Testing and Assessment

Rule 6A-10.02413 of the State Board of Education defines civic literacy competency as follows:

1. Successfully passing either POS 2041 American Government, or AMH 2010* History of the United States to 1877, or AMH 2020 History of the United States since 1877.
   *AMH 2010 on or after Fall 2024.
2. Achieving the standard score on one of the following assessments:
   • AP Government and Politics: United States
     • 3 (meets course and assessment requirement)
   • AP United States History
     • 4 (meets course and assessment requirement)
   • CLEP: American Government
     • 50 (meets course and assessment requirement)
   • CLEP: History of the United States 1
     • 50 (meets course and assessment requirement)
   • Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE)
     • 60%

The Civic Literacy Requirement Applies To

• First-time-in-college students (FTIC)

Programs

• Associate in Arts (A.A.)
• Baccalaureate

Student Requirements

• Pass a course (AMH 2010* or AMH 2020 or POS 2041) OR pass an assessment.
  *AMH 2010 on or after Fall 2024.

Notes

• The AP and CLEP can be used to meet the assessment requirement.
  • AP Government and Politics: United States (3 or higher)
  • AP United States History (4 or higher)
  • CLEP: American Government (50 or higher)
  • CLEP: History of the United States 1 (50 or higher)
• The AICE and IB can be used to meet the course requirement.
  • AICE A-Level: History, US History c. 1840 - 1990 (1 or higher)
  • IB History (HL): History of the Americas (5 or higher)
• The FCLE can be used to meet the assessment requirement.
  • Regardless of catalog year, a student can use the FCLE to meet the civic literacy assessment requirement.

The Civic Literacy Requirement Applies To

• Students initially entering FCS under 2021-2022 catalog year and beyond or with an MDC requirement term of Fall 2021 and beyond.

Programs

• Associate in Arts (A.A.)
• Baccalaureate

Student Requirements

• Pass a course (AMH 2010* or AMH 2020 or POS 2041) AND pass an assessment.
  *AMH 2010 on or after Fall 2024..

Notes

• The AP and CLEP can be used to meet both the course and assessment requirements.
  • AP Government and Politics: United States (3 or higher)
  • AP United States History (4 or higher)
  • CLEP: American Government (50 or higher)
  • CLEP: History of the United States 1 (50 or higher)
• The AICE and IB can only be used to meet the course requirement.
  
  • AICE A-Level: History, US History c. 1840 - 1990 (1 or higher)
  • IB History (HL): History of the Americas (5 or higher)
• The FCLE can only be used to meet the assessment requirement.

The Civic Literacy Requirement Applies To

• Students initially entering FCS 2022-2023 catalog year and beyond or with an MDC requirement term of Fall 2022 and beyond.

Programs

• Associate in Science (A.S.)
• Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.)
• Specialized Associate in Arts transfer degree

Student Requirements

• Pass a course (AMH 2010* or AMH 2020 or POS 2041) AND pass an assessment.
  *AMH 2010 on or after Fall 2024.

Notes

• The AP and CLEP can be used to meet the course and assessment requirements.
  • AP Government and Politics: United States (3 or higher)
  • AP United States History (4 or higher)
  • CLEP: American Government (50 or higher)
  • CLEP: History of the United States 1 (50 or higher)
• The AICE and IB can only be used to meet the course requirement.
  
  • AICE A-Level: History, US History c. 1840 - 1990 (1 or higher)
  • IB History (HL): History of the Americas (5 or higher)
• The FCLE can only be used to meet the assessment requirement.

Additional FAQs are available via the FLDOE website.

Students

What are the competencies that are required in the courses and assessments approved in Rule 6A-10.02413, F.A.C.?

Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature prioritized and promoted the development of civic literacy to ensure that every college student develops:

• An 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; and
• An understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases, landmark.

Who is required to meet the Civic Literacy Competency requirement?

