Arizona will require students to pass civics test

Mary Beth Faller | The Arizona Republic

PHOENIX — Arizona will became the first state to require high school students to pass a civics test to graduate when the governor signs a bill that was fast-tracked Thursday.

The measure sailed through the Legislature's committees Thursday morning and was approved by both chambers Thursday afternoon.

Daniel Scarpinato, Gov. Doug Ducey's spokesman, said the governor would sign the bill Thursday, as he promised in his State of the State speech Monday.

The American Civics Act will require students to pass 60 of the 100 questions on the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization civics test, and they can retake the test until they pass, starting in eighth grade.

The requirement will start for the class of 2017, today's high school sophomores.

It will be up to school districts and charter schools to determine how to include civics instruction in their curricula and how to test their students.

Sydney Hay of Silver Bullet, a consulting firm, said that with Ducey's signature, Arizona will be the first state to pass such a measure. Her firm is working to pass the bill in all states by Sept. 17, 2017, the 230th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution.

She said North Dakota is also fast-tracking the bill. In all, 18 states are likely to pass the bill this year, she said.