish documentation deemedacceptable by the school district of the student's successful completion inany year from the ninth through the twelfth grade of a course ofinstruction in the institutions, branches, and functions of stategovernment, including local governments, and of the government of theUnited States, and in the electoral process.

2. American history courses at the elementary and secondary levelsshall include in their proper time-line sequence specific referrals to thedetails and events of the racial equality movement that have caused majorchanges in United States and Missouri laws and attitudes.

3. No pupil shall receive a certificate of graduation from any publicor private school other than private trade schools unless he hassatisfactorily passed an examination on the provisions and principles ofthe Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, and inAmerican history and American institutions. A school district may elect towaive the requirements of this subsection for any student who transfersfrom outside the state to a Missouri high school if the student can furnishdocumentation deemed acceptable by the school district of the student'ssuccessful completion in any year from the ninth through the twelfth gradeof a course of instruction in the institutions, branches, and functions ofstate government, including local governments, and of the government of theUnited States, and in the electoral process. A student of a college oruniversity, who, after having completed a course of instruction prescribedin this section and successfully passed an examination on the United StatesConstitution, and in American history and American institutions requiredhereby, transfers to another college or university, is not required tocomplete another such course or pass another such examination as acondition precedent to his graduation from the college or university.

4. In the 1990-91 school year and each year thereafter, each schooldistrict maintaining a high school may annually nominate to the state boardof education a student who has demonstrated knowledge of the principles ofgovernment and citizenship through academic achievement, participation inextracurricular activities, and service to the community. Annually, thestate board of education shall select fifteen students from those nominatedby the local school districts and shall recognize and award them for theiracademic achievement, participation and service.

5. The provisions of this section shall not apply to students fromforeign countries who are enrolled in public or private high schools inMissouri, if such students are foreign exchange students sponsored by anational organization recognized by the department of elementary andsecondary education.

(L. 1963 p. 200 § 10-1, A.L. 1987 H.B. 39, A.L. 1989 S.B. 198, A.L. 1999 S.B. 163, A.L. 2008 H.B. 1678)

(Source: RSMo 1959 §§ 163.200, 163.210, 163.220, 163.230, 163.240)