​CSPG 35 - Citizenship Education (7-12)

Modified: January 2023
​Instructional Area Code 8825

Citizenship Education is a combination of disciplines that study, but are not limited to, individuals’ rights and responsibilities, including how individuals can facilitate governmental functions and contribute to the well-being of their community through civic action (civics and government); the analysis and interpretation of past events (history); physical and human phenomena that make up the world’s environments and places (geography); and the behavior of individuals and institutions engaged in the production, exchange, and consumption of goods and services (economics).

Grade Level Scope of Certificate

An individual holding a valid PA certificate for Citizenship Education is qualified to teach Citizenship Education courses to students in grades 7-12.  A person holding this certificate is also qualified to teach this content in the sixth (6^th) grade. (See CSPG #104).

Certification Assignment

An individual holding a valid PA certificate for Citizenship Education is qualified to teach courses and programs in the following areas: Pennsylvania, United States, or world history; geography; civics and government; economics, personal finance, international trade, and global economies; political science; local/state/national commerce, international relations; American and World Cultures.

Certificate Clarifications

An individual holding a valid PA Social Studies certification may teach Citizenship Education courses in Grades 7-12.

Individuals who have received a certificate in Citizenship Education prior to September 1, 2005, may teach social studies or citizenship education coursework. Individuals receiving a certificate in Citizenship Education after September 1, 2005, will be permitted to teach all social studies courses with the exception of psychology, sociology or anthropology.

A person holding a previously issued valid PA certificate for a single discipline certification area (History, History and Government, Geography, Economics, Economic Geography, Government, Political Science, Philosophy) may be assigned to teach only that particular subject area. In addition:

• Civics courses may be taught by an educator holding the older and a valid PA single discipline certification area for Political Science or for History and Government.
• World Cultures may be taught by an educator holding the older and valid PA single discipline certification area for History, History and Government, Geography, or Anthropology.
• American Cultures may be taught by an educator holding the older and valid PA single discipline certification area for History, or Geography, or Sociology.
• An educator holding the older single discipline PA certification area for Sociology or Anthropology may continue to teach American or World Culture courses.

Special Considerations

An educator certified in this field may:

• Provide professional development.
• Serve in the role of mentor or advisor.
• Assist students in understanding how to read content area materials.

References

Program Specific Standards and Guidelines for Certification.

22 PA Code: Chapter 4: §4.22 (c)(4), §4.23 (c)(4), §4.23 (e),

Chapter 49: §49.11, §49.81, §49.142

Public School Code: §1202, §1212, §1604

This revision supersedes all earlier CSPGs carrying this number and/or addressing this subject. Previous printing dates on this subject: 3/75, 2/79, 1/81, 1/87.

Summary of Changes