OKLAHOMA CITY – House Speaker Pro Tempore Terry O’Donnell, R-Catoosa, won passage Monday of a bill intended to “help students become more engaged citizens.”
House Bill 2030 would require high school students to pass the civics portion of the United States’ naturalization test in order to graduate, beginning in the 2022-23 school year.
“Unfortunately, too many of our students graduate high school without basic knowledge of how our nation was founded or how our system of government works,” O’Donnell said. “This legislation would help correct that, leading to a more engaged and informed electorate in the future.”
O’Donnell said this is the same test required of anyone desiring to become a citizen of the United States. Fourteen other states have adopted similar legislation, he said.
HB 2030 would require subject matter standards for history, social studies, and U.S. Government courses in Oklahoma public schools to include the study of important historical documents, including the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, and Federalist Papers. Subject matter standards for U.S. Government also must include simulations of the democratic process and lessons on the structure and relationship between national, state, county and local governments.
O’Donnell said too many students graduate without being able to answer basic questions such as how many branches of government exist in the United States (legislative, executive and judicial) or what actually is protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution (freedom of speech, the press and religion; the right to assemble peaceably, and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances).
Students would have to achieve only a bare minimum of a score of 60 in order to pass the test before graduation, he said.
“That is not too high of a bar for young adults who will become part of our work force and our communities, and who will be future voters and perhaps even members of our government bodies,” O’Donnell said.
An amendment to the bill would exempt students who have an individualized education plan (IEP).
HB 2030 passed the House of Representatives on a vote of 80-18. It now advances to the state Senate, where it is sponsored by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond.
Members of the House Democratic Caucus opposed the bill.
“As a former 8th-grade public school history teacher, I can attest that teachers already cover in-depth what the U.S. naturalization test assesses,” said Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman. “I know that children learn better by doing rather than by prepping for a one-time test. If we really want our students to learn about civics on a deeper level, we should invest in civics curriculum that truly engages our children.”
“I’m not concerned about making Oklahoma students take the U.S. citizenship test,” said Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City. “But concerns expressed about people in Portland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., won’t be solved by making Oklahoma students take a test. Oklahomans deserve better than political posturing in the guise of pandering to patriotism.”
“I like the idea of our students taking the U.S. naturalization test as an assignment as a part of a unit when the content is delivered, traditionally in the 8th grade,” said Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa. “I can’t support making it a graduation requirement, which only creates more unnecessary mandatory testing for our children. Oklahoma parents have spoken loud and clear: our kids have testing fatigue. Testing isn’t the only way to assess a child’s mastery of a subject.”