In early April, lawmakers introduced House Bill 2412 which would require students to take a civics test in order to graduate.

“It is a test that’s similar to what immigrants take who are becoming U.S. citizens and it’s basic information about how our country operates, how the government operates and that kind of thing,” Representative Sandy Pickert (R-District 88) said. 

“In the sense that it can be from sixth grade to 12th grade. You take the test in sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade, ninth grade, a little bit 10th grade,” Government teacher Tonya Howard said.

The test would contain 20 questions pulled from the U.S. citizenship test, requiring a 70% in order to pass. Most students we talked to say it sounds unnecessary and would put more stress towards them.

“I feel like this test would not be enough to help me understand, because like a standardized test just wouldn’t be enough to kind of estimate like one’s understanding of the government,” Amy Do (11) said.

In classrooms, students are already learning about government and history, but under this new bill, simply learning the material may not be enough.  

“They don’t cover that content at all. Because what you also have to cover is communism and socialism. Those economic theories are way too hard for those grade levels,” Howard said.

Supporters say the test would ensure that students would pass and leave school with knowledge of the United States government. 

“I would hope that they would learn, about what they need to know in their government classes and social studies classes, throughout their, their schooling,” Pickert said.

Governor Kelly vetoed the bill and with the legislature on vacation, it’s unlikely the bill would be taken up again this session.