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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
civics test; passing score
Purpose
Increases, beginning with the graduating class of 2026, the number of questions a pupil must correctly answer on a test identical to the civics portion of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Test (civics test). Allows a pupil in grade seven or eight to take the civics test and outlines reporting requirements.
Background
The State Board of Education (SBE) must prescribe a minimum course of study and competency requirements for a pupil to graduate from high school or obtain a high school equivalency diploma that incorporates academic standards as prescribed. To fulfill the competency requirements for social studies, a pupil must correctly answer at least 60 of the 100 questions listed on the civics test. A school district governing board or charter school governing body must: 1) determine how to administer the civics test; and 2) document that a pupil passed the civics test on the pupil's transcript. A pupil may retake the civics test until the pupil obtains a passing score (A.R.S. § 15-701.01).
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) maintains the Arizona School Report Cards website with school-level data for charter schools, district schools and school districts as outlined in statute (ADE).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Increases, from 60 to 70, the minimum number of questions a pupil must correctly answer on the civics test to graduate from high school or obtain an equivalency diploma beginning with the graduating class of 2026.
2. Requires a district school or charter school to document on a pupil's transcript only a pass or fail designation, rather than that the pupil passed the civics test.
3. Allows a pupil in grade seven or eight to take the civics test and, if the pupil correctly answers at least 70 of the 100 questions, requires the school to document only a pass or fail designation on the pupil's transcript.
4. Precludes, from being required to retake the civics test in high school, a pupil in grade seven or eight who correctly answers at least 70 of the 100 questions.
5. Requires each school district and charter school to report to ADE the following aggregate data relating to the civics test, organized by grade level:
a) the median score;
b) the percentage of pupils who passed by correctly answering the minimum number of questions;
c) the percentage of pupils who failed by correctly answering fewer than the minimum number of questions; and
d) any other data required by ADE.
6. Prohibits a school district or charter school from including pupil's personally identifiable information in the reported data.
7. Requires ADE to make the civics test data publicly available on the Arizona School Report Cards website, organized at a minimum by school district or charter school and grade level.
8. Makes technical and conforming changes.
9. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ED 2/8/22 DPA 10-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/17/22 59-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
February 25, 2022
LB/MS/slp