Caveat Academy course · Grades 7 to 12

Student Government

Everything a council member actually needs. You learn what a council can decide and what it can only propose, build a platform you can keep, count a ranked-choice election, run a meeting by Robert's Rules, budget a dance to break-even, write a survey and a proposal a principal will approve, and know your speech rights, at your own pace, with a certificate at the end.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the High school electives library, $119 for 66 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 13 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: What student government is for

    Explain how a student council is organized and governed, decide whether an idea is within the council's power, and compare the delegate and trustee models of representation.

    • Purpose and structure
    • What councils can and cannot do
    • Representing others
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Campaigns and elections

    Build a realistic campaign platform and speech, and count plurality, runoff and ranked-choice elections correctly.

    • Running for office
    • Speeches and campaign messages
    • Voting methods and counting
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Meetings and parliamentary procedure

    Run a meeting with an agenda, quorum and minutes, and move, amend and decide motions with the right vote under parliamentary procedure.

    • Agendas, quorum and minutes
    • Making and deciding motions
    • Running a fair and efficient meeting
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Budgets and fundraising

    Build an event budget, compute profit and break-even, compare fundraisers by risk and keep a ledger that reconciles.

    • Building a budget
    • Fundraising that works
    • Handling money honestly
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Surveys, proposals and making change

    Design unbiased surveys, interpret results from a representative sample and write a proposal with a pilot and a clear ask.

    • Finding out what students think
    • Writing a proposal
    • Working with the school board
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Leadership, events and student rights

    Plan an event backward with owners and deadlines, handle team conflict, and apply the major student speech cases to school situations.

    • Planning an event backward
    • Leading a team
    • Student rights and responsibilities
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 2 · Voting methods and counting

Worked example: counting a ranked-choice election

  1. 100 ballots. First choices: Ava 40, Ben 35, Chloe 25. A majority is more than 50, so at least 51. No one has it.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Academics · High SchoolAlso for Academics · Middle School$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished course in student government: you can explain how a council is organized and where its authority stops, build a platform and a speech you can stand behind, count plurality, runoff and ranked-choice elections, run a meeting with an agenda, quorum, motions and minutes, budget an event to break-even and keep a ledger that reconciles, write an unbiased survey and a proposal with a pilot, plan an event backward and apply the student speech cases. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 7 to 12 who serve on or are running for student council, class office or a club board, students in leadership classes, and anyone who wants to learn how to run a meeting and get a proposal approved. Schools differ, so students should follow their own school's constitution and policies.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 146 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 13 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the High school electives library ($119) and the Academics Suite pass ($149), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The High School space in Caveat Academics; also listed for the Middle School space in Caveat Academics (the same course serves the middle school Student Government title).
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. Robert's Rules Association, the official site for Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised: robertsrules.com
  2. United States Courts, educational resources on Tinker v. Des Moines and other student speech cases: uscourts.gov
  3. Supreme Court of the United States, opinion in Mahanoy v. B.L. (2021): supremecourt.gov
  4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Smart Snacks in School standards: fns.usda.gov
  5. American Academy of Pediatrics, policy statement on school start times for adolescents: aap.org

Student Government is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. Councils and schools have their own constitutions, rules and procedures, which take precedence over the general practices taught here; names, dates and numbers in examples are invented for practice. It is general education, not legal advice. It does not replace a school course and awards no credit. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.