NW Minnesota News

On Feb. 5, the Minnesota Senate Education Committee held an informational hearing about a basic civics exam that is required for high school students to graduate after a lack of accountability and insufficient reporting requirements has drawn public concern.

The law went into effect in 2016 and mandates that students pass a basic civics test. A student’s score is not required to be on his or her high school transcript, and those who answer less than 30 questions out of the 50 cannot be denied a diploma. These scores are not reported to the Minnesota Department of Education, and districts are not required to keep records, according to a release from the Minnesota Senate Republicans Caucus. 

Committee Chair Sen. Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) will introduce a bill this year requiring that school districts report the percentage of graduates from the previous year who passed this required test. Students who do not pass the exam will not be precluded from graduating.

“This reporting will shine a light of accountability on schools and help administrators, legislators, and families determine what improvements need to be made to ensure graduates are prepared and ready for the responsibility of representative government,” Nelson said.

The exam uses many questions on the United States Citizenship Test, as chosen by Minnesota civics teachers and the Learning Law and Democracy Foundation. A passing score is answering at least 30 of the 50 questions.