Indiana lawmakers back away from mandating citizenship test

State lawmakers have put the brakes on a measure that would have required Indiana students to pass the U.S. citizenship test to earn a high school diploma.

The proposed new graduation requirement had been approved by the Senate, but the House Education Committee eliminated it last week.

Under the panel’s changes to the legislation, schools would instead be directed to administer the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services exam as part of a U.S. government class students are already required to complete to get their diploma.

Committee members agreed that Indiana’s schools need more civics education.

But The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported they concluded that an additional student test, particularly as a graduation requirement, is out of step with the General Assembly’s recent efforts to minimize the student testing burden.