Green Bay Reporter

A new bill authored by State Rep. Elijah R. Behnke in the Wisconsin Assembly seeks to enhance civics education to improve student understanding of government and civic responsibilities, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "required instruction in civics in the elementary and high school grades, high school graduation requirements, and private school educational program criteria. (FE)".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates significant changes to civics instruction in Wisconsin schools, effective from the 2027-28 school year. It requires school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in parental choice programs to incorporate comprehensive civics education into their curricula, focusing on shared rights and responsibilities, civic pride, and effective advocacy. Schools must also contrast American governance with philosophies like communism and socialism. Annual reports on compliance must be submitted to the Department of Public Instruction, which will relay this information to the legislature. Additionally, the bill updates graduation requirements to include a half-credit in civics, applicable to students graduating in the 2030-31 school year. Effective July 1, 2026, these changes aim to bolster civic understanding and engagement among students.

The bill was co-authored by Senator Van H. Wanggaard (Republican-21st District), Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Representative Bob G. Donovan (Republican-61st District), Representative Cindi Duchow (Republican-97th District), Representative Rick Gundrum (Republican-58th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District) and Senator Dan Feyen (Republican-20th District), along seven other co-sponsors.

Elijah R. Behnke has co-authored or authored another two bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Behnke graduated from Toccoa Falls College in 2005 with an AA.

Behnke, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 6th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Peter Schmidt.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
AB4	02/03/2025	Required instruction in civics in the elementary and high school grades, high school graduation requirements, and private school educational program criteria. (FE)
AB3	02/03/2025	Incorporating cursive writing into the state model English language arts standards and requiring cursive writing in elementary grades. (FE)