Requiring instruction to provide students with an understanding of communist and socialist regimes and ideologies and that students pass an American civics examination in order to graduate with a high school diploma.

As Amended by House Committee
{As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole}
Session of 2026
SENATE BILL No. 381
By Committee on Education
1-26
AN ACT concerning education; relating to curriculum for social studies;
requiring instruction to provide students with an understanding of
communist, fascist and socialist regimes and ideologies; requiring
students pass an American civics examination in order to graduate with
a high school diploma; amending K.S.A. 72-3217 and repealing the
existing section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
New Section 1. (a) To provide students with essential knowledge and
skills for the social studies curriculum, the state board of education shall
develop age and developmentally appropriate curriculum, materials and
guidelines to provide students in nonelementary grades kindergarten
through 12 as designated by each school district with an understanding
of{ the negative impacts of} communist, fascist and socialist regimes and
ideologies.
(b) Each school district shall provide instruction to students in
nonelementary grades kindergarten through 12 as designated by such
school district on understanding { the negative impacts of} communist ,
fascist and socialist regimes and ideologies and may use the curriculum,
materials and guidelines developed by the state board of education.
Sec. 2. K.S.A. 72-3217 is hereby amended to read as follows: 72-
3217. (a) All accredited schools, whether public, private or parochial, shall
provide and give all students a complete course of instruction to all pupils,
in civil government, and United States history , and in patriotism and the
duties of a citizen, suitable to the elementary grades; in addition thereto,.
(b) All accredited high schools, whether public, private or parochial,
shall give a course of instruction concerning the government and
institutions of the United States, and, particularly of, the constitution of the
United States ; and no . Any student who has not taken and satisfactorily
passed such course shall not be certified as having completed the course
requirements necessary for graduation from high school.
(c) (1) All students who enroll in grade nine in any accredited public,
private or parochial high school on or after July 1, 2026, shall be required
to pass an examination on the principles of American civics. Any student
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SB 381—Am. by HC 2
who does not satisfactorily pass such examination shall not be certified as
having completed the course requirements necessary for graduation from
high school.
(2) Upon request, a student may be administered the examination
required by this subsection at any time after such student has enrolled in
grade seven, and such student may take the examination as often as
necessary to obtain a passing score. At the discretion of the board of
education of the school district or the governing body of any accredited
private or parochial high school, the examination may be administered as
part of the curriculum required under subsection (b).
(3) The examination required by this subsection shall consist of 100
20 multiple choice questions that are substantially similar to the
questions administered by the United States citizenship and immigration
services to applicants for United States citizenship through naturalization.
A student shall correctly answer at least 80% of the questions on such
examination to satisfactorily pass.
(4) The applicability of this subsection and the extent to which
accommodations are provided, if any, to a student with an individualized
education program (IEP) shall be governed by such student's IEP .
(5) The state board of education may adopt rules and regulations to
implement the provisions of this subsection, including, but not limited to,
providing a model examination for use by any school district or the
governing body of any accredited private or parochial high school and
establishing the passing score for any such model examination.
{(d) As used in this section, "accredited" means accredited by the
state board of education. "Accredited" includes dual accreditation by
the state board of education and an accrediting entity other than the
state board.}
Sec. 3. K.S.A. 72-3217 is hereby repealed.
Sec. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book Kansas register.
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