• Students seeking an Associate in Arts or baccalaureate degree:
  • who have no prior college credit and initially enter an FCS institution as a first-time-in-college student in Fall 2018 through Summer 2021. 
  • who begin dual enrollment in Fall of 2018 through Summer 2021
  • who have an MDC requirement term of Fall 2021 and beyond.
• Students seeking an Associate in Science (A.S.)/Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree:
  • who have an MDC requirement term of Fall 2022 and beyond.

Who is exempt from meeting the Civic Literacy Competency requirement during catalog years 2018-2019 through 2020-2021?

• Students who have earned college credit prior to Fall 2018 with an MDC requirement term prior to Fall 2018.
• Students who were in dual enrollment prior to Fall 2018 with an MDC requirement term prior to Fall 2018.
• A.S./A.A.S. degree students with an MDC requirement term prior to Fall 2022.

How does the rule apply to students who were previously dual enrolled, to transfer students, and to out-of-state students??

• The civic literacy requirement applies to students who are entering into A.A. and baccalaureate programs under the 2021-2022 catalog year and beyond or A.S./A.A.S. degree students under the 2022-2023 catalog year and beyond, regardless of prior postsecondary coursework. This includes formerly dual enrolled students, transfer students, and students from out-of-state.

How does this rule apply to baccalaureate students who are entering with an AA or AS/AAS degree?

• Baccalaureate students under the 2021-22 catalog year and beyond are required to meet the civic literacy course and assessment requirement unless they previously met the requirement as part of another degree.

Is the attainment of a bachelor’s degree sufficient to satisfy the civic literacy competency requirement?

• Any student seeking an FCS baccalaureate degree with a catalog year of 2021-22 or later is required to demonstrate competency by meeting the course and assessment requirement, unless the postsecondary civic literacy requirement was met under a previous degree.

Once the civic literacy competency requirement has been met, does it have to be “re-met” or renewed if a student graduates and transfers or enrolls in a different program type?

• No, once the civic literacy competency requirement has been met as part of a previously earned degree, students will not have to meet the requirement again as part of another degree program. For example, if a student in the 2018-19 to 2020-21 cohort (when the requirement was a course or an assessment) successfully completed an approved course (or assessment) to meet the civic literacy competency requirement and graduated with an associate in arts degree and now wants to enroll in a baccalaureate degree program under the 2023-24 catalog year, that student will not be required to take and pass an approved assessment (or course) to meet the civic literacy competency assessment requirement, because the student will have been considered as having previously met the requirement. Students in the 2021-22 cohort (when the requirement changed to a course and an assessment) who earned an associate in arts degree and met the civic literacy competency requirement as part of that degree program and return to pursue an associate in science or baccalaureate degree will not have to meet the requirement again. The same logic applies to students in the 2022-23 cohort and thereafter.

Is Civic Literacy a graduation requirement?

• Yes.  A student seeking an AA, A.S./A.A.S., or baccalaureate will have to demonstrate competency prior to being awarded a degree.

Is Civic Literacy Competency a graduation requirement for all academic programs?

• No.  This requirement is limited to degree programs. Certificate programs do not have this requirement.

Does the Civic Literacy Competency graduation requirement apply to students who earned college credits prior to Fall 2018?

• No. This requirement does not apply to students who have college credits and a requirement term at MDC prior to Fall 2018, unless students apply to a new program. These students must have continuously enrolled at MDC since Summer 2018 or earlier.

Does “initially entering” mean the same thing as first-time-in-college (FTIC)?

• No. The rule that is applicable for 2018-19 to 2020-2021 specified the requirement was limited to FTIC students. Since the statute does not specify the civic literacy requirements are limited to that small population, the FTIC language was removed for 2021-22 students and beyond. This ensures students who are entering under 2021-22 catalog years will meet the statutory intent to demonstrate civic literacy competency.

Does a student with a bachelor’s degree from an SUS, private, or out-of-state institution entering an second bachelors level program at MDC  in Fall 2021 or beyond need to meet the new civic literacy requirement of course and assessment?   Is the attainment of a bachelors sufficient to satisfy the requirement?

