Senate
File
369
-
Enrolled
Senate
File
369
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.
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
Section
1.
Section
256.9,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
subsections:
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
69.
a.
Develop
and
distribute
to
school
districts,
accredited
nonpublic
schools,
charter
schools,
and
innovation
zone
schools
a
test
in
multiple-choice
format
that
consists
of
all
of
the
questions
contained
in
the
most
recent
version
of
the
civics
test
developed
by
the
United
States
citizenship
and
immigration
services.
b.
On
or
before
the
January
31
immediately
subsequent
to
each
general
election
which
is
a
presidential
election,
update
the
test
described
in
paragraph
“a”
and
distribute
the
updated
test
to
school
districts,
accredited
nonpublic
schools,
charter
schools,
and
innovation
zone
schools.
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
70.
a.
Study
the
relationship
between
high
school
graduation
rates
and
the
number
of
students
who
attain
a
passing
score
on
the
civics
test
described
in
section
280.9A,
subsection
lA,
and
submit
a
report
that
contains
the
results
of
the
study
to
the
general
assembly
on
or
before
June
30,
2029.
b.
This
subsection
is
repealed
July
1,
2029.
Sec.
2.
Section
256E.7,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
amended
Senate
File
369,
p.
2
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
0r.
Be
subject
to
and
comply
with
the
requirements
of
section
280.9A,
subsection
lA,
related
to
the
administration
of
a
civics
test
in
the
same
manner
as
a
school
district.
Sec.
3.
Section
256F.4,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
r.
Be
subject
to
and
comply
with
the
requirements
of
section
280.9A,
subsection
lA,
related
to
the
administration
of
a
civics
test
in
the
same
manner
as
a
school
district.
Sec.
4.
Section
259A.1,
Code
2025,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
259A.1
Assessment
of
competency.
The
department
of
education
shall
cause
to
be
made
available
for
qualified
individuals
a
high
school
equivalency
diploma.
The
diploma
shall
be
issued
on
the
basis
of
demonstrated
to
qualified
individuals
who
successfully
pass
the
civics
test
as
set
forth
in
section
280.9A,
and
demonstrate
competence
in
all
of
the
following
core
areas:
reading,
language
arts,
literacy,
mathematics,
science,
and
social
studies.
Sec.
5.
Section
280.9A,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
subsection:
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
1A.
a.
Commencing
with
the
school
year
beginning
July
1,
2026,
the
board
of
directors
of
each
local
public
school
district
and
the
authorities
in
charge
of
each
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
administer
to
students
enrolled
in
grades
nine
through
twelve
the
most
recent
version
of
the
test
distributed
to
the
school
district
or
accredited
nonpublic
school
by
the
director
of
the
department
of
education
pursuant
to
section
256.9,
subsection
69,
in
written
or
electronic
format,
and
shall
ensure
that
each
student
receives
one
passing
score
on
the
test
as
a
condition
of
graduation.
The
board
of
directors
of
a
local
public
school
district
and
the
authorities
in
charge
of
an
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
not
be
required
to
administer
the
test
to
a
student
who
has
received
a
passing
score
on
the
test.
b.
A
student
must
answer
at
least
sixty
percent
of
the
questions
on
the
test
described
in
paragraph
“a”
correctly
Senate
File
369,
p.
3
to
attain
a
passing
score.
A
student
who
fails
to
answer
at
least
sixty
percent
of
the
questions
on
such
test
correctly
may
retake
the
test
as
many
times
as
is
necessary.
c.
The
board
of
directors
of
a
local
public
school
district
or
the
authorities
in
charge
of
an
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
not
impose
or
collect
any
fee
in
connection
with
the
administration
of
the
test
described
in
paragraph
“a”
.
d.
The
board
of
directors
of
a
local
public
school
district
and
the
authorities
in
charge
of
an
accredited
nonpublic
school
may
do
all
of
the
following:
(1)
Modify
the
test
described
in
paragraph
“a”
for
a
student
who
has
an
individualized
education
program
or
a
plan
under
section
504
of
the
federal
Rehabilitation
Act,
29
U.S.C.
§794.
(2)
Develop
and
administer
an
alternate
test
to
a
student
who
has
a
significant
intellectual
disability.
(3)
Modify
the
test
described
in
paragraph
“a”
for
a
student
who
is
an
English
learner
as
defined
in
section
280.4.
e.
On
or
before
June
30
of
each
year,
the
board
of
directors
of
each
local
public
school
district
and
the
authorities
in
charge
of
each
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
submit
the
results
of
the
test
described
in
paragraph
“a”
to
the
department
of
education.
f.
The
state
board
of
education
shall
adopt
rules
pursuant
to
chapter
17A
to
administer
this
subsection.
______________________________
AMY
SINCLAIR
President
of
the
Senate
______________________________
PAT
GRASSLEY
Speaker
of
the
House
I
hereby
certify
that
this
bill
originated
in
the
Senate
and
is
known
as
Senate
File
369,
Ninety-first
General
Assembly.
______________________________
W.
CHARLES
SMITHSON
Secretary
of
the
Senate
Approved
_______________,
2025
______________________________
KIM
REYNOLDS
Governor