HB 1857

During the 2026-2027 school year, and in each school year thereafter, this bill requires each director of schools for an LEA and each director of a public charter school to annually designate for the LEA or public charter school one instructional day eac h school year to observe the Fourth of July by providing students enrolled in any of the grades K-12 with age- and grade-appropriate instruction on the founding of the United States, the separation of the original 13 colonies from Great Britain, the Decla ra tion of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the fundamental rights and freedoms enjoyed by American citizens. INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM – GRADE-SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES This bill requires each LEA and public charter school to determine the instructional program and methods used to provide such instruction, including designing and implementing interactive classroom lessons, readings, writing assignments, and discussions, or conducting school assemblies. The instruction provided by an LEA or public charter school on the day of observance of the Fourth of July must accomplish the following grade-specific objectives:  Introduce the foundational concepts of American independence to students in grades K-5 to ensure students can explain the meaning of the Fourth of July; identify the United States as an independent nation; describe the basic ideas of freedom and individual rights; and recognize the national symbols of the United States and their connection to American freedom and independence.  Emphasize the historical context of the Fourth of July and establish a civic understanding for students in grades 6-8, which may be accomplished through the social studies curriculum, to ensure students can describe the events that led to America gaining its independence from Great Britain; explain the reasons for why the 13 original American colonies sought self-governance; summarize the purpose and significance of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution; and identify the foundational civic principles of liberty, individual rights, limited government, and consent of the governed.  Focus on analysis of foundational texts and civic themes for students in grades 9-12, which may be accomplished through the English language arts curriculum, to ensure that students can analyze the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution as foundational American texts; identify key themes of the American Revolution; evaluate the historical and philosophical significance of American independence; and understand the connection our founding American principles have to modern civic responsibilities and American citizenship. This bill requires the instruction provided to students to be nonpartisan and solely educational in nature. The focus of the required instruction must, at all times, be on historical facts, the content of the founding documents, and the civic principles underlying the creation of the founding documents and of the United States. DIRECTOR DUTIES This bill requires each director of schools for an LEA and each director of a public charter school to (i) annually designate the day of observance; (ii) ensure consistent implementation of this bill at each school in the LEA or at the public charter sch ool; (iii) verify that the instruction provided to students at each public school in the LEA or at the public charter school for purposes of this bill complies with the requirements of this bill and is aligned to the relevant state academic standards adop te d by the state board of education if the instruction is being provided as part of a social studies or English language arts class; and (iv) provide guidance as needed to support the implementation of this bill at each public school in the LEA or at the pu blic charter school. PERIODIC REVIEW OF CONTENT, MATERIALS, AND INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS This bill requires each LEA and public charter school to periodically review the content, materials, and instructional methods used to provide the instruction and update the same as the LEA or public charter school determines appropriate to ensure best p ractices in civic education are implemented and to ensure that any instruction provided as part of a social studies or English language arts class is aligned to the relevant state academic standards adopted by the state board of education. ON MARCH 30, 2026, THE SENATE SUBSTITUTED HOUSE BILL 1857 FOR SENATE BILL 1960, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1857, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 replaces this bill's requirement that each director of schools for an LEA and each director of a public charter school annually designate for the LEA or public charter school one instructional day each school year to observe the Fourth of Jul y with a requirement that each public school, including a public charter school, that serves students in any of the grades K-12 ensure that students annually observe the Fourth of July during the school year. This amendment also requires that each public school, instead of the LEA, determine which classes, programs, and methods are used to ensure students receive the instruction required by this bill. If a public school provides the instruction on the Fourth of July described in this bill to students during the school year, then the public school is not required to provide any additional instruction to students for the same purposes. If a public scho ol has not provided the instruction required by this bill to students before the last school day of the school year, then this amendment requires the school principal to require the school to observe the Fourth of July on the last school day of the school y ear and on such date provide students with age- and grade-appropriate instruction on the founding of the United States, the separation of the original 13 colonies from Great Britain, the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the fundamental rights and freedoms enjoyed by American citizens that is designed to accomplish the objectives in this bill. ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE HOUSE NONCONCURRED IN SENATE AMENDMENT #1. ON APRIL 13, 2026, THE SENATE REFUSED TO RECEDE FROM ITS ACTIONS IN ADOPTING SENATE AMENDMENT #1. ON APRIL 15, 2026, THE HOUSE REFUSED TO RECEDE IN ITS NON-CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENT #1 AND APPOINTED A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. ON APRIL 15, 2026, THE SENATE APPOINTED A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. ON APRIL 22, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT AND MADE IT THE ACTION OF THE HOUSE. ON APRIL 23, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT AND MADE IT THE ACTION OF THE SENATE.