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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill requires an individual to pass a basic civics test as a condition for receiving a
10 high school diploma or adult education secondary diploma.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ defines terms;
14 ▸ requires a public school student to pass a basic civics test, or alternate assessment,
15 as a condition for receiving a high school diploma;
16 ▸ requires a student enrolled in an adult education program to pass a basic civics test
17 as a condition for receiving an adult education secondary diploma;
18 ▸ specifies the number of correct answers an individual must provide to pass a basic
19 civics test; and
20 ▸ requires the State Board of Education to make rules.
21 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
22 None
23 Other Special Clauses:
24 This bill provides a special effective date.
25 Utah Code Sections Affected:
26 ENACTS:
27 53A-13-109.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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29 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
30 Section 1. Section 53A-13-109.5 is enacted to read:
31 53A-13-109.5. American civics education initiative.
32 (1) As used in this section:
33 (a) "Adult education program" means an organized educational program below the
34 postsecondary level, other than a regular full-time K-12 secondary education program,
35 provided by an LEA or nonprofit organization that provides the opportunity for an adult to
36 further the adult's high school level education.
37 (b) "Basic civics test" means a test that includes 50 of the 100 questions on the civics
38 test form used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services:
39 (i) to determine that an individual applying for United States citizenship meets the
40 basic citizenship skills specified in 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1423; and
41 (ii) in accordance with 8 C.F.R. Sec. 312.2.
42 (c) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
43 (d) "LEA" means:
44 (i) a school district;
45 (ii) a charter school; or
46 (iii) the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
47 (2) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), the board shall require:
48 (i) a public school student who graduates on or after January 1, 2016, to pass a basic
49 civics test as a condition for receiving a high school diploma; and
50 (ii) a student enrolled in an adult education program to pass a basic civics test as a
51 condition for receiving an adult education secondary diploma.
52 (b) The board may require a public school student to pass an alternate assessment
53 instead of a basic civics test if the student qualifies for an alternate assessment, as defined in
54 board rule.
55 (3) An individual who correctly answers a minimum of 35 out of the 50 questions on a
56 basic civics test passes the test and an individual who correctly answers fewer than 35 out of 50
57 questions on a basic civics test does not pass the test.
58 (4) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
59 board shall make rules that:
60 (a) require an LEA that serves secondary students to administer a basic civics test or
61 alternate assessment to a public school student enrolled in the LEA;
62 (b) require an adult education program provider to administer a basic civics test to an
63 individual who intends to receive an adult education secondary diploma;
64 (c) allow an individual to take a basic civics test as many times as needed in order to
65 pass the test; and
66 (d) for the alternate assessment described in Subsection (2)(b), describe:
67 (i) the content of an alternate assessment;
68 (ii) how a public school student qualifies for an alternate assessment; and
69 (iii) how an LEA determines if a student passes an alternate assessment.
70 Section 2. Effective date.
71 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2015.