As high school graduation crawls closer, seniors are preparing to walk across the stage, shake hands and receive their long awaited diploma. But, next year’s seniors will have one more item to check off of their to-do list before they can graduate. Recently, the Utah Senate passed a bill that would require students to pass a civics test, similar to the US citizenship test, before they can graduate. The bill goes into effect July 1st of this year. The class of 2015 will not have to take the new mandatory civics test, so don’t worry seniors.
Is this new requirement just another stress for students or will it actually be helpful for the future? As the student’s study for this test, they will learn more about their government. Ages 18 to 24 has the lowest voter turnout rate with 58.5%, but if new voters know more about what they are voting for, they may be more willing to go to the polls.
Those wanting to become an American must pass the U.S. Citizenship test, yet many natural-born Americans cannot answer questions from the same test. Requiring high school seniors to pass a civics test similar to that which immigrants have to take to become a U.S. citizen will increase the general population’s knowledge of how our government works. As those seniors graduate and branch out into the world, hopefully they will be more likely to vote and participate in government. It may be another hassle for seniors, but the knowledge gained will outweigh the trouble.
Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper says that the bill will not change school curriculum and will be taken independently. The test can be taken an unlimited number of times until the student passes. “I don’t want this to be a part of the curriculum,” Stephenson said. “Instead, this will set a foundation so that every student who takes that U.S. history course hopefully will have already passed this test. … This should be separate from the classroom entirely, in my opinion.”
To pass the civics test, the students must answer 35 out of 50 questions from the U.S. citizenship test correctly. Schools are required “to administer a basic civics test or alternate assessment to a {high} public school student.” The test can be taken one section at a time or all at once and can be given to students as young as sixth grade, thus giving more time and more opportunity for students to pass it before they even become seniors.
As much stress as school gives teenagers, this new requirement will help in the long run by giving students a knowledge of their government and a desire to participate by voting. Even though tests are annoying, studying for this test will help students in the future.
Is this new requirement just another stress for students or will it actually be helpful for the future? As the student’s study for this test, they will learn more about their government. Ages 18 to 24 has the lowest voter turnout rate with 58.5%, but if new voters know more about what they are voting for, they may be more willing to go to the polls.
Those wanting to become an American must pass the U.S. Citizenship test, yet many natural-born Americans cannot answer questions from the same test. Requiring high school seniors to pass a civics test similar to that which immigrants have to take to become a U.S. citizen will increase the general population’s knowledge of how our government works. As those seniors graduate and branch out into the world, hopefully they will be more likely to vote and participate in government. It may be another hassle for seniors, but the knowledge gained will outweigh the trouble.
Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper says that the bill will not change school curriculum and will be taken independently. The test can be taken an unlimited number of times until the student passes. “I don’t want this to be a part of the curriculum,” Stephenson said. “Instead, this will set a foundation so that every student who takes that U.S. history course hopefully will have already passed this test. … This should be separate from the classroom entirely, in my opinion.”
To pass the civics test, the students must answer 35 out of 50 questions from the U.S. citizenship test correctly. Schools are required “to administer a basic civics test or alternate assessment to a {high} public school student.” The test can be taken one section at a time or all at once and can be given to students as young as sixth grade, thus giving more time and more opportunity for students to pass it before they even become seniors.
As much stress as school gives teenagers, this new requirement will help in the long run by giving students a knowledge of their government and a desire to participate by voting. Even though tests are annoying, studying for this test will help students in the future.