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SSB 1030

A bill for an act requiring students to pass the United States citizenship and immigration services naturalization civics test as a condition of high school graduation and high school equivalency diplomas.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Requires a passing score on a USCIS civics-based assessment for high school graduation and HSED, with no testing fees, starting in 2026-27.

Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 369.
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Bill Summary · SSB 1030

Summary of SSB 1030 (renumbered SF 369)

A bill that would require a civics-based assessment derived from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalization civics test as a condition of high school graduation and for the issuance of high school equivalency diplomas.

Purpose and intent

  • Establish a statewide graduation and high school equivalency diploma (HSED) requirement grounded in knowledge of U.S. civics as tested by the USCIS naturalization civics exam.
  • Ensure that students demonstrate a minimum level of civics understanding as part of earning a high school diploma or HSED.

Key provisions

  • Eligibility and scope:
    • Applies to all students in grades 9–12 in public districts and the authorities in charge of nonpublic schools.
    • Applies to individuals seeking a high school equivalency diploma.
  • Assessment and passing standard:
    • Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year (school year starting July 1, 2026), students must attain a passing score on an assessment that uses multiple-choice questions from the most recent USCIS civics test version.
    • A passing score requires correctly answering at least 60 percent of the questions.
    • Students who do not achieve 60 percent may retake the assessment as many times as necessary.
  • Fees:
    • Districts and accredited nonpublic schools may not charge any fees for administering the assessment.
  • Implementation and governance:
    • The state board of education is tasked with adopting rules to administer these provisions.
  • High school equivalency diplomas:
    • Individuals pursuing a high school equivalency diploma must also pass the same civics examination.

Who is affected

  • Public school districts (board of directors must implement the requirement).
  • Accredited nonpublic schools (administrative authorities must implement).
  • Students in grades 9–12 seeking graduation.
  • Individuals pursuing high school equivalency diplomas.

Timeline and procedural status

  • Introduced: January 22, 2025.
  • Subcommittee: January 22, 2025; meeting held January 30, 2025; Subcommittee recommended amendment and passage.
  • Committee action: January 30, 2025 Subcommittee; February 18, 2025 committee report approved the bill and renumbered it as SF 369.
  • Renumbering: The bill, after committee action, was renumbered from SSB 1030 to SF 369.
  • Effective date for enforceable requirements: July 1, 2026 (start of the 2026-2027 school year).

Administrative and implementation notes

  • The bill requires rulemaking by the state board of education to operationalize the assessment, scoring, retake procedures, and administration across districts and nonpublic schools.
  • No explicit funding mechanism is specified in the text provided; however, the prohibition on fees for administration removes a potential cost burden on districts and schools.

Potential impact considerations (neutral)

  • Increased emphasis on civics literacy among high school students and HSED applicants.
  • Administrative burden on school districts to administer and track the civics assessment.
  • Equitable access ensured by prohibiting administration fees.
  • Potential alignment with broader civics education objectives in graduation requirements.

This summary captures the essential aspects of SSB 1030/SF 369 as introduced and advanced through committee action, including purpose, key requirements, affected groups, and notable implementation details.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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