Should Students Have to Pass a Civics Test to Graduate?

1. Set Focus
Frame the inquiry with this essential question: How do schools best prepare young people to be active participants in our democracy?

2. Read and Discuss
Have students read the debate and then answer the following questions:

• What is the issue being debated? How does it relate to current events? (The issue is whether high school students should have to pass a civics test in order to graduate. The issue is timely because 14 states already require it, and 7 are considering bills to do so.)

• Evaluate why these two authors might be interested in and qualified to comment on this issue. (Elizabeth Evans is the director of a civic education program. Diana Hess is the dean of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.) 

• Analyze Evans’s view. (Evans argues in favor of requiring high school students to pass a civics test to graduate. She says that if passing the test is required, then schools will put more focus on teaching civics. She also says that the current state of misinformation plaguing our society is rooted in a broad lack of civics knowledge.)

• Analyze Hess’s view. (Hess argues against requiring passing the test to graduate. She says that successfully answering the test questions requires only rote memorization and no thinking. She says civic education should focus instead on higher-order thinking skills and civil debate.)

4. Writing Prompt
In an essay, evaluate one of the debaters’ arguments. Assess whether the reasoning is valid and whether it’s supported with evidence. Point out biases or missing information.

5. Classroom Debate
Should students have to pass a civics test to graduate? Have students use the authors’ ideas, as well as their own, in a debate. 

6. Vote
Go online to vote in Upfront’s poll—and see how students across the country voted.