Requiring students to pass the United States citizenship and immigration services naturalization civics test as a condition of high school graduation and high school equivalency diplomas

This bill requires the director of the department of education to develop and distribute to school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools a test that consists of the multiple-choice questions contained in the most recent version of the civics test developed by the United States citizenship and immigration services. The bill also requires the director to update the test every five years and distribute the updated test to schools. The bill requires the board of directors of each public school district, the authorities in charge of each nonpublic school, and the governing board of each charter school and innovation zone school to administer to students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 the most recent version of the test distributed by the director of the department of education. A student must receive a passing score on the test as a condition of graduation. A student must answer at least 60 percent of the questions on the test correctly to attain a passing score. A student who fails to answer at least 60 percent of the questions on the test correctly may retake the test as many times as is necessary. The bill prohibits schools from imposing or collecting any fee in connection with the administration of the test. A school may modify the test for a student who has an individualized education program or a section 504 plan, develop and administer an alternate test to a student who has a significant intellectual disability, and modify the test for a student who is an English learner. The bill requires schools to submit the test results to the department of education annually. The bill also requires the state board of education to adopt rules to administer these provisions. The bill provides that individuals seeking a high school equivalency diploma must also pass such a test.