Idaho high school students will be expected to know more about American history, government, and civic responsibilities under new civics graduation requirements that took effect July 1. The requirements, which came from Senate Bill 1336, expand civics coursework and introduce a graduation test to measure students’ knowledge of these subjects.
New Requirements
The bill requires high school students to take a year of American history and a year of American government. Teachers of those subjects must also dive deeper into the Magna Carta and the Constitution. The revisions emphasize civic virtues, including prudence, justice, fortitude, moderation, and patriotism.
State superintendent Debbie Critchfield’s department will oversee the new test’s development. It replaces a previous civics exam required for graduation, which took 100 questions from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services citizenship test. Like the prior test, students can take the new exam as many times as needed to pass.
Students can also be recognized for their efforts. House Bill 712 created a new program recognizing students for civic engagement through the Idaho State Seal of Excellence in Civics. The program will honor schools where at least 75% of graduates earn the Civic Seal. Those students will receive a literacy seal on their diploma and wear an extra graduation cord.
Requirements for earning the Civics Seal include scoring at least 90% on the Idaho civics test, completing a civics project, and demonstrating civic participation through community service or engagement event.
Original reporting: Idaho Education News — read the source article.
