American Civics Act
"These are our children, and not long from now, it will be for them to vote on who sits in your chairs and who stands at this podium. How can we expect them to protect the principles on which this country was founded, if we are not preparing them for that task right now?"
Governor Ducey, January 2015
The American Civics Act requires that all Arizona students pass a basic civics test before graduating from high school. It was the first bill Governor Ducey signed, making Arizona the first state in the country to enact such a law.
"There may be a lot of things that Democrats and Republicans disagree on, but educating our students about American civics is something almost everyone can agree is vital."
-Governor Ducey, February 2017
The American Civics Act requires high school students to correctly answer at least 60 out of 100 questions on a test identical to the civics component of the naturalization test used by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You can find a copy of the USCIS Naturalization test here.
Click here to see enabling legislation.
NEW: GOVERNOR DUCEY SIGNS BILL PROMOTING CIVICS EDUCATION
May 15, 2018
On May 15, 2018, Governor Doug Ducey signed SB 1444, further establishing Arizona as a national leader in promoting civics education by creating the American Civics Education Pilot Program for grades 9-12. Students in the program will take at least one semester of an American civics course and take an assessment at the end.
“Arizona led the nation when we became the first state to pass the American Civics Act,” said Governor Ducey. “Today, I’m proud to continue that leadership by establishing a program that recognizes students for their civics achievements. We have a responsibility to ensure tomorrow’s leaders are equipped with an understanding of our country’s founding principles and democratic institutions. Arizona will continue to be a model for the rest of the nation in advancing civics education. Thank you to Senator Kimberly Yee for your work on this important issue.”
AMERICAN CIVICS ACT: Statutory Requirements
- School district boards and charter school governing bodies may decide how the test is administered
- Students must correctly answer at least 60 of the 100 questions on the civics test
- Student may retake the test as many times as necessary to pass
- Schools must document a student’s passing grade on their transcript
- Students receiving special education services are exempt from obtaining a passing score unless
- required by an IEP
Please find the complete text of the statute here.
REQUEST A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION
To request a Certificate of Recognition for high school students who have met the American Civics Act requirements, please click here. All certificates will be emailed back to the requestor in PDF form.
Civics Test and Adminstration Manual (Arizona Department of Education)
As a courtesy, the Arizona Department of Education, with help from the Maricopa County Education Service Agency and Arizona educators, has developed a mostly multiple choice version of the required test. Click here to find a copy of the manual.
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services - Study Materials
Project Citizen (Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education)
Project Citizen is a portfolio-based civic education program for grades 5-12. It helps teachers and students understand public policy and use this information to create change in their community thereby empowering them and their teachers. Click here to read Project Citizen historical information, advisory committee members, supporting organizations and past state champions.
We The People (Law for Kids)
The primary goal of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is to promote civic competence and responsibility among the nation's elementary and secondary students..The instructional program enhances students understanding of the institutions of American constitutional democracy. At the same time, students discover the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Click here to find out more.
Founded by Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in 2009, iCivics, is a web-based education project designed to teach students civics and inspire them to be active participants in U.S. democracy. Find out more...
Meaningful Play: Play games, earn points, and put them to work supporting fellow students! Donate your points to your favorite student service project, and every semester, iCivics will support the group with the most points.
Welcome Teachers: iCivics supports you with effective and engaging digital resources for your classroom and students.
CIVICS GAME ADVANCED BY FORMER JUSTICE IS CLASSROOM HIT
November 13, 2016
Amid a contentious presidential campaign, a civics videogame from a group founded by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor got a lot of play in New York and New Jersey classrooms. iCivics, a nonprofit, has released 19 free games aimed at helping students in grades 4 to 12 improve civil discourse, use evidence in arguments and understand others’ views.
Click here to read more.
ARIZONA HIGH SCHOOL CITIZEN APP
April 15, 2016
Riley Danier, a 16-year-old Primavera Online High School student, has developed a free app to help students pass the Arizona civics test, which soon will be required for students to graduate. Read more here.
Riley's app can be downloaded at Lawforkids.org. Law for Kids provides resources, information, and news on Arizona laws to kids and parents.