(1) The Legislature finds it necessary to ensure that every undergraduate student of a Florida public postsecondary educational institution graduates as an informed citizen through participation in rigorous general education courses that promote and preserve the constitutional republic through traditional, historically accurate, and high-quality coursework. General education courses should provide broad foundational knowledge to help students develop intellectual skills and habits that enable them to become more effective and lifelong learners. Courses with a curriculum based on unproven, speculative, or exploratory content are best suited as elective or specific program prerequisite credit, not general education credit. General education courses must:(a) Meet the course standards as provided in s. 1007.25; and (b) Whenever applicable, provide instruction on the historical background and philosophical foundation of Western civilization and this nation’s historical documents, such as the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments, and the Federalist Papers.
(2) Public postsecondary educational institution boards of trustees and presidents are responsible for annually reviewing and approving, at a public meeting, general education course requirements, as authorized and approved in accordance with ss. 1007.24 and 1007.25 and this section, at their respective institutions. The following must be included for each listed general education course:(a) The general education distribution area;
(b) The number of state universities that offer the course and the number of Florida College System institutions that offer the course; and
(c) The course level.
(3) Public postsecondary educational institutions must report courses meeting institutional general education subject requirements to the department by their statewide course number.
(4) In performing its duties under ss. 1007.24 and 1007.25, by December 1, 2024, and each December 1 thereafter, the Articulation Coordinating Committee shall submit to the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors courses that have been approved by public postsecondary educational institutions as meeting general education requirements. The listing of general education courses must include the information in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (c). The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors must approve or reject the list of general education courses for each Florida College System institution and state university, respectively. (5) Public postsecondary educational institutions that fail to comply with the requirements of this section are not eligible to receive performance-based funding pursuant to s. 1001.66 or s. 1001.92. (6) A public postsecondary educational institution may not require a student to take an additional course to meet a subject area distribution requirement that was completed by the student with a course that has since been removed as a general education course.
(7) The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors shall adopt rules and regulations, respectively, to implement this section.
