JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Rep. Elijah Haahr pre-filed legislation this week to promote American history and civics education in Missouri classrooms. Haahr’s bill, HB 1621, would create the Missouri Civics Education Initiative to require students in public, charter, and private high schools to receive a passing grade on a standardized civics test in order to graduate.
“Ensuring a thorough knowledge of our history and our system of government is a key first step in creating an engaged and active citizenry that will vote and take active roles in the political process,” said Haahr, R-Springfield. “It’s disappointing to see how often citizens of the United States have little understanding of how our government actually works. By putting the Civics Education Initiative in place we can empower Missourians to take prominent roles in leading our state to a better tomorrow.”
Under HB 1621, exams will consist of the same 100 questions used on the civics portion of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services’ U.S. Naturalization test that is taken by immigrants looking to gain American citizenship. The questions cover topics ranging from the United States Constitution to American history to geography. The test can be retaken by the student an unlimited amount of times until a passing grade is obtained.
If passed into law, Missouri would join states such as Arizona, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Idaho, Tennessee, South Carolina, Louisiana and Wisconsin, which all passed Civics Education Initiatives earlier in the year.
If approved by both chambers and signed by the governor, the Missouri Civics Education Initiative would take effect Aug. 28, 2016, and all students entering ninth grade after July 1, 2017, would be required to receive a passing grade on the civics test.
