Proposed Bill Would Mandate High School Seniors Pass Citizenship Test to Graduate

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Here’s an interesting piece of proposed legislation in the Peace Garden State: a bipartisan bill recently unveiled to the North Dakota legislature would require high school students to take and pass the same citizenship exam given to immigrants seeking naturalization in order to graduate.

North Dakota’s first lady Betsy Dalrymple and state School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler unveiled a proposed bipartisan legislation on Monday that would require every high school students to get a passing grade on the civics exam to graduate.

Initiative spokesman Sam Stone says the goal is to enact similar laws in all states by 2017, when the Constitution turns 230 years old.

He says that eight states, including the Dakotas, are supporting the idea so far.

Backers say the goal is for North Dakota high school students to learn more about how American government works before they graduate.