This bill mandates that students in grades nine through twelve 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. Starting from the school year beginning July 1, 2026, local public school districts and nonpublic schools will be responsible for ensuring that students achieve a passing score on this assessment, which consists of multiple-choice questions from 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 specifies that no fees can be imposed or collected by school districts or accredited nonpublic schools for administering the civics test. It also requires the state board of education to establish rules for the implementation of these provisions. The bill amends existing law to state that individuals seeking a high school equivalency diploma must also successfully pass the civics examination, thereby integrating this requirement into the criteria for earning such diplomas.

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