SESSION OF 2021
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2039
As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole

Brief*
HB 2039, as amended, would amend law related to
civics and financial literacy education.

Civics Education
The bill would require a student enrolled in an accredited
public, private, or parochial high school to pass a civics test,
or series of tests, as part of the Kansas required courses of
instruction for graduation. The bill would require the civics
test, or series of tests, be composed of a total of 60 questions
selected from the naturalization test administered by the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services. The bill would allow
teachers to use 20 multiple choice questions provided online
by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website in
the civics test or series of tests.
The bill would require each accredited high school to
submit to the State Board of Education (State Board) an
annual report that provides aggregate student achievement
data for the civics test or series of tests. The bill would require
the State Board to compile and present such reports for the
Legislature on or before January 31 of each year.
The bill would also require accommodations for, or
possible exemptions to, the civics test requirement for a
student with an individualized education program.

____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
 The bill would authorize the State Board to adopt rules
and regulations related to such civics test.

Financial Literacy Education
The bill would amend law regarding personal financial
literacy education in state curriculum standards. Current law
requires the State Board to develop such curriculum,
materials, guidelines andstandards for all grades within
existing mathematics curriculum or other appropriate subject
matter curriculum, for use by local boards of education and
governing authorities of accredited nonpublic schools. The bill
would maintain existing guidance for kindergarten through
grade 10 but provide amended guidance for grades 11 and
12.
The bill would require, for grades 11 and 12, a personal
financial literacy course to be at least one semester or two
quarters in length. The bill would require the course offered to
include, but not be limited to, the following topics:
● Saving and investing;
● Credit and debt;
● Financial responsibility and money management;
and
● Insurance, risk management, and income.
Background
The bill was introduced by the House Committee on
Education at the request of Representative Huebert.
[Note: HB 2039, as introduced, contains provisions
similar to those of 2020 HB 2573.]

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House Committee on Education
In the House Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by Representative Huebert, the Attorney
General, and private citizens, stating the bill would enhance
civics education in Kansas.
Opponent testimony was offered by representatives of
the Kansas Association of School Boards and the Kansas
National Education Association, stating the bill would not
improve civics education and would unnecessarily impede the
authority of local school boards. Written-only opponent
testimony was provided by representatives of the State Board
of Education and the Olathe Public Schools USD 233, and a
private citizen.
The House Committee amended the bill to:
● Include a series of whereas clauses stating the
purposes of the bill;
● Remove provisions related to a requirement for
high school students to pass a 100-question
examination on the principles of American civics to
complete the requirements necessary for
graduation from high school;
● Insert provisions related to a civics test as part of
an existing course on the government and
institutions of the United States;
● Insert provisions requiring high schools to submit
certain aggregate data to the State Board and
requiring the State Board to take certain action
related to such data; and
● Remove requirements that the State Board provide
a model examination for use by school districts or
governing bodies of accredited high schools and
establish a passing score for such examination.
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Senate Committee on Education
In the Senate Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by Representative Huebert and the Attorney
General. Written-only proponent testimony was provided by
a private citizen. The proponents generally discussed the
value of a civics test to ensure students graduating from high
school have the same level of civics knowledge as
naturalized citizens.
Opponent testimony was provided by a representative
for the Kansas Association of School Boards and the United
School Administrators of Kansas, a representative of the
Kansas National Education Association, and three private
citizens. Written-only opponent testimony was provided by
representatives of the Kansas Council for the Social Studies
and the State Board. The opponents generally discussed the
effectiveness of the test and whether the bill infringed on the
State Board’s authority.
Neutral testimony was provided by a private citizen. The
conferee indicated support for the test but expressed the
need to provide exemptions for students with individualized
education programs (IEPs) and students with special needs.

Senate Committee of the Whole
The Senate Committee of the Whole amended the bill to
require the State Board to develop curriculum, materials, and
guidelines for the implementation of personal financial literacy
education for grades 11 and 12 that covers topics listed in the
bill.
Fiscal Information
The fiscal note prepared by the Division of the Budget
on the bill as introduced does not apply to the amended bill.
Education; American civics test; graduation requirements; personal financial literacy

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Statutes affected:
As introduced: 72-3217
As Amended by House Committee: 72-3217
{As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole}: 72-3217, 72-3236
Enrolled: 72-3217, 72-3236