Conference committee proposes 20-question civics test for grades 6–12, delays final action until absent senator returns

Committee members proposed narrowing the civics-test requirement in a conference bill to a 20-question exam for middle and high school students, with a 70% passing score and limits on repeated questions for retakes.

The proposal — discussed as part of the bill identified earlier in the session as 381 and later referenced as shell number 2412 — would use 20 random questions and permit no more than 25% of the questions on a retake to be the same, "so it prevents... it's the same 20 questions every time," a committee member said. The same speaker said the default testing language would be English for middle and high school students.

A staff reviser told the committee that existing special-education accommodation language (IEPs) would apply to the test, meaning students with documented accommodations would receive those supports during administration. Committee members raised concern about newly arrived English learners and whether a written-only English test would disadvantage a "brand new newcomer." The committee agreed to pause formal decisions until Senator Sykes could return and to continue discussion in caucus before taking final action.

Why it matters: The civics-test provisions would affect the content and administration of assessments for thousands of secondary students if enacted; limits on reused questions and the application of IEP accommodations shape how easily students can demonstrate knowledge and how districts must administer the test.

Supporting details and outstanding items: The committee member who proposed the rules emphasized randomization and the 25% retake overlap cap; a reviser confirmed IEP accommodations apply. The proposal as discussed applied only to middle and high schools and did not finalize whether oral versus written English testing options would be permitted for particular students; the committee deferred final decisions pending further consultation and the return of an absent senator.

Next steps: No vote was taken during the session. The conference committee paused to caucus and said it would revisit the civics-test language when Senator Sykes returned or in subsequent conference meetings.