• The statute/rule do not indicate this applies to the student's first baccalaureate degree. Any student seeking an FCS baccalaureate degree with a catalog year of 2021-2022 and beyond is required to demonstrate competency by meeting the course and assessment requirement.

Does a student who attended a Florida College System (FCS) institution more than one year ago (received a degree or earned some credits from the institution) and is now returning to the same or another FCS institution required to satisfy the new civic literacy requirement?

• Scenario 1:  Attended prior to Fall 2018 - Didn’t take AMH 2020 or POS 2041
• Scenario 2: Attended since Fall 2018 - Satisfied course or assessment only or Didn’t satisfy either course or assessment
  
  Students under catalog years 2018-2019 through 2020-2021 are only required to complete the approved course or assessment. If a student is in catalog year 2021-2022 and beyond, that student is required to complete the approved course and pass an approved assessment.

Does statute provide any exemptions for the civic literacy competency requirement?

• No. Florida Statutes do not provide for exemptions from the requirement. However, pursuant to Section 1007.265, F.S., and Rule 6A-10.041, F.A.C., Substitution for Requirements for Eligible Students with Disabilities at Florida Colleges and Postsecondary Career Centers, colleges may substitute a graduation requirement for students with disabilities under certain circumstances.

1007.265 Persons with disabilities; graduation, study program admission, and upper-division entry; substitute requirements; rules and regulations.— (1) A student with a disability in a public postsecondary educational institution shall be eligible for reasonable substitution for any requirement for graduation, for admission into a program of study, or for entry into the upper division where documentation can be provided that the person’s failure to meet the requirement is related to the disability and where failure to meet the graduation requirement or program admission requirement does not constitute a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program.

Does the civic literacy competency requirement apply to the new SAAT transfer degree?

• Yes. In 2024, the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 1285, which added the SAAT degree to the FCS as a new degree type. Meeting the civic literacy requirement will be a condition of the SAAT degree completion.

Approved Courses and Assessments

How does credit-by-exam apply toward the civic literacy requirement?

• Credit received for courses in Rule 6A-10.02413, F.A.C., (AMH 2010, AMH 2020 and POS 2041) via credit-by-exam will count toward the course requirement.
  • If the exam used as the basis of awarding of credit is in Rule 6A-10.02413, F.A.C., (e.g., AP Government and Politics: United States, AP United States History, CLEP: American Government, and CLEP: History of the United States 1) the student would be considered as having met both the course and the assessment civic literacy competency.
  • If the exam used as the basis of awarding of credit is not in rule (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 approved assessment in rule.

How long are assessment scores valid? Is there an expiration date?

• Assessment scores are valid indefinitely. There is no expiration date.

If students complete AMH 2010, AMH 2020 or POS 2041, do they still need to complete an assessment?

• Yes. Completion of AMH 2010, AMH 2020 or POS 2041 only fulfills the course requirement for postsecondary civic literacy competency for students entering the FCS under the 2021-22 catalog year and thereafter.

Does the final exam in AMH 2010, AMH 2020 or POS 2041 count toward meeting the assessment requirement?

• No. Because final exams in courses are not approved by the State Board of Education (SBOE), they do not count toward the assessment requirement. These students would still be required to pass an approved assessment in Rule 6A-10.02413, F.A.C.

Is civic literacy considered a general education requirement or a graduation requirement?

• Fulfilling the civic literacy competency requirement is a condition of graduation. However, POS 2041, AMH 2010 and AMH 2020 will count toward fulfilling the civic literacy competency course requirement and count toward the General Education Core Social Sciences course requirement pursuant to Rule 6A-14.0303, F.A.C.

Can AMH 2010 Introductory Survey to 1877 taken before Fall 2024 be used to satisfy the civic literacy competency course requirement?

