Gov. Reynolds signs bill requiring students to pass a civics test to graduate
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a list of bills into law on Tuesday, among them SF 369. Starting with the class of 2027, high school students will be required to pass a civics test to graduate.
The civics bill is now a law! Requiring Iowa students pass a civics test will ensure they leave high school prepared to be responsible citizens. pic.twitter.com/oD3Z8aMe0K
The director of the Iowa Department of Education will be responsible for developing and distributing the test to public, nonpublic, charter and innovation zone schools. Schools will be responsible for reporting students’ scores to the Department of Education.
A bill requiring Iowa students to pass a citizenship test before graduation is currently waiting on Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ signature. The bill, Senate File 369, passed the Senate unanimously in late March and the House with a 92 to 4 vote in early April.
While she has yet to sign it, Reynolds has voiced support for the bill, posting a celebratory comment on her Facebook page after the bill passed the Senate.
The United States Citizenship and Naturalization test is a step in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen. The test consists of an English test and a civics test. The civics test covers American government and history; an immigration officer asks the applicant 10 questions, six of which must be answered correctly to pass.
Iowa’s version will likely be similar to the civics portion of this test, but only a few of the details are already determined. It will be 100 questions and students must get 60 correct to pass. There is no restriction on how many times a student can take the test.
Many features of the test have yet to be determined. The Iowa Department of Education will set standards for the test if it is signed into law. The test could contain material from Iowa history, or could be very similar to the original version of the test and cover the basic structure of the United States government and political system.
“I don’t want to say with any certainty that it’s going to be the same test … because I’ve seen that test. I give it as a pre-test, and I’m not sure if that content will match what the legislation is looking for,” said West High Social Studies teacher Scott Jespersen.
The Iowa City Community School District is already preparing for the changes this bill would require if passed. If the content on the test varies from what is usually taught in West’s government classes, the social studies department will likely have to change its curriculum.
According to Jespersen, social studies teachers met with their district coordinator, Brady Shutt, to talk about the bill and its implications.
Besides potential curriculum changes, another issue the district would face would be scheduling. The ICCSD is moving to a semester schedule at the start of the 2027-28 school year — the year after the law would require students to take the test.
In the ICCSD, two trimesters of government and a trimester of economics are required to graduate. Switching to a semester system means any trimester-length requirements have to change, whether they become a full year, one semester or not required at all. The district is currently in the process of deciding how these requirements will change, and the test adds another factor to the equation.
“If there was more Iowa history or Iowa government on the civics test, we do some now, but that may change, and it may become very challenging in a semester format,” Jespersen said.
Despite relatively bipartisan support, the bill has been met with criticism. Since many details of the test have yet to be determined, some worry that it will be used to create a barrier to graduation.
“I think there would be some pushback…it’s very hard to look at our government lessons and our objectives and say, ‘This is not important.’ So if the test reflects what we’re doing now, which it should, then it serves its function,” Jespersen said. “If it’s just a hurdle, that’s what you don’t want … if it’s good for the students, I’m in, if it’s not … I won’t be the only one pushing back on that.”
Freshman Will Youmans shared concerns about the implementation of the test. Youmans was concerned that the test could potentially be harmful to minority students, specifically those who are undocumented.
“If this was something just to provide a basic understanding of how the government works, then I’ll be all for it,” Youmans said. “But if this is used to have negative impacts, start targeting these students who may be undocumented, then that’s another level that I’d be fully against. If we’re providing background information on government, that’s not a bad thing, but when you use it to attack someone and point out your political opponents, then that’s another level.”
Iowa’s legislature adjourned for the year early in the morning on May 15. Reynolds has 30 days to sign any remaining bills into law; in the likely case it is signed, West sophomores would be the first to take the test.
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Evelyn Kraber is a junior this year and the Managing and Features Editor for the website. Outside of journalism, they’re a part of Theatre West and orchestra. When not in the halls of West High, they enjoy reading, cooking and doing pretty much anything with music.
Lea Abou Alaiwa is a sophmore and this is her first year on staff. This year, she’s broadcast’s Assistant Photo Editor and News Co-Editor. When she’s not in the newsroom working, you can find her either spending hours practicing trumpet or at Java fueling her caffeine addiction.
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