Bill Text: NJ S2732 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires students in grade 12 to pass United States Citizenship and Immigration Services civics test as part of high school graduation requirements.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-05 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [S2732 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S2732-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Requires students in grade 12 to pass United States Citizenship and Immigration Services civics test as part of high school graduation requirements.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning high school graduation requirements and supplementing P.L.1979, c.241 (C.18A:7C-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, the board of education of a school district shall administer the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services civics test to all students in grade 12 as part of the high school graduation requirements. A student shall successfully answer 6 out of 10 questions randomly selected from the civics test by school district staff in order to meet the requirement for high school graduation.
The board of education, in consultation with parents, teachers, and administrators, shall determine how to best implement the administration of the test.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires a board of education to administer the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services civics test to all students in grade 12 as part of the high school graduation requirements. A student must successfully answer 6 out of 10 questions randomly selected from the 100-question civics test by school district staff in order to graduate from high school. The board of education, in consultation with parents, teachers, and administrators, will determine how to best implement the administration of the test.
Immigrants applying to become citizens must correctly answer six of ten question that are chosen at random from the civics test, which is given verbally. The test includes questions about American government, geography, and history. Ninety percent of new Americans pass it on their first try. However, a number of studies have shown that many high school students do not know basic facts about our Republic, such as the name of the first President of the United States. The goal of this bill is to increase student knowledge of basic facts related to our constitutional government. The more students know, the more they will engage in government and take responsibility for their future.
