Iowa legislators once again push for civics test requirement

An education bill ( HSB 30 ), currently sitting in a Iowa House committee, would add an additional graduation requirement for Iowa students. Nationally, reading and math scores have taken a nosedive in recent years, and much attention has been paid trying to improve student comprehension in these subjects. This bill reminds us that understanding of our national inheritance is just as important as general literacy and mathematics.

The bill would mandate that students pass the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services civic test to graduate from high school. Students in grades nine through 12 must achieve a score of 60 percent or higher on the multiple-choice test in order to graduate or receive a high school equivalency diploma. Importantly, students who do not pass on their first attempt will have the opportunity to retake the exam as many times as necessary until they succeed.

It was recommended for passage by the Education subcommittee, although it has not yet been scheduled for a vote. Similar bills were proposed in 2015 and 2018, but they did not pass.

I attended public K-12 schools in Waterloo and have firsthand experience with the Iowa Department of Education's standards for U.S. history. Any student who successfully matriculates through Iowa schools should have no trouble passing the test. This raises an important question: Why should students be required to take a test that covers material they should already know and have been tested on? It does seem a bit redundant, but that redundancy serves an important purpose.

For the United States to continue thriving as a constitutional republic, it is imperative that its citizens understand and actively engage in maintaining its foundational principles and know what it means to be a citizen. By requiring high school graduates to demonstrate the same level of civic knowledge expected of new citizens, we emphasize the importance of civic literacy and underscore why it is essential for all citizens, both new and native-born, to have a solid grasp of these concepts.

However, I do have one critique: The passing requirement of 60 percent is too low. Legislators should consider raising the passing threshold to 70 or even 80 percent considering that unlimited attempts are permitted.

Understanding the structure of our government, the significance of constitutional amendments, and the rights enumerated in the Constitution, is not just academic knowledge; it is the bedrock of informed and active citizenship. This knowledge empowers individuals to participate meaningfully in our democracy and advocate for their rights.

Regardless of if this bill becomes law, it’s good that legislators are discussing new ways to improve civic education in our state.

Patricia Patnode is from Waterloo and graduated from Loras College.