This bill mandates that students in Iowa must pass the United States citizenship and immigration services naturalization civics test as a requirement for high school graduation and obtaining high school equivalency diplomas. Specifically, starting from the school year beginning July 1, 2026, all students in grades nine through twelve will need to achieve a passing score on an assessment based on the civics test. To pass, students must correctly answer at least 60 percent of the questions, and they are allowed to retake the assessment as many times as necessary if they do not meet this threshold.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that local public school districts and accredited nonpublic schools cannot impose or collect any fees related to the administration of this civics assessment. The state board of education is tasked with adopting rules to ensure the effective implementation of these requirements. Furthermore, the bill modifies existing law regarding the issuance of high school equivalency diplomas, now requiring individuals to successfully pass the civics examination in addition to demonstrating competence in core academic areas.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 259A.1, 280.9A