Bill outlines new civics, history and Holocaust education requirements for Iowa schools

DES MOINES — A proposed Iowa education bill would overhaul how social studies is taught in K-12 schools, add new civics testing requirements and require Holocaust education for both students and teachers.

Republican Reps. Brooke Boden of Indianola and Henry Stone of Forest City voted Wednesday in a subcommittee meeting to move House Study Bill 714 forward, while Democratic Rep. Monica Kurth of Davenport opposed the measure.

What the bill would do

The bill directs the Iowa Department of Education to revise social studies standards to place greater emphasis on civics, the nation’s founding documents, Western civilization, and what the bill describes as the “exceptional and praiseworthy” history of the United States. Schools would be required to incorporate extensive study of primary historical documents — including the Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Federalist Papers, Emancipation Proclamation, George Washington’s farewell address, a transcript of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate and other similar texts — beginning in upper elementary grades.

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Districts would be required to offer dedicated coursework in civics, U.S. history, Western civilization, Iowa history and economics — with economics instruction focusing on the free enterprise system and comparisons with communist economic systems — in grades seven to 12. The bill prohibits civics courses from including requirements related to political activism or “action civics.”

Current Iowa law requires high schools to provide five units of social studies, including at least one semester of U.S. government and one year of U.S. history. The bill would instead require students to complete at least one semester of U.S. government, a year of civics, two years of U.S. history and one year of Western civilization.

The proposal would not change graduation requirements for students already in high school when it takes effect and leaves in place an existing state mandate requiring students pass the U.S. citizenship civics test to graduate.

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Students, however, would also have to pass a standardized civics literacy examination. The required exam would measure students’ knowledge of U.S. government and history, serve as an assessment of high school civics instruction, and provide colleges and universities with a way to gauge whether incoming students have adequate civic literacy.

The measure extends similar requirements to Iowa’s public universities, requiring undergraduate students to pass a civics literacy exam or complete remedial coursework before graduating. Regents institutions would be barred from awarding credit for courses centered on political activism or “action civics.”

The legislation also mandates Holocaust education beginning with the 2026-27 school year, requiring school districts to incorporate age-appropriate instruction for middle and high school students into existing required courses. The bill cites research showing gaps in Iowa students’ understanding of the Holocaust and antisemitism, calling it “a persistent, pervasive, and disturbing problem in contemporary American society.”

Instruction would cover the causes and consequences of the Holocaust, antisemitism, resistance efforts and the role of U.S. forces in defeating Nazi Germany. School districts would be required to provide professional development training for teachers delivering that instruction and to use approved educational organizations and materials. The state Department of Education would issue annual reports tracking implementation.

Education advocates push back on curriculum mandates

Education groups broadly told lawmakers they support the subject matter included in the bill but opposed writing detailed curriculum requirements into state law, arguing much of the content is already addressed in recently updated social studies standards.

A 2024 law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds directed the Iowa Department of Education to revise the state’s social studies standards with a focus on U.S. history, Western civilization, founding documents and civics. The law specifically required instruction in the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers and the Emancipation Proclamation.

Michelle Johnson, speaking for the Iowa Association of School Boards, said the revised social studies standards also include Holocaust education and many of the topics listed in the bill.

“We generally oppose bills that put very prescriptive curriculum into code,” Johnson said, arguing that lawmakers should continue setting broad expectations while leaving detailed implementation to education professionals.

Dave Doughton, representing School Administrators of Iowa and Rural School Advocates of Iowa, echoed those concerns, saying districts support the goals of the legislation but worry about duplication and timing. He pointed specifically to Holocaust training timelines and a civics testing mandate, noting schools are still awaiting a previously required civics assessment from the state.

Melissa Peterson of the Iowa State Education Association said her organization is registered neutral but raised concerns about embedding specific Holocaust education organizations in statute rather than maintaining flexibility through Department of Education guidance.

Margaret Buckton, representing the Urban Education Network of Iowa and Rural School Advocates of Iowa, emphasized the importance of the state’s five-year standards review cycle, arguing that codifying curriculum details could limit expert input and adaptability. She also warned that existing civics testing mandates have already created implementation challenges for districts.

Connie Ryan of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund opposed the bill, saying curriculum decisions should remain with educators and expressing concern about language referencing “Christian liberty” in the legislation.

Kurth, the lone Democrat on the subcommittee, questioned both the substance and timing of the proposal.

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“I have a lot of concerns about this bill,” Kurth said, arguing it removes flexibility from school boards and teachers. “We just went through a standards rewrite. Why would we want to do it all over again?”

Boden thanked speakers for their input and said lawmakers would continue discussions as the bill moves forward.

The House Education Committee was scheduled to take up the legislation later Wednesday.

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com