ANDERSON — Not one more test.
That’s the message Anderson High School students would deliver to an Indiana lawmaker who wants Indiana school children to pass the national citizenship test to graduate.
”We just talked about this in government class,” said senior Brie Broadus. “I just feel if we’re born and raised here, why do we have to take a harder test than the people coming here?”
”We are all learning this in government already,” added Katie Urbanski, also a senior. “If we’re passing this in government, why do we have to pass another test?”
The civics exam Rep. Timothy Wesco, R-Osceola, wants students to take is the same one immigrants take to become naturalized.
Wesco told members of the House Education Committee this week he’s concerned graduates don’t have an adequate understanding of government and citizen responsibilities.
“This bill is a signal of what’s important,” Wesco said during the hearing.
Wesco noted, for example, that Indiana had the lowest voter turnout of all 50 states in November’s election. He also said national surveys indicate that young adults have trouble answering basic questions about government.
Under his proposal, House Bill 1296, students would have to score 60 percent on the 100-question test to pass. They could begin taking it in the eighth grade.
At least 14 other states, including Indiana, are considering similar legislation.
Arizona became the first state to enact the new test last week when Gov. Doug Ducey signed it into law. The class of 2017 will be the first group of students affected.
During this week’s hearing, education committee members supported Wesco’s desire to promote civic engagement among young people, but expressed misgivings about adding another test to the mix.
That’s one reason why Rep. Robert Behning, the Indianapolis Republican who chairs the education committee, wants to have more discussion about the proposal.
A spokesman from the Indiana Department of Education also pointed out that newly adopted state education standards incorporate lessons in history and government in grades five, eight, 11 and 12.
If the goal of the test is to foster more civic engagement by young people, students at Anderson said simply requiring students to pass a test won’t work.
“I feel like a current events class would better for keeping people interested in what’s going on,” said student Ethan Strangeway.
In addition, he said candidates themselves need to do a better job of engaging young people.
Senior Hamilton Smith added that many students are concerned about the intense focus on tests.
“There’s so much focus on standardized testing, it’s really discouraging to the students,” Smith said. “They’re trained to retain the information until they take the test, and then they forget it and study for the next test.”