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. (Formerly SSB 1030.) Effective date: 07/01/2025.
SF 369 requires Iowa students to pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization civics test as a condition of graduating from high school, beginning with the school year starting July 1, 2026. The Department of Education must develop and distribute the test to school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, and must update it after each presidential election cycle using the most recent USCIS civics test. Students in grades 9 through 12 must take the test in written or electronic form, and a passing score is set at 60 percent correct. Students who do not pass may retake the test as many times as needed, and schools may not charge a fee for administration of the test.
The bill also applies the civics-test requirement to high school equivalency diplomas by amending the competency assessment statute, so qualified individuals seeking a diploma must pass the civics test along with demonstrating competency in core academic areas. It allows accommodations for students with individualized education programs, Section 504 plans, English learners, and students with significant intellectual disabilities, including modified or alternate tests. Schools must report test results annually to the Department of Education, and the State Board of Education is directed to adopt implementing rules.
In addition to the graduation mandate, the bill requires the Department of Education to study the relationship between high school graduation rates and the number of students passing the civics test, with a report due by June 30, 2029. That study provision is temporary and repeals on July 1, 2029. The bill therefore changes both graduation requirements and the framework for high school equivalency diplomas, while also creating a short-term data collection and reporting obligation for the state.
The overall sentiment in the recorded votes was mixed but ultimately favorable to passage. The bill advanced through committee and passed both chambers, though several proposed amendments were rejected by substantial margins, indicating disagreement over details even as the core bill retained support. The final passage votes suggest a majority in both the Senate and House supported the measure.
The main points of contention appear to have centered on whether a civics test should be required for graduation at all, how the requirement should be implemented, and what amendments should be attached to the bill. The opposition to multiple amendments suggests some lawmakers sought to alter or limit the bill’s scope, while supporters favored making civics knowledge a graduation benchmark and extending that standard to equivalency diplomas.
SF 369 amends Iowa education law to create a new statewide civics-test graduation requirement for public school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, and it also modifies the high school equivalency diploma statute to require passage of the same test. It imposes new duties on the Department of Education to develop, update, distribute, and collect results for the test, and it authorizes accommodations and alternate assessments for certain students. The bill also adds a temporary study and reporting requirement on graduation rates and civics-test performance.
The bill appears to have had generally supportive momentum overall, with committee approval and final passage in both chambers. However, the vote history shows notable resistance to several amendments, suggesting that while the concept of a civics-test requirement had enough support to pass, there was meaningful disagreement over the bill’s details and possible modifications. The final outcome indicates the bill’s core policy was favored by a majority of legislators.
The primary controversy was whether requiring every student to pass the USCIS civics test is an appropriate graduation standard and how strict that requirement should be. Opponents of amendments likely wanted to change the bill’s implementation, scope, or exemptions, while supporters emphasized civics knowledge and uniform statewide standards. Additional concern may have involved the burden on students with disabilities, English learners, and students seeking equivalency diplomas, which the bill addresses through accommodations and alternate testing provisions.