HIGH SCHOOL CIVICS H.B. 4136 (S-1):
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
House Bill 4136 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
Sponsor: Representative Peter J. Lucido
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require the State Board of Education to revise the high school social studies content standards to cover content covered by the United States naturalization test.
Currently, all schools must provide regular courses of instruction in the Constitution of the United States and the Michigan Constitution. In addition, a high school must require a course in civics in which students are taught the form and functions of the Federal, state, and local governments, and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
The bill would require the State Board, by May 1, 2018, or the next update of the State curriculum content standards after the bill's effective date, whichever occurred first, to revise the content standards for high school social studies to ensure that those standards covered the same content as covered by the 100 questions on the civics portion of the naturalization test used by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services as of December 1, 2016.
Beginning with the first State high school social studies assessment administered after the academic curriculum content standards were revised, the Superintendent of Public Instruction would have to ensure that the social studies assessment included questions related to the learning objectives in the State curriculum standards for high school social studies.
MCL 380.1166 Legislative Analyst: Jeff Mann
FISCAL IMPACT
The Department of Education would experience a one-time cost as a result of ensuring that the high school social studies assessment included questions related to the naturalization test. At this time, the total additional expense is unknown since the Department does not directly break out development and administration of the assessment by subject area. The May 1, 2018, deadline for the new standards should allow enough time for the assessment to be revised without requiring additional appropriations; if additional appropriations were required, however, they would not be significant.
Local school boards would have to ensure that high schools properly incorporated the naturalization exam in the civics class curriculum and ensure that all students passed the test in order to receive their diploma. It is unknown how many high schools currently require the naturalization exam as part of completing the civics course, but it is likely that most schools would need to modify their course curriculum, which would result in some additional costs.
Date Completed: 12-9-16 Fiscal Analyst: Cory Savino
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.