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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 61 FILED ON: 1/3/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 738
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Marcus S. Vaughn
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to civic test requirements for graduation.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Marcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk1/3/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 61 FILED ON: 1/3/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 738
By Representative Vaughn of Wrentham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 738) of
Marcus S. Vaughn relative to requiring high school students to pass a civics test prior to
graduation. Education.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 607 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to civic test requirements for graduation.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 2 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in chapter 296 of the Acts of
22018, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:-
3 “(e) All public high schools shall provide a civics test for all of their students prior to
4graduation. Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, in order to graduate from high school or
5obtain a general equivalency diploma, a pupil must correctly answer at least 60 of the 100
6questions listed on a civics test that is identical to the civics portion of the naturalization test used
7by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. A pupil who does not obtain a
8passing score on the test that is identical to the civics portion of the naturalization test may retake
9the test until the pupil obtains a passing score. Pupils who receive special education shall not be
10required to achieve passing scores on the civics test in order to graduate from high school. 2 of 2
11 (f) The department of elementary and secondary education shall establish rules and
12regulations for monitoring adherence subsection (e).