• No. AMH 2010 taken prior to fall 2024 did not contain the statutorily required competencies to meet the civic literacy competency course requirement. The updated course learning outcomes that reflect the required competencies are effective with the fall 2024 term. Only AMH 2010 taken Fall 2024 and thereafter will count toward meeting the civic literacy competency course requirement.

Is the U.S. Citizenship Test an approved test for FCS institutions to meet the civic literacy competency assessment requirement?

• No. Passing the U.S. citizenship test to become a naturalized citizen is not one of the options approved to meet the civic literacy competency assessment requirement.

Can CLEP: History of the United States I taken before Fall 2024 be used to satisfy the civic literacy competency assessment requirement?

• Yes. CLEP: History of the United States I taken prior to Fall 2024 will count toward meeting the civic literacy competency assessment requirement. Unlike the updated AMH 2010 course that was overhauled to include the required civic literacy competencies in the course learning outcomes, the CLEP exam was reviewed by SUS and FCS Subject Matter Experts (SME) and determined to have already had the competencies embedded in the exam.

Will CLEP: History of the United States II be included in Rule 6A-10.02413, F.A.C., as an approved assessment to meet the civic literacy competency assessment requirement?

• No. CLEP: History of the United States II will not be included in rule as an approved assessment to meet the requirement. SMEs from the FCS and the SUS reviewed the CLEP exam and determined that it did not sufficiently contain the required competencies to be included in rule as an approved assessment to meet the civic literacy competency assessment requirement. However, credit transcripted for the CLEP exam as AMH 2020 will still meet the civic literacy competency course requirement.

Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE)

What competencies does the FCLE cover?

• Test items for the FCLE are based on competencies that describe the content to be covered by a test.  Please visit the Department's assessment webpage for an FCLE supplemental guide, sample questions and an online practice test.
• FCLE competencies cover the knowledge necessary to demonstrate the postsecondary requirement for civic literacy, as outlined in statute:
• 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. 

How many test questions appear on the FCLE?

• Eighty (80) test items appear on the FCLE that was implemented on October 25, 2021. MDC uses TestID FCLE in MDConnect for this version. Note: The previous versions that were administered in the high schools during school years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, and in the state university system since 2018 includes 100 questions. MDC uses TestID FCLEHS for the previous high school version and TestID FCLESUS for the state university system version.

What is the passing score on the FCLE?

• The passing score is 60 percent, which is 48 correct out of 80. 
  • Note: The passing score for the FCLE that was administered in the high schools during school years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, and in the state university system since 2018 are also 60 percent
    (60 correct out of 100).

What is the criteria to take the FCLE at MDC for the first time and for retesting?

• To test for the first time, students must be enrolled in either AMH 2010, AMH 2020 or POS 2041 or previously received a letter grade. 
  Retesting requires a 30-day waiting period.  Department Chair approval is required after the second attempt. Submit a FCLE Retake Request Form.

Are online test preparation resources available?

• Yes. See FCLE resources below. 

If high school students or students from another Florida public postsecondary institution pass the FCLE, will they have fulfilled both the assessment and the course requirements?

• No. Students who pass the FCLE will still be required to pass an approved course once they enter MDC. Note:  MDC uses the FASTER system to electronically receive FCLE scores from other institutions.  Submit a Test Entry Request Form for requesting to have a test record entered in the MDC student record keeping system.

Do high school students who pass the FCLE have to also pass the high school U.S. government course to demonstrate civic literacy competency?

• No, a passing score on the FCLE is what is required for students to meet the civic literacy competency assessment requirement, not the grade in the high school U.S. Government course.

Will the FCLE (80 questions) satisfy the assessment requirement for students in the 2018-19 through 2020-21 catalog years?

• Yes. Regardless of catalog year, a student can use the FCLE to meet the civic literacy assessment requirement.

If a student is a transfer from an SUS institution and passed the original Civic Literacy test, can this be used as an approved assessment?

