Senate File 369 - Reprinted SENATE FILE 369 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1030) (As Amended and Passed by the Senate April 14, 2025 ) A BILL FOR An Act requiring students to pass the United States citizenship 1 and immigration services naturalization civics test as 2 a condition of high school graduation and high school 3 equivalency diplomas. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 SF 369 (3) 91 jda/jh/mb
S.F. 369 Section 1. Section 256.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsections: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 69. a. Develop and distribute to school 3 districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and 4 innovation zone schools a test in multiple-choice format that 5 consists of all of the questions contained in the most recent 6 version of the civics test developed by the United States 7 citizenship and immigration services. 8 b. On or before the January 31 immediately subsequent to 9 each general election which is a presidential election, update 10 the test described in paragraph a and distribute the updated 11 test to school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter 12 schools, and innovation zone schools. 13 NEW SUBSECTION . 70. a. Study the relationship between high 14 school graduation rates and the number of students who attain a 15 passing score on the civics test described in section 280.9A, 16 subsection lA, and submit a report that contains the results of 17 the study to the general assembly on or before June 30, 2029. 18 b. This subsection is repealed July 1, 2029. 19 Sec. 2. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 20 by adding the following new paragraph: 21 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0r. Be subject to and comply with the 22 requirements of section 280.9A, subsection lA, related to the 23 administration of a civics test in the same manner as a school 24 district. 25 Sec. 3. Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 26 by adding the following new paragraph: 27 NEW PARAGRAPH . r. Be subject to and comply with the 28 requirements of section 280.9A, subsection lA, related to the 29 administration of a civics test in the same manner as a school 30 district. 31 Sec. 4. Section 259A.1, Code 2025, is amended to read as 32 follows: 33 259A.1 Assessment of competency. 34 The department of education shall cause to be made available 35 -1- SF 369 (3) 91 jda/jh/mb 1/ 3
S.F. 369 for qualified individuals a high school equivalency diploma. 1 The diploma shall be issued on the basis of demonstrated to 2 qualified individuals who successfully pass the civics test as 3 set forth in section 280.9A, and demonstrate competence in all 4 of the following core areas: reading, language arts, literacy, 5 mathematics, science, and social studies. 6 Sec. 5. Section 280.9A, Code 2025, is amended by adding the 7 following new subsection: 8 NEW SUBSECTION . 1A. a. Commencing with the school year 9 beginning July 1, 2026, the board of directors of each local 10 public school district and the authorities in charge of each 11 accredited nonpublic school shall administer to students 12 enrolled in grades nine through twelve the most recent version 13 of the test distributed to the school district or accredited 14 nonpublic school by the director of the department of education 15 pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 69, in written or 16 electronic format, and shall ensure that each student receives 17 one passing score on the test as a condition of graduation. 18 The board of directors of a local public school district and 19 the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school 20 shall not be required to administer the test to a student who 21 has received a passing score on the test. 22 b. A student must answer at least sixty percent of the 23 questions on the test described in paragraph a correctly 24 to attain a passing score. A student who fails to answer at 25 least sixty percent of the questions on such test correctly may 26 retake the test as many times as is necessary. 27 c. The board of directors of a local public school district 28 or the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school 29 shall not impose or collect any fee in connection with the 30 administration of the test described in paragraph a . 31 d. The board of directors of a local public school district 32 and the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school 33 may do all of the following: 34 (1) Modify the test described in paragraph a for a student 35 -2- SF 369 (3) 91 jda/jh/mb 2/ 3
S.F. 369 who has an individualized education program or a plan under 1 section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. 794. 2 (2) Develop and administer an alternate test to a student 3 who has a significant intellectual disability. 4 (3) Modify the test described in paragraph a for a student 5 who is an English learner as defined in section 280.4. 6 e. On or before June 30 of each year, the board of directors 7 of each local public school district and the authorities in 8 charge of each accredited nonpublic school shall submit the 9 results of the test described in paragraph a to the department 10 of education. 11 f. The state board of education shall adopt rules pursuant 12 to chapter 17A to administer this subsection. 13 -3- SF 369 (3) 91 jda/jh/mb 3/ 3