Civic Literacy Requirement

The State of Florida requires that all students graduating from Florida Atlantic University and other institutions in the State University System (SUS), as well as from any Florida College System (FCS) institution, fulfill a Civic Literacy Competency requirement. Beginning in Fall 2018, students entering a Florida public institution as a degree-seeking student for the first time need to demonstrate civic literacy through either taking a certain course or passing an exam. The 2021 Florida Legislature amended the statute and now requires students to complete both a civic literacy course and exam. The 2024 Florida Legislature have now added the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) as the only examination for students entering Fall Term 2024 and thereafter. Thus, there are four cohorts of students currently matriculated at Florida public institutions subject to varying requirements. As shown in Table 1, the exact civic literacy requirements are based on the academic term in which a student first enrolled in a Florida public institution.

Table 1: Civic Literacy Requirements by Cohorts of Students

Students Included in Cohort

Civic Literacy Competency Requirement

Cohort 1

Degree-seeking student initially entering the SUS or FCS before Fall 2018

None

Cohort 2

Degree-seeking students first entering the SUS or FCS in Fall 2018 - Summers (1 & 2) 2021

Complete a course  or  exam*

Cohort 3

Degree-seeking students first entering the SUS or FCS in Summer 3 2021 - Summers (1 & 2) 2024

Complete  both  a course  and  exam*

Cohort 4

Degree-seeking students first entering the SUS or FCS in Summer 3 2024 and thereafter

Complete both a course and FCLE exam
*There are two exceptions for Cohort 2, 3, and 4 students only. High school students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) in high school are exempt from the postsecondary exam requirement. They are still required, however, to take the course. Also, certain accelerated mechanisms meet the course requirement (see Table 2).

Table 2: Current Options for Cohorts 2, 3, & 4

Options

Score

Cohort 2

Cohort 3

Cohort 4

Courses & Accelerated Mechanisms

POS 2041 if taken after Fall 2018 (including dual enrollment if taken after fall 2018)

Passing Grade

Course

Course

Course

AMH 2010 (including dual enrollment)**

Passing Grade

Course**

Course**

Course**

AMH 2020 if taken after Fall 2018 (including dual enrollment if taken after fall 2018)

Passing Grade

Course

Course

Course

Advanced Placement Government and Politics: United States Exam

3

 Course & Assessment

Course & Assessment

Course & Assessment

Advanced Placement United States History Exam

4

Course & Assessment

Course & Assessment

Course & Assessment

Cambridge AICE History, US History, c. 1840-1990 (A-Level)

A - E

 Course

Course

Course

IB History: History of the Americas

5 - 7

Course

Course

Course

Additional Assessments

CLEP American Government

50

Course & Assessment

Course & Assessment

Course & Assessment

CLEP History of the U.S. I

50

Course & Assessment**

Course & Assessment**

Course & Assessment**

CLEP History of the U.S. II

50

Course

Course

Course

SUS Civic Literacy Test - Civics (U.S. history and government) with supplemental questions ***

60 out of 100

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment

Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE) 

48 out of 80

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment

**If completed Fall 2024 and after

***A FREE Canvas course with FCLE Study Materials is available to help you prepare for the FCLE- For more information on these FREE resources, visit /class/civicliteracy.php.

For any questions, please contact your academic advisor.

Schedule Your Test

For students who enrolled in the SUS or FCS before the summer/fall of 2024

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For students who enrolled in the SUS or FCS in the summer/fall of 2024 and afterward

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Civic Literacy FAQs

SUS Students Subject to the Requirement

Out-of-state students transferring to an SUS institution during the 2021-22 academic year or thereafter, who have never previously enrolled in a public Florida institution (SUS or FCS), must meet the new civic literacy requirement, which includes both a course and an exam. For in-state students or students who have been previously enrolled in a Florida public institution and are transferring back to a System institution, the institution should refer to Table 1 in this document to determine their cohort and civic literacy requirements.

No, because the initial enrollment in a Florida public institution (SUS or FCS) was prior to Fall 2018.

Enrollment in a Florida public institution (SUS or FCS) prior to graduating from high school does not exempt a student from having to meet the civic literacy requirement. These students would still be considered FTIC upon their enrollment in a Florida public institution (SUS or FCS).

Transcripts will have Yes/No/Exempt indicators to show whether the civic literacy requirement has been satisfied.

Students awarded an associate or baccalaureate degree by a state institution who initially entered prior to Fall 2018 are required to meet civic literacy requirements should they return to seek an additional undergraduate degree if they did not meet the requirement as part of their initial degree. For students who enroll for the first time in Fall 2018 and thereafter, refer to Table 1 in this document to determine their cohort and civic literacy requirements.

Beginning in Fall 2021, Florida high school students who take the United States Government course must take the FCLE. If they pass, these students are exempt from the postsecondary exam requirement.

The high school transcripts will be updated to reflect if the student passed the civic literacy assessment.

Students who enrolled before Summer/Fall 2024 can choose to take either the Florida Civic Literacy Test (FCLT) or the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE). However, students who enroll in Summer/Fall 2024 or later will only have the option to take the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE).

The questions test basic knowledge of the U.S. political system, the U.S Constitution and landmark Supreme Court cases. Some of the questions are based on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Test. Students take the Civic Literacy Test to meet a requirement of the Florida College System and State University System. It is not related in any way to the naturalization process of the U.S. government.

FREE study resources to prepare for the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) are offered through the Center for Learning And Student Success (CLASS). SELF-ENROLL in this FREE CANVAS COURSE to access videos and study materials to support your learning on basics of the founding of the U.S., the U.S. Constitution and amendments, the structure of U.S. government, and landmark Supreme Court Cases, legislative acts and executive acts. For more information, visit /class/civicliteracy.php.

In addition, visit any number of websites, such as http://landmarkcases.org/en/landmark/home or http://constitutionus.com/.

You have up to 120 minutes to complete the test, but many will complete it in far less time.

You may take the exam as many times as needed in order to achieve a passing score. The FCLE requires 2 weeks in between attempts and you need to pay each time you attempt the exam.

No. Students who took the U.S. Naturalization/Citizenship Test to become a U.S. citizen will not have met the Civic Literacy requirement, as that test does not include the competencies as required by statute.

No. Successful completion of the requirement, however, will appear on your transcript.