• Using the original Civic Literacy Test (100 items) to meet the civic literacy competency assessment requirement is an approved procedure at MDC.

Can online students take the FCLE exam with a remote proctor?

• Yes.  Please visit MDC’s Remote Testing webpage for more information. 

Does the Civic Literacy Competency apply to secondary students who are also participating in dual enrollment?

• No.  The secondary civics requirements in s. 1003.4282, F.S., states that public high school students are required to take the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) while enrolled in a U.S. Government course; however, high school students who are dually enrolled (including dual enrollment students who are completing the requirements towards an Associates in Arts degree while in high school) are not required to demonstrate postsecondary civic literacy competency. As a result, the postsecondary civic literacy competency requirement is neither a condition of high school graduation nor a requirement for all dual enrollment students (public school, home education, and private school).

What if I matriculate after High School?

• If the dual enrollment student plans to matriculate after high school graduation to a Florida College System (FCS) or State University System (SUS) institution to pursue an associate or baccalaureate degree, then they will have to comply with the postsecondary civic literacy competency requirement to obtain those degrees. As such, Department of Education guidance to high schools and FCS institutions would be to provide dual enrollment students the option to take the FCLE. Ultimately, allowing dual enrollment students to take the FCLE is at the discretion of the high school and postsecondary institution.

What if I am a homeschooled dual enrollment student?

• Regarding dual enrollment students that are also homeschooled, homeschooled dual enrollment students enter into a dual enrollment articulation agreement with the college, pursuant to s. 1007.271, F.S. As such, if a homeschooled dual enrollment student opts to take the FCLE, it does not need to be included in the dual enrollment articulation agreement. If a home school dual enrollment student does opt to take the FCLE, the student must have a FLEID. A private school dual enrollment student who opts to take the FCLE would also need a FLEID.
• College-district partnerships would need to determine how and where to direct home education and private school dual enrollment students to obtain a FLEID through the district; therefore, if and where the student tests is at the discretion of the college-district partnership.

Are dual enrollment students required to pass an approved course and assessment to demonstrate civic literacy competency?

• No. Current dual enrollment students are not required to demonstrate postsecondary civic literacy competency while in high school, including those who are working towards an associate degree.

Please see the chart below that summarizes the guidance for dual enrollment students regarding the civic literacy competency requirement.

*Public high schools are not required to offer the FCLE to dually enrolled students but may choose to do so at their discretion.

**FCS institutions are not required to offer the FCLE to dually enrolled students but may choose to do so at their discretion.

• For public school dually enrolled students, this would be through a partnership arrangement with the public high school.
• For home education or private school dually enrolled students, below are items that should be considered when deciding to allow them to take the FCLE.
  • How and where home education/private school students will obtain a FLEID
  • How home education/private school students will be informed where they can test
  • How often the test will be available to home education/private school students
  • Procedures for testing home education/private school students
    o How the score will be recorded on a home education/private school student’s record

For information about the FCLE, please visit the Learning Resources FCLE LibGuide and Testing and Assessment's FCLE webpage for Test Preparation resources.

• POS 2041 American Federal Government (3 Credits)
  The American Constitution and its development, the organization and functions of the national government, political parties and the electoral process, and the relationship of the individual to the federal government.
• AMH 2010 History of the United States to 1877 (3 Credits)
  A survey of United States history from before European contact to 1877.
• AMH 2020 History of the United States since 1877 (3 Credits)
  A survey of social, economic, and political developments in the United States since 1877.

The AP can be used to meet the course and test requirement.

• AP United States Government and Politics
• AP United States History
• AP Examination Calendar
• AP Homepage

CLEP American Government and History of the United States 1 are available at the Miami Dade College test centers. Either of these CLEP exams can be used to meet the course and test requirement.

• View more information about CLEP at MDC including Test Preparation.
• View more information about the CLEP American Government exam.
• View more information about the CLEP History of the United States 1 exam.

For more information please contact the MDC Social Sciences Department via the Partner Department Directory